Kawasaki Er6n

[BigBikeBKK]

Brought the ER-6n in today for the 1000km service and thought I'd share some pics. The shop was crazy busy as usual so once again my bike went upstairs to the air conditioned service bay- Don't I just feel like a VIP

The gentleman in the green shirt is the manager of the service department. I'm so embarrassed that I can't remember his name. He's super cool, speaks some English, and has very good knowledge about all of the bikes that Kawasaki sells and is going to sell.

I've decided to use semi-synthetic oil with this bike because I've got to imagine that the hot climate here in Thailand takes it's toll on regular oils. (Plus I like to ride hard )

I always enjoy watching mechanics work, and it's a great way to learn how to take care of your bike and avoid the whole trial and error drama that often goes with working on a new machine. For example- I can see that getting to the air filter is definitely a two man job:

The air box is under the tank and you have do disconnect three hoses and one relay to get the tank off. Definitely a lot easier if one person holds the tank while the second disconnects all the hoses and relay-

BIG airbox:

Nice to see that the filter is serviceable- the plastic holder opens so that you can remove the sponge filter and clean. Score one for the environment! I can't imagine how an aftermarket filter could possibly breathe any better than the stock one...

A couple of views of the ER-6n on the stand-

You can see on the back wall some very fancy tools that they keep under lock and key. Man... if I could have a shop like this at home...

Keen observers will notice a bunch of older Ninja ZZRs in this picture. Some are going to museums and some are going to technical colleges. Way to go Kawasaki!

I've already mentioned I want to get an aftermarket exhaust for my ER-6n. I actually quite like the note of the stock exhaust, but as you can see in this picture the stock can is very big and with THREE cats it's very heavy too. One of these days I'll take it off just to weigh it. :jerk:

Some final adjustments-

Home and ready for tomorrow's ride to Udon Thani!

I need to start packing! Anyone wants to join the ride please see the Udon Thani thread.

Happy Trails,

Tony

[LivinLOS]

Some final adjustments-

Now you have tidied that tail.. Man that angle with the asymmetrical shock.. That looks good !!

[BigBikeBKK]

Some final adjustments-

Now you have tidied that tail.. Man that angle with the asymmetrical shock.. That looks good !!

LOL- what's even better is that it actually works! This bike sticks like glue in the corners. Lefts and rights feel balanced and symmetrical despite that asymmetrical shock. Don't know how they did it, but it works!

[CroBiker]

Removal of the tail piece on the ER-6n

Hi all! Thought you might like to see what the ER-6n looks like with that big ugly tail piece removed:

Very easy, no cutting and completely reversible. It's kinda like Kawasaki knew that people would want to remove this piece, but had to include it to make the bike road legal.

I'm going to have some flush mount LED turn signals installed where the old tail piece was bolted on. Piece of cake since there are already mounting points, so once again, no cutting and easy to return to stock form at any time. I'm still trying to brainstorm a way to hang the license plate... I think hanging it from the center hole might be not be solid enough. I'm reluctant to cut any holes in the underside but I think that may be the way to go, then I can easily attach the plate directly to the frame with a couple of 10 baht brackets.

Happy Trails!

Tony

Interesting concept....this way you don't have to waste money for fender eliminator.

Looks impressive indeed.

[CroBiker]

Soon.. Its been a 2 month ordeal to get hold of this bike.. Had it now for almost 3 weeks and it should be in my name any day.. I have held off on starting any work as 1) I wanted the security of it being in my name before I bought bits and 2) once I start it seems it wont be changing name again in this province.. Itching to get MX bars on and rip the fairings off.. Already have someone all lined up and ready to start a frame up rebuild, new ballraces, paint and powdercoat etc..

Awaiting strip down and rebuild.

