Kawasaki Er6n

[LivinLOS]

I'm thinking about installing flush mount LED turn signals on the side fenders. Would have to drill a couple of holes but should look alright. Another option is an aftermarket tail light with built in signals. Ya ever see one of those? They look pretty cool.

I would be very leary of doing any non reversable mods due to the current attitude of my DMV (says the man whose ripped off his fairings and is making a bike that will be barely recognisable as its source).. Then again yours is a newie and you probably have resale in mind.

In your case you could easy fab two L brackets behind the plate (from the plate hanger mount) that let a pair of led indicators just poke the heads and not the stalks out of the sides of the plate top. Would look tidy, be reversable, and cheap and easy to do.

Cheers LivinLOS- I do know where you're coming from and that's why I've already ordered new fenders from Kawaaki. The parts for the ER6n are amazingly cheap (about 700 Baht per fender) and readily available from the factory in Rayong, so I'll have my "custom" fenders with flush mount signals, but I also keep all of the original bits so that I can return the bike to stock form if needed.

Having said that, when I sold my Ninja 250R in Chiang Mai they didn't care at all about the fender and signal mods I'd done to the bike. Seems to me that Phuket just has a bee up their butt and is giving everyone a hard time.

Good luck with that and Happy Trails!

You dont know the half.. Why they seem to have become such d1cks is anyones guess, it doesnt seem to be about tea money as they are flat 'no' on issues not maybe if I get a drink I can look past it.. Which at least I could understand.

[Bard]

So they will launch the even heavier ABS f version with a much higher price tag, to bad... Well guess lot of people want it so that's why.

Any news about the ZX10 which is more up my interest level?

Cheers Bard

[BigBikeBKK]

So they will launch the even heavier ABS f version with a much higher price tag, to bad... Well guess lot of people want it so that's why.

Any news about the ZX10 which is more up my interest level?

Cheers Bard

Yeah- I think Kawasaki may have realized that they priced the ER6n too cheap. No one, not even the sales managers ever expected the ER6n to be priced at only 225,000. I still don't know how they decided on that very low price. (But of course, as an ER6n owner I'm pretty happy I got such a good deal. )

The price for the ER6f is still not set and while it sounds like Kawasaki is leaning towards offering the ABS version, which I want, that could also certainly change between now and November.

Hopefully we'll learn more about the plans for the ER6f and the ZX10R at the Bangkok Motor Show.

Happy Trails!

Tony

[VocalNeal]

Tony,

I'm still saving for my Versys!

[BigBikeBKK]

Tony,

I'm still saving for my Versys!

Um, ok, but the Versys is not made in Thailand so you can expect to pay close to 600,000 Baht to have one legally imported... Much cheaper option would be to get yourself an ER6n and import the suspension parts to convert it to Versys spec. Having said all of that- the Versys has not received very flattering reviews... Seems a bike that can do everything ok, but nothing great...

Have you looked at the Triumph Tiger or BMW1200GS? They'd piss all over the Versys and aren't so much more expensive.

Happy Trails!

Tony

[HTWoodson]

Picked mine up yesterday from the Chiang Mai dealership. I noticed the price breakdown was a little different than some people reported.

Bike: 225,000

Mandatory Insurance: 645

Registration/Plates: 925

Optional Insurance (Lockton): 7,520

Total: 232,090

For the optional insurance they offered two companies, Lockton for 7,520 and First Insurance for 6,161. The Locton had a much better policy so I paid the extra for it.

Chiang Mai dealership had sold out of their in stock bikes yesterday, but the sales manager told me any orders placed now (March 21) will arrive April 10. They need a 2000 baht deposit, and you can arrange a wire transfer by giving the dealership a call if you don't want to come in personally just to drop off 2000 baht. (053-201509)

[HTWoodson]

And after one day riding the ER-6n, my first impressions.

I went out and put about 3 hours in on the windy mountain roads of the Samoeng Loop near Chiang Mai. It is a fun bike to ride, with 2 exceptions. First, I gotta get a windscreen. I feel like my shirt is gonna get ripped off and my backpack straps are beating bruises into my ribs. I've had a windscreen on my bike for so long I forgot how crappy it is not to have one. Second, the seat is awful. It's so slanted forward that I feel like I'm riding down a steep hill everywhere I go. I'm used to long rides but the seat left me pretty sore after.

The seat is an easy fix; I'll take it into a custom shop and reshape it this week. The windscreen is a little harder. Tony, I saw the Givi and Puak (sp?) windscreen pics you posted a little while back. Who can you order through? I can't find anyplace that sells them. There so ugly I might be better off just getting a custom job made though.

