Kawasaki ER6n
Kawasaki ER-6n – Oct 2007 – Jan 2008
Purchased: 29/10/07
Mileage: 3956 miles
Price: £3000
Accessories: Ermax Rear Hugger, New Bars/grips/mirrors
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Review:
The ER6 was doomed from the start. I had just traded in my wonder Buell for this….this piece of cheap japanese cheapness…
On the ride home I nearly did a lowside with me and Em on the bike due to sh*te tyres. Then I nearly lost it again the same day.
From that day forward I was never confident in it, even after new tyres and dry days, there was just something about it that I couldn’t handle.
That’s about it…short, not so sweet and very very disappointing.
Pros:
- Cheap
- Sounded good
- Oddball looks
Cons
- Complete unstableness
- Hard ass seat
- Not very powerful
- Crap, basic dials
- Ridiculous stock handlebars
- Cheap quality
- 160 rear section
That’s food for thought indeed! just when i thought of getting it. Thanks for the heads up though. Cheers!
Monday, September 1, 2008 at 20:06
Its funny as I considered this for my first larger capacity bike and have never heard anyone really say bad things about it !! perhaps you just didnt like since you almost came off first time on it !
Saturday, January 10, 2009 at 12:43
sorry about your luck, mate. put two hundred miles on mine yesterday. rode it threw the rain the day before. maybe they make em’ different in the states. I didn’t know Buell was popular outside of the good ole US of A?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 18:57
Interesting comments.
As your typical male I have owned and ridden all sorts of bikes over the years, everything from a GPX250 Ninja as my first bike all the way up to a ZX12R and my current Suzuki GSX1400. My local dealer gives out an ER6 as a loan bike when my bikes are in for servicing, tyres, etc. It is probably not the kind of bike I would normally have interest in, but it really impressed me.
I found it was spectacular fun, very user-friendly, easy to ride, fitted with competent brakes and suspension and an engine with very useable ‘real world’ power. The tyres are more than enough for the abilities of the engine, chassis, suspension and brakes. One time I had the bike for a full day and took it through the twisties and it was an absolute hoot! In fact, that same day I even got booked doing a wheelie (well, two wheelies!) on it.
I would certainly recommend them highly as a general-use bike, capable of everything from commuting in comfort to scraping pegs through the hills and even a bit of mid-range touring like a long weekend away.
My only complaint is that the rear brake is a little touchy for a bike that is essentially designed for beginners who already have a tendency to over-utilise the rear.
Any other complaints are only from someone used to higher end (both specification and price) bikes and are not really relevant given the keen pricing of the bike!
I note the original poster had a scare on their first day (I don’t know how, these things just about ride themselves… perhaps a scooter might be better for you?) and this no doubt soured their opinion which is a shame as they are a great little bike and very much fit-for-purpose.
Monday, October 19, 2009 at 22:31
The original poster is the only poster on this website matey. And aye, a scooter probably is better for me…
The tyres on my ER6 were initially mixed, a pirelli on the front, a dunlop on the rear. This caused the imbalance that caused my bike slide (something that I urge you try and then tell me that it didn’t make you uncomfortable) and thus gave me my initial dislike for this bike.
Bear in mind that on my way to pick up the ER6, I was riding my Buell Xb12Ss, THE best handling bike on the planet. Get off a Buell and on to a ER6 and you’ll be pretty bummed about it.
Then I came off the ER6 at 50mph, thus sealing the deal.
You had an ER6 for a full day! Wow. That sounds like great fun.
Riding day in day out on one is a different bag baby…and riding in Winter is also a different bag, regardless of bike. I suggest you try it, because I suspect your one to get the bus when the rain starts-a-spittin.
Ride safe y’all.
Monday, October 19, 2009 at 22:55
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Sorry to hear you didn’t like the ER6 – but I was interested in your experiences with it.
I’ve had one for about 18 months now and have been pretty happy with it. I have found it a bit twitchy – but I was blaming myself. Good to hear a biker who’s ridden a lot of bikes having problems with it – maybe it’s not all my fault. I thnk I should have stuck to Yamahas. (Think a Buell’s prabably too big and too pricey for an 8 mile each way commute in all weathers.)
Love the site (found it while trying to pay less than £50 for a footpeg!)
Friday, December 3, 2010 at 13:38
Really interesting to read peoples comments about the ER6. I’ve had mine since passing my test last July and have mixed opinions on it. Have really wanted to love it but something just isn’t working for me with it. Having read lots of positive reviews about it I had hoped that it would be the bike to help me get my confidence up as I got my first year or so of experience under my belt. At times I’ve loved riding it but other times I’ve found it a bit ‘snatchy’ as it thumps through the gears. Is probably due to my inexperience as a new rider more than any problems with the bike but have come to the decision that its not the bike for me so am gonna sell it. Gonna go back to the bike I learnt on and get a Honda CBF 600
Monday, February 7, 2011 at 21:21
Hey there, I have a 2010 er6 n and thought I’d share my experience if you are interested (and even if you are not). It is my first bike and generally I am happy with it, although I have now came off it twice, both times in the rain.
The first time may be because I was inexperienced and becoming over confident. I might have went into a corner too sharp for the conditions (£3500 worth of damage), the second time which was last week I am convinced was because the tyres are rubbish in the rain. Bare in mind that after the first accident, which was a yr ago now I am super cautious when driving in the rain (my insurance excess is pretty heavy). The latest skid happened driving in a straight line and breaking coming up to a round about, not driving too fast, no time to do anything about the decking it was brake/slam. I looked up reviews for the dunlop tyres and they get half a star out of five for rain handling and zero stars for braking in the rain (yet weirdly end up with a median score of five stars). My next buy will be a different set of tyres so will update any prospective buyers next time it rains on whether the slams are my crap driving or the tyres at fault.
Monday, June 13, 2011 at 20:21
Hey guys, I’m riding a 2010 ER and Im HAPPY. Bought it new and changed tyres to perelli’s straight away . . . . have a life time of experience riding most every thing on wheels. The ER feels light and if you get your ass off the seat and throw it round its just FUN . . . . I dont ride in the rain and I dont ride a bus. . . I just prefer to have dry pants when I get to where Im going . . . . dont blame the bike blame the setup . . . . (the rider?)
Ride fast and stuff every one else . . .
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 03:17