Bandit.. Had an offer by some Thai boys to buy it just for the book and frame before christmas, they ended up going awol and that isnt looking like its on the cards now (course they wouldnt every actually say that, it was yes yes yes).. And I have been side tracked with the Blade mentally too.. 95% sure that will just get sorted to sell but its not my no 1 priority..

That's a good looking bike LOS. Perhaps changing that rusty pipe would be in order.

May I ask what color you going to put?

[LivinLOS]

Personally I dont think its that clean, but neither is it a rusting hulk, is just a good donor as a project bike. I was very tempted to go buy a out of the box shiny ER6N, with all the dealer parts and service and new bike gloss, but I think this has the potential to possibly be a better machine for touring and I actually WANT to work on it and make something personal. Now I have decided to go for it, the project aspect seems as good as the bike itself almost. Wish I had a well tooled up garage !!

Not wanting to go too OT in the ER6N thread but my plan is..

Defrairing it to naked..

MX bars..

Reposition the dials or buy an aftermarket digi dash and idiot lights kit to mount tight to headstock..

Still very undecided on front light / fairing options, have 3 or 4 looks I really like but thats open for now.. Kinda depends on ebay

Combination black powdercoat (frame swingarm various bits) and black high gloss (small diverse bits as a contrast dull v gloss)..

Paint scheme looking for something subtle (it wont be mirror flames ) saw a pearl white that I think the bodywork with a 4 inch black front to back stripe would look rocking and subtle, saw a orange metallic that I think would work with the black real well.. But really 'color' is the last and least important question.

Stage 2 and for further out into the future the late model sharp CBR600 tail looks good on these, as does an R1 tail.. I need something that still leaves pillion foot pegs and a useable seat so will see.. Thats not for the immediate future tho.

I have some bars and riser clamps on order, once I start the build process I will post some ideas and pics of fighters I like and fighters I dont to see where I go with it. Currently waiting on bits in the mail.

Oh and the dirty can will have to go.. Saw a carbon race can that would fit the black theme.. Tho might have a shorty / stubby pack done.

[Pikey]

Hi mate,

Again, apologies for hijacking the ER6n thread but you may want to consider this for a digi dash - http://www.veypor.com/ I used a Trailtech Vapor on my XR and it was good but this unit offers a lot more.

Also, for your tail unit, have you thought about getting cheapo race-rep fibreglass? I've seen a 916 seat on a Blade before and it looked dead sexy! Hope you start a thread and post pics of the build.

Cheers & good luck.

Pikey.

[LivinLOS]

Again.. sorry for hijack.. Last one.

Tail unit isnt going to be a part of the first round build.. But longer term I like that sharp more modern look and might underseat the pipe too.. Whatever it is it has to have pillion use tho, the GF wants to come along sometimes. I reckon I will see what I stumble upon or what comes up on ebay, let it grow organically.

Seen the trailtech ones, more into the koso ones if I go that way.. theres new koso setups coming out in a month or two I am told, that up the style level a chunk again.

Now back to Kwakers..

[neverdie]

Some final adjustments-

Now you have tidied that tail.. Man that angle with the asymmetrical shock.. That looks good !!

LOL- what's even better is that it actually works! This bike sticks like glue in the corners. Lefts and rights feel balanced and symmetrical despite that asymmetrical shock. Don't know how they did it, but it works!

Looking very smart tony, congrads & hurry up and weigh that can then kick it to the kerb.

[kev_o]

Dropped in to the Kwaka dealer on Rama 9 today, they had an orange one in the showroom but much to my disappointment I was told that I could not but it as it was reserved, they reckon that there is now a month wait from placing an order. Does anyone know of any dealers that have available stock, as month is a long wait, cheers, kev

[LivinLOS]

Phuket Kwaker said he will have more 25th this month.. Maybe before then but for sure.. Forgot to ask him if he was charging normal price.

He also made it clear it could be put on the slate without a work permit, any farang with a residence slip (and here they just hand them over) could get it was what he claimed.