On a side note, while riding the loop yesterday, I had been tearing it up for about an hour down a particulary fun strech of windy downhill road. I was moving at a pretty good clip, focusing on my cornering, and feeling pretty confident, when this little dude on a Honda Dream passed me! He didn't just pass me, he dusted me. He was laying the Dream so far over in the turns that he was dragging the foot pegs, and damned if I couldn't keep up with him! I couldn't decide if it was funny or embarrassing; both I guess.

EDIT: Puig winscreen, sorry.

Edited March 22, 2009 by HTWoodson

[BigBikeBKK]

And after one day riding the ER-6n, my first impressions.

I went out and put about 3 hours in on the windy mountain roads of the Samoeng Loop near Chiang Mai. It is a fun bike to ride, with 2 exceptions. First, I gotta get a windscreen. I feel like my shirt is gonna get ripped off and my backpack straps are beating bruises into my ribs. I've had a windscreen on my bike for so long I forgot how crappy it is not to have one. Second, the seat is awful. It's so slanted forward that I feel like I'm riding down a steep hill everywhere I go. I'm used to long rides but the seat left me pretty sore after.

The seat is an easy fix; I'll take it into a custom shop and reshape it this week. The windscreen is a little harder. Tony, I saw the Givi and Puak (sp?) windscreen pics you posted a little while back. Who can you order through? I can't find anyplace that sells them. There so ugly I might be better off just getting a custom job made though.

On a side note, while riding the loop yesterday, I had been tearing it up for about an hour down a particulary fun strech of windy downhill road. I was moving at a pretty good clip, focusing on my cornering, and feeling pretty confident, when this little dude on a Honda Dream passed me! He didn't just pass me, he dusted me. He was laying the Dream so far over in the turns that he was dragging the foot pegs, and damned if I couldn't keep up with him! I couldn't decide if it was funny or embarrassing; both I guess.

EDIT: Puig winscreen, sorry.

Cheers HT,

Congrats on the new bike. Indeed riding naked can take some getting used to! I didn't like it at first and still want to find a decent looking screen, but after nearly 9000 km on my naked ER6n I find I've actually gotten used to not having a screen and didn't have any trouble hanging with Bard and Trent who ride FZ6's with tall Givi touring screens at speeds that often exceed 200km/hr.

As far as I know the Givi screen can so far only be ordered in Europe. I don't think it's made it to other distributors yet, but imagine it will soon.

You can find a list of Puig distributors here: http://www.puigusa.com/

As for getting smoked by a Dream on the downhill, well, some of these guys know their local roads like the back of their hand and are fearless riders. On real tight twisty downhills the smaller bike will often have an advantage. If you feel you need to brush up on your skills there are a few race tracks around Bangkok where you can practice in a safe environment and take lessons as well.

Happy Trails!

Tony

[LivinLOS]

I find wind not to be a problem at all below say 140.. 140 - 160 its there but not harsh pr annoying.. 160 - 180 it starts to get bothersome, but I kinda want to be aware of the pace I am doing, these are Thai roads, with dogs, sand, wandering cattle, etc at 180 thats a km every 20 seconds and Thais dont look that far out.. 200 is for very rare stretches of road !!

Maybe I am not the racer others are.. But over 200 with the road users I have to share the roads with ?? the potholes, the unknown unknowns ?? No I dont want to tuck behind a screen and scoot up to 240 and be too comfortable with those speeds, back in the west its different but not here personally.

[INTJ]

Anyone got their plates and green book yet from Mityon Pattaya ?

[ArNaSu]

Supposed to be getting my white number plate today or tommorrow. I'll drop my bike off and they will take it to Chonburi on the back of a pickup for the white number plate. I've ridden my er6n around town quite a bit and find it quite an easy bike to ride in traffic. As for high speed touring in my opinion it's not what it's made for, I find it reasonably comfortable at 130kmh, above that it's an effort.

I'm personally not bothered in going faster than that on the road so naked is fine by me.

As for trying to ride fast and lean angles and the like my opinion is you should get yourself to bira race track for that. At least on the track you know everyone is going in the same direction. Maybe not the same for everyone but for me since I've gotten into track riding and racing I'm really not bothered with trying to ride fast on Thai roads it all seems a bit silly really. I ride pretty slow on the roads and sort of sit back and watch the accidents as the kids on their honda dreams pull mad overtaking moves and go for lean angles that just aren't going to work the way they're sitting on their bikes.

[VocalNeal]

Tony,

I'm still saving for my Versys!

Um, ok, but the Versys is not made in Thailand so you can expect to pay close to 600,000 Baht to have one legally imported...

Tony,

480,000 from RB.

