Road-testing the Kawasaki ER-6n.
In July when Kawasaki released details of its all-new 649cc ER-6n, before anyone had actually seen it in the metal, let alone ridden it, we reckoned that if it performed as promised it could well become one of the most sought after machines.
Now The Irish Times has had the opportunity to road test the first one to reach our shores. Put quite simply this is a bike which should walk off the showroom floor. Add to that a very attractive introductory discount on orders placed before the year's end and that walk should become a run.
This bike has a lot going for it. In terms of looks it is as modern as you could wish for, indeed distinctly cool looking, so much so you could be forgiven for thinking it had air-conditioning! It looks stunning: a lady in her 60s who was admiring it admitted if she was younger it is just the sort of machine she would buy.
The mechanics and electronics are bang up-to-date. Fuel injection, under-slung below engine silencer, petal-type brake disks and a novel, logical and very easy to adjust rear shock. Less visible is the all-new, 649cc, DOHC, 8-valve engine, its external dimensions smaller than the ER-5, with its stacked 6-speed gearbox. It produces 53kW (72.1PS) @ 8,500rpm and 66Nm @ 7,000rpm.
Tipping the scales at a mere 174kg its power output is equivalent to 411 bhp per tonne, eminently respectable for a bike intended to be "a commuter which would be fun to ride at weekends".
Though conceived as a commuter do not be mislead. This is not a boring bread-and-butter machine. It is one of a handful of machines we have ridden this year which really is great fun to ride, in town or country. It feels as light as a 250, indeed some 125s seem as heavy. The riding position is first rate, feeling as if it had been designed especially for you.
The parallel twin engine is a delight, revving freely, packing a considerable punch. Translated into acceleration, cruising or maximum speed it produces all you would ever need this side of track racing for which it was never intended.
The roadholding is first-rate, steering fast and nimble, the gearchange a delight and, with six gears to play around with there is simply no excuse for not being in the right gear at the right time and place. Engine braking is effective thus minimising resort to the brakes.
Is it perfect then? Well no, not quite. It used to be said in the days when British shipbuilding led the world that, even then, every ship went down the slipway with at least three faults designed into it. In biking terms things may have improved but we have to say of the ER-6n there are two not-as-good-as-we-hoped aspects.
The pillion seat is of the modern, but less extreme ski-slope variety with too-high set footpegs and thin upholstery. It is not comfortable, the discomfort enhanced by the rear bodywork which bulges out behind the rider' seat and is just right for developing bow legs.
The mirrors give a very poor view, no matter how carefully you adjust them there remains a huge blind sport for at least 150 metres immediately behind the bike. Had the mirror stems been just 25mm taller and 25mm wider there would be no problem.
This shortcoming could easily be rectified, there are dozens of mirror styles in the bikeshops and for the cost of a few euro there could be a dramatic improvement.
During the period of our test we enjoyed mixed weather. The bike behaved well in the wet and emerged, despite contractors debris-strewn roads, a lot cleaner than we expected.
We then had a rare, glorious, dry, sunny day - it's a tough job but someone has to do it - when we were able to really shove the ER-6n through its paces.
We found the suspension in its standard setting rather too firm for comfort on the third world sections of Co Wicklow's R roads. That is easily rectified, the rear shock is a model of accessibility and, surprise, surprise the tool kit does include the necessary C spanner.
But come the better sections and that glorious sweep over the Wicklow Gap, on an almost traffic-free weekday; it behaved so well that, if we had not been scheduled to return the bike at the day's end, any longer acquaintance and we would have ended up buying one!
TECH SPEC
ENGINE: 649cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, 4-stroke, DOHC, 8-valve, 11.3:1 compression parallel twin. 53kW (72.1PS) @ 8,500rpm and 66Nm @ 7,000rpm. Six-speed gearbox, chain drive
CHASSIS: Diamond high-tensile steel frame. Dual semi-floating 300mm petal front disks, 41mm telescopic forks, 120mm travel. Rear; single 220mm petal disk rear Offset laydown single-shock with adjustable preload, travel 130mm. 17" wheels
DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase 1,405mm, seat height 785mm, weight 174kg, fuel 15.5 litres
PRICE: RRP €7,900. Introductory price to December 31st, €7,250. Insurance Group 10. Low power 33bhp version available, Group 6 insurance