[NormanW]

Phuket Kwaker said he will have more 25th this month.. Maybe before then but for sure.. Forgot to ask him if he was charging normal price.

He also made it clear it could be put on the slate without a work permit, any farang with a residence slip (and here they just hand them over) could get it was what he claimed.

I can't see Kawasaki charging more in a reccession can you?

I hope not, it would make me think twice for a nano second about putting my order in.

NormanW

[NormanW]

Problems keeping yer front end down yet folks?

NormanW

[BSJ]

Hi BigBikeBKK, that locked cabinet's got quite a selection of measuring tools in it. Hope they put em to good use when the need arises!

[dave_boo]

I'm going to have some flush mount LED turn signals installed where the old tail piece was bolted on. Piece of cake since there are already mounting points, so once again, no cutting and easy to return to stock form at any time. I'm still trying to brainstorm a way to hang the license plate... I think hanging it from the center hole might be not be solid enough. I'm reluctant to cut any holes in the underside but I think that may be the way to go, then I can easily attach the plate directly to the frame with a couple of 10 baht brackets.

Happy Trails!

Tony

Why don't you get a bracket made up for your plate using the two screws that are already present? The ones that look like they're 4-5" from the edge of tail lamp? As long as the holes that the plate itself is going to be mounting onto are high enough on the downward bend you should be able to hide most all of the brackets if you mount them so that the L is behind the plate itself. Think about rotating a capital "L" 90 degrees to the right (clockwise) and having holes close to the bend......if you know what I mean.

[BigBikeBKK]

I'm going to have some flush mount LED turn signals installed where the old tail piece was bolted on. Piece of cake since there are already mounting points, so once again, no cutting and easy to return to stock form at any time. I'm still trying to brainstorm a way to hang the license plate... I think hanging it from the center hole might be not be solid enough. I'm reluctant to cut any holes in the underside but I think that may be the way to go, then I can easily attach the plate directly to the frame with a couple of 10 baht brackets.

Happy Trails!

Tony

Why don't you get a bracket made up for your plate using the two screws that are already present? The ones that look like they're 4-5" from the edge of tail lamp? As long as the holes that the plate itself is going to be mounting onto are high enough on the downward bend you should be able to hide most all of the brackets if you mount them so that the L is behind the plate itself. Think about rotating a capital "L" 90 degrees to the right (clockwise) and having holes close to the bend......if you know what I mean.

That's the plan Dave (Originally I thought I'd mount flush turn signals where those bolts are in the pic above (that's where the tail piece bolts on)), but now that I've got LED signals mounted to the Givi rack those points will be the logical place to hang the plate:

Happy Trails!

Tony

[neverdie]

I'm going to have some flush mount LED turn signals installed where the old tail piece was bolted on. Piece of cake since there are already mounting points, so once again, no cutting and easy to return to stock form at any time. I'm still trying to brainstorm a way to hang the license plate... I think hanging it from the center hole might be not be solid enough. I'm reluctant to cut any holes in the underside but I think that may be the way to go, then I can easily attach the plate directly to the frame with a couple of 10 baht brackets.

Happy Trails!

Tony

Why don't you get a bracket made up for your plate using the two screws that are already present? The ones that look like they're 4-5" from the edge of tail lamp? As long as the holes that the plate itself is going to be mounting onto are high enough on the downward bend you should be able to hide most all of the brackets if you mount them so that the L is behind the plate itself. Think about rotating a capital "L" 90 degrees to the right (clockwise) and having holes close to the bend......if you know what I mean.

That's the plan Dave (Originally I thought I'd mount flush turn signals where those bolts are in the pic above (that's where the tail piece bolts on)), but now that I've got LED signals mounted to the Givi rack those points will be the logical place to hang the plate:

Happy Trails!