[neverdie]

And after one day riding the ER-6n, my first impressions.

I went out and put about 3 hours in on the windy mountain roads of the Samoeng Loop near Chiang Mai. It is a fun bike to ride, with 2 exceptions. First, I gotta get a windscreen. I feel like my shirt is gonna get ripped off and my backpack straps are beating bruises into my ribs. I've had a windscreen on my bike for so long I forgot how crappy it is not to have one. Second, the seat is awful. It's so slanted forward that I feel like I'm riding down a steep hill everywhere I go. I'm used to long rides but the seat left me pretty sore after.

The seat is an easy fix; I'll take it into a custom shop and reshape it this week. The windscreen is a little harder. Tony, I saw the Givi and Puak (sp?) windscreen pics you posted a little while back. Who can you order through? I can't find anyplace that sells them. There so ugly I might be better off just getting a custom job made though.

On a side note, while riding the loop yesterday, I had been tearing it up for about an hour down a particulary fun strech of windy downhill road. I was moving at a pretty good clip, focusing on my cornering, and feeling pretty confident, when this little dude on a Honda Dream passed me! He didn't just pass me, he dusted me. He was laying the Dream so far over in the turns that he was dragging the foot pegs, and damned if I couldn't keep up with him! I couldn't decide if it was funny or embarrassing; both I guess.

EDIT: Puig winscreen, sorry.

Brand New er6n = 225,000 thb

On road costs = 1,650 thb

Insurance: = 7,304 thb

New riding jacket = 8,000 thb

New Helmet = 35,000 thb

Getting blown off by a 15 year old on his 10 year old honda dream with smooth tyres & blocked carby = PRICELESS

[BigBikeBKK]

Tony,

I'm still saving for my Versys!

Um, ok, but the Versys is not made in Thailand so you can expect to pay close to 600,000 Baht to have one legally imported...

Tony,

480,000 from RB.

480,000 new, plated and ready to go? Hmmm, that's less expensive than I thought, especially considering the strength of the Japanese Yen these days. Go for it!

[BigBikeBKK]

As for trying to ride fast and lean angles and the like my opinion is you should get yourself to bira race track for that. At least on the track you know everyone is going in the same direction.

Three wrecks at Bira on Sunday... Not sure about damage or injuries tho...

[thaicbr]

Tony, who wrecked. no one we know i hope and hopefully only bruises.

Allan

[BigBikeBKK]

Tony, who wrecked. no one we know i hope and hopefully only bruises.

Allan

Sorry- I don't have any details. Bard is the only one who actually made it to Bira on Sunday (and perhaps Andrew?)

Rough weekend all around! A drunk driver tried his best to kill Trent, another car put my cousin-in-law's bf in the ICU with broken arm and leg and wicked road rash. Yikes!

But back to the matter at hand.

Check out this stunning K Speed ER6n!

Pretty cool, huh?

[Travelmate]

Tony, who wrecked. no one we know i hope and hopefully only bruises.

Allan

Sorry- I don't have any details. Bard is the only one who actually made it to Bira on Sunday (and perhaps Andrew?)

Saw one on maximus corner, only noticed as the guy was running across the track when I came round. Not pleasant when you got your knee on the deck.

[LivinLOS]

Kspeed are using the same projector bulb setup I was going to use (I actually think its sourced off the madass ?? Looks very similar anyway).. ordered a different style alrady to have a dirtbike top fairing and a pair off of projectors of the lower triple.

Actually looks superb with the Kwaker plastics and kinda makes me wish I had thought of that for my front..

[neverdie]

Thats one HOT looking er6n Tony.

[b19bry]

I'm interested in the ER6N but I've not noticed a Kawasaki Dealer in Khon Kaen. Can somebody advise if there is one, if not would the nearest then be to go to Udon ?

[soundman]

I'm interested in the ER6N but I've not noticed a Kawasaki Dealer in Khon Kaen. Can somebody advise if there is one, if not would the nearest then be to go to Udon ?

Website (in Thai only).

Udon or Korat.

[b19bry]

I'm interested in the ER6N but I've not noticed a Kawasaki Dealer in Khon Kaen. Can somebody advise if there is one, if not would the nearest then be to go to Udon ?

Website (in Thai only).

Udon or Korat.

Thanks for that, no wonder nothing came up in Google !

[NormanW]

And after one day riding the ER-6n, my first impressions.

