Kawasaki ER6-f and ER6-n

[short1uk]

I have been looking at this bike and it looks sweet. The seat height is just right and it not too leaning forward for me (hurts my back)

anyone got one or driven one and how does it compare to say the

Mt-03 or the GSR600?

Catherine

[dainesefreak]

Think you'll be lucky to find anyone who has one of these as they are all new for this year. I've read the opinions of the bike mags on all three bikes and the general consensus was;

ER-6N - Good replacement for the ER-5, surprisingly fun and eager engine for a parallel twin, good all rounder, nice on A & B roads, build looks ok for a "budget bike". The F is the faired version that I've not seen reviewed so far.

MT-03 - Yamaha's town bike, built as a towny commuter. Again surprisingly fun engine and handling, build looks good, runs out of puff over 100mph, Same engine as the XT660R (IIRC).

GSR600 is the GSXR600 engined naked Hornet competitor. More sports orientated than the other two, revy strong engine. One mag complained of snatchiness to the injection which wasn't there on the GSXR. Build could be questionable. Overall liked and a good review though.

[extreme3d]

[3806danny]

what about a bandit 600 s ,would be quick with 80bhp?

[extreme3d]

The bandit's a bit dated and is on it's last legs now. Next to the ER-6N it looks very retro. Also the Bandit's seat although low is very wide so makes it hard to get both feet on the ground if you are vertically challenged. There are not many bike's out there now that are short, my SV's bad enough!

[short1uk]

I thought the ER6-F mainly because on the way to work it would help with the wind. Its exaclty the same height/handle bars the lot just got the fairings round the front. It looks quite nice IMO and felt good when I sat on it. Its got a very low seat which is excellent as my feet touch the floor!

I looked at the Hornet but thought it a bit dated however the reviews this month in Ride and Two wheels said it is very good and with the optional extras of a small screen some bits and bobs it looked rather sweet in the burnt copper colour. However with these extras i would be looking at about £5700 which is considerably more than the £4500 for the Kawasaki.

So i am left still wondering. I do like the kawasaki though!

Cath

[dainesefreak]

How about considering a year or two old Hornet? I'm not trying to sound condescending, but if it's a first bike after a test pass it might be worth saving some cash and buying used.

[dodsi]

The bandit got the 650 engine recently and a re-style but like james said it is on its last legs.

as a first bike the SV, ER-6 and MT-03 are a damn good place to start.

The ER-6 is not a replacement for the ER-5 as they are 2 very differant bike.

My opinion would be that kawasaki brought out the ER-6 to get a peice of the suzuki SV650 market which really was in a class of its own.

The GSR600 really is a differant bike and nowhere near as learner friendly. It belongs as james said in the hornet/fazer market.

[kawakid]

Must agree they do look nice.

I don't mind the faired version, but all the reviews etc do seem to be for the naked version.

I read most of the bike mags plus mcn all have given it good reviews.

2 wheels only were saying that they got lots of looks from Christmas shoppers whilst on the ER6n, I does look different, a def head turner.

Don't know if there's a nice little screen you can get for the ER6n?

I'm obviously interested because i'm an ER5 owner.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[Jack_Cheese]

Saw one in mmc, looked good, but i can understand where concerns about build quality have come from. The welding didn't look super-smooth, nor did it look dangerously rough, but just not really as tidy as welding on other bikes. And then there's daft stuff pointed out by journos, such as the lack of a rubber washer behind the chain tension asdjuster. Makes you wonder how much thought has gone into the rest of the bike.

Try one out on a test ride

Jack
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www.bikepics.com/members/jackcheese <--- NOW FOR SALE! 51 Plate Cagiva Planet 125
Quacker_boy: "Jack, you really are a dick!"

[FreshAL]

The magazine photo's of this bike are a tribute to the talents of photographers.

I've seen it pictured and reviewed in MCN and a couple of mags and though "wow, funky, unusual, looks great"

Rode past one on display yesterday and nearly fell off. Sweet damn that bike is uuugly in the flesh. It looks great from the side-on angle all the photos are taken but from straigh on, just eww Maybe it looks better in black, I don't know.

I'd still like to test ride one though.

Edit: found a pic
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/er6-n_190.jpg

[Jack_Cheese]

They do look pants at the front, the headlight/ instument console just look a bit poo. It really needs twin spots up the front, rather than that cumbersome thing.

Jack

EDIT:

[Fazerkev]

I spotted a brand spanking new er6n last night. Kudos to the rider who is riding around in the middle of January with a mint bike.
I just cycled past but had a good glance. It sounded great and throaty for a parallel twin and the looks were very appealing.
I've not seen a brutale in the flesh but it reminded me of pics of the MV....very squat, compact and stylish naked bike (the absence of a can helps that).

My thoughts are as extreme3D about the faired version. That and the fairing is too rounded in my view.

Naked one is a winner.
Brutale-12 grand, er6 5grand
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Kev

[king756]

A Brutale it is not. A brutal has a bit of effort gone in to it instead of a cheap knocked together runabout. I'd say the brutal is several catagories up on the er6.

The new er6 still looks an ok bike ... for a cheap runabout though.

[ISLAND GIRL]

[Fazerkev]

[syris]

[extreme3d]