Tony

WELL COME ON TONY.....<deleted>, HURRY UP, YOU'VE HAD THE DAM_N BIKE FOR 2 WEEKS NOW, YOU'VE GOT AN ENDLESS SUPPLY OF MONEY & YOU HAVENT FINISHED ALL THE MODS....geeze, i havent logged off since you got it, awaiting the mod updates

[BigBikeBKK]

WELL COME ON TONY.....<deleted>, HURRY UP, YOU'VE HAD THE DAM_N BIKE FOR 2 WEEKS NOW, YOU'VE GOT AN ENDLESS SUPPLY OF MONEY & YOU HAVENT FINISHED ALL THE MODS....geeze, i havent logged off since you got it, awaiting the mod updates

LOL! Patience Dude! I just did a 1600km ride this weekend- That's a total of 2600km in the last 2 weeks!

Now I'm busy editing pics and vids and then I need to go get the bike cleaned up. She's filthy!

The mods will be done in their own sweet time. I'm not really in a hurry or anything- the bike is wicked fun as is, but eventually I'll get a new can (Akrapovic, Devil or Ixil methinks) and a screen. I'll get stickier tires once I wear out the Dunlop Sportmax's that I'm running now. They are "sport touring" tires and I think I'll change to Pirelli Diablos and see if I can beef up the rear to 180.

Happy Trails!

[neverdie]

Okay, after 1600 clicks, any major dislikes...are you happy with the brakes.....i understand you want a screen and stickier tyres....anything else?

whadda ya doing drinking in a place known as the irishcock for ?

[BigBikeBKK]

Okay, after 1600 clicks, any major dislikes...are you happy with the brakes.....i understand you want a screen and stickier tyres....anything else?

whadda ya doing drinking in a place known as the irishcock for ?

Ahem, that's the Irish CLOCK mate And if you ever find yourself in Udon Thani it's a great place for excellent food and drink and the rooms are HUGE and quite nice. Highly recommended. In fact just writing about it is making me hungry...

After 2600km on the ER-6n I'm quite happy with the bike overall. As I've mentioned before I've haven't owned a "naked" bike in many years (last one was a Kawasaki GPz 550 Cafe Racer MANY years ago!) and it took me a little while to get used to the higher bars of ER-6n. It's very light and nimble and the 650cc parallel twin cranks out wicked fun torque. Brakes are excellent but I've been rather surprised how easy it is to slide the Dunlops...

So let's see, other than a screen, new can and tires, what else would I like for the ER-6n?

I want to get some frame sliders before I take her to BIRA.

I'd like to find a place that can redo the seat- It's cushy and comfortable (WAY better than my last bike, the Ninja 250R), but I find it slopes forward ever so slightly and I'd prefer it if it was more flat. There's a company called Bagster which makes very good looking seats for the ER-6n, but not sure they've made one for the new 2009 model yet but the old one looks like this-

The handlebars on the ER-6n are quite high and I'm thinking about lowering them. Simple to replace them with a straight bar, or I was looking at the handlebars on the D-Tracker and they're almost identical, but a little bit lower-

The bars on the ER-6n above, and on the D-Tracker below:

I know they look about the same in the pics, but in reality there's less of a bend in the D-tracker bars, which makes them about an inch lower than the ER-6n bars.

Might be more hassle than it's worth to replace. Even with the high bars the ER-6n remains very stable in the corners. I suppose if I wanted to get really trick I'd replace the stock rear shock with something more adjustable and look into options to add adjustable front forks. Steel brake lines, slipper clutch, PowerCommander, Carbon Fiber... Shoot, once you get started it's so hard to stop!

One cool thing about a lot of the mods is that they'll be easy to trasfer to the new ER-6f which should go on sale around June or July-

Drool, drool, slobber!

[neverdie]

^ I wonder what other colours that bad boy is going to be sold in los in?

How many more satang, too?

so many bikes......so little money

[thaicbr]

Tony i presume you have checked the tyre pressures. cos at Bira when we checked Bards and Simons they were way low in the 20's i think. Just a thought

Neverdie that's what finance is for 'the so little money'

[neverdie]

thaicbr......I guess millions of Americans told you about that finance stuff, just keep borrowing until you go BROKE!

I'll buy with cash thanx big guy....in the meantime I will continue to survey the stock available.

Special thanx to tony the test goat!

[thaicbr]

Na Neverdie. the trick with finance (learnt the hard way) is never over stretch yourself. if your 1st thought is 'i can't afford' that monthly payment then you DON'T get it. I have a few friends who are up shit creek cos they had to have the bestest izuzu truck (its got fuc_king leather.......in Thailand) 12,000+ a month and they are out of work and haven't paid for 4 months.

I on the other hand got a nice cheap Ford Ranger (doesn't even have electric windows....shock hardship) at 5,000 a month over less time. You're correct Finance can be bad.......still trying to sort out all the different loans and shit the girlfriends got (she's paying them not me). but if done sensibly its Ok.

Allan

[neverdie]

Yes, what you are doing is smart. I look at things also slightly different to that, maybe its the position im in that makes me do it, but if I can go without if for a few months, then have the money to buy it outright, i will do it thatway....in actual fact, i may buy about a month before my money is due & put it on my credit card for the month (interest free ). I hate giving any of my money to financial institutions.

Plus as I have said before, I wouldnt qualify for a loan - no job

[LivinLOS]

Yes, what you are doing is smart. I look at things also slightly different to that, maybe its the position im in that makes me do it, but if I can go without if for a few months, then have the money to buy it outright, i will do it thatway....in actual fact, i may buy about a month before my money is due & put it on my credit card for the month (interest free ). I hate giving any of my money to financial institutions.

Plus as I have said before, I wouldnt qualify for a loan - no job

You dont sound like you want it.. But Phuket was absolutely 100% that I wouldnt need a WP to finance in my own name.. Just residence slip. I triple checked not in GF or Thai nominee name and he was firm that I could.

I am like you tho, I have never had anything on credit, not cars (and have owned some doozys), not on houses, not in the businesses I owned, nothing. I pay on the nail or I dont do it.

[neverdie]

^I laughed when i read that....i will be the first to admit that its not the type of bike i have brought previously but its got alot of good things going for it....but you are also right, my heart is in another place....you wouldnt have to be a genius to work out where it is?

I'm very interested to read about those fellows that have already bought em and can report back their findings....

[BigBikeBKK]

thaicbr......I guess millions of Americans told you about that finance stuff, just keep borrowing until you go BROKE!

I'll buy with cash thanx big guy....in the meantime I will continue to survey the stock available.

Special thanx to tony the test goat!

LOL- well said Neverdie- but the "buy now pay later credit lifestyle" seems to have spread far beyond the USA...

Test goat, eh?

[neverdie]

thaicbr......I guess millions of Americans told you about that finance stuff, just keep borrowing until you go BROKE!

I'll buy with cash thanx big guy....in the meantime I will continue to survey the stock available.

Special thanx to tony the test goat!

LOL- well said Neverdie- but the "buy now pay later credit lifestyle" seems to have spread far beyond the USA...

Test goat, eh?

Hey, I resemble that emoticon! Test goat is the right phraseyology, is it....tis scape goat. You the Test Dummy? Please note: I did not say Crash Test Dummy

[Kf6vci]

Hi,

I have hit the 1000 km mark and the bike will have its first service tomorrow.

Is the general consensus that it is OK to thrash the bike from this point on ? I've gone pretty easy on it so far, but I can't resist the urge much longer.............

Cheers

Well, I read a book on engins stating that if you only use the 85% of available revs, your engine will last twice as long

Moreover, warm her up well before you go fast. Seeing bikers redline an ioce cold engine (sometimes only for show, imitating wooing of male birds) makes me sick. Remember, about 90% of all wear and tear is due to the cold starts...

Happy Driving!

Chris