I went out and put about 3 hours in on the windy mountain roads of the Samoeng Loop near Chiang Mai. It is a fun bike to ride, with 2 exceptions. First, I gotta get a windscreen. I feel like my shirt is gonna get ripped off and my backpack straps are beating bruises into my ribs. I've had a windscreen on my bike for so long I forgot how crappy it is not to have one. Second, the seat is awful. It's so slanted forward that I feel like I'm riding down a steep hill everywhere I go. I'm used to long rides but the seat left me pretty sore after.

The seat is an easy fix; I'll take it into a custom shop and reshape it this week. The windscreen is a little harder. Tony, I saw the Givi and Puak (sp?) windscreen pics you posted a little while back. Who can you order through? I can't find anyplace that sells them. There so ugly I might be better off just getting a custom job made though.

On a side note, while riding the loop yesterday, I had been tearing it up for about an hour down a particulary fun strech of windy downhill road. I was moving at a pretty good clip, focusing on my cornering, and feeling pretty confident, when this little dude on a Honda Dream passed me! He didn't just pass me, he dusted me. He was laying the Dream so far over in the turns that he was dragging the foot pegs, and damned if I couldn't keep up with him! I couldn't decide if it was funny or embarrassing; both I guess.

EDIT: Puig winscreen, sorry.

Congrats on yer bike man.

Let the good times roll!

[ArNaSu]

As for trying to ride fast and lean angles and the like my opinion is you should get yourself to bira race track for that. At least on the track you know everyone is going in the same direction.

Three wrecks at Bira on Sunday... Not sure about damage or injuries tho...

I didn't see 3 wrecks, there were however some thais on smaller bikes pulling some dangerous track moves. They were stopping on the track presumably to wait for their mates to catch up, not a good thing to do at anytime but particularily if you stop and park on the exits of corners which one guy was doing. Anyway I think it was a couple of those guys that ran it wide in Maxima and put there bikes down in the sand trap.

[VocalNeal]

480,000 new, plated and ready to go? Hmmm, that's less expensive than I thought, especially considering the strength of the Japanese Yen these days. Go for it!

Tony,

Like I said still saving.

[BigBikeBKK]

As for trying to ride fast and lean angles and the like my opinion is you should get yourself to bira race track for that. At least on the track you know everyone is going in the same direction.

Three wrecks at Bira on Sunday... Not sure about damage or injuries tho...

I didn't see 3 wrecks, there were however some thais on smaller bikes pulling some dangerous track moves. They were stopping on the track presumably to wait for their mates to catch up, not a good thing to do at anytime but particularily if you stop and park on the exits of corners which one guy was doing. Anyway I think it was a couple of those guys that ran it wide in Maxima and put there bikes down in the sand trap.

Sorry- I received clarification that it was three wrecks in the course of the weekend, not all on Sunday. On Saturday a 250 2 stroke high sided with the rider landing on his head but able to walk to the car which took him to the hospital, and a Ninja 250 reportedly went off the track but I'm not sure about damage or injuries with that one.

And Andrew confirmed a crash on Sunday...

Keep her shiny side up!!!

[Bard]

Bira Sunday

Charlie's son crashed, lowside

Hans Highsided and landed on his head, to hospital

A Thai guy went out in Maximus with a Ninja 250R

Trent got hit from behind from a hit-and-run drunk car driver in Chantaburi

Tony's cousin got hit from behind

I was thinking this is not a good day for riding bike and took it easy... Went to secretsoi and took some beers, at least I meet Andrew and Dave, that was great when I get home I will hopefully get some touring and track time with them...

Cheers Bard

[Bard]

I find wind not to be a problem at all below say 140.. 140 - 160 its there but not harsh pr annoying.. 160 - 180 it starts to get bothersome, but I kinda want to be aware of the pace I am doing, these are Thai roads, with dogs, sand, wandering cattle, etc at 180 thats a km every 20 seconds and Thais dont look that far out.. 200 is for very rare stretches of road !!

Maybe I am not the racer others are.. But over 200 with the road users I have to share the roads with ?? the potholes, the unknown unknowns ?? No I dont want to tuck behind a screen and scoot up to 240 and be too comfortable with those speeds, back in the west its different but not here personally.

Don't think the ER6 can do 240 unless you tune it up a good deal, anyway the high speed is OK for lot of motorway stretches in Thailand, no traffic, you can see for miles boring as shit so 200+ is good to have then to get to some nice twisty roads in a hurry.

I see most of my speed on Motorway is 150 - 200 depending on traffic, I try to stay 10 - 20 km/h faster than the fastest cars to avoid getting hit from behind by an idiot in a Fortuner who think he is alone on the road and it's his private race track. If there is no traffic 180 and thereabout is nice comfy speed to get moving to nicer roads... On motorway the highest risk you face is to be hit from behind, or some asshol_e suddenly changes lane right ahead of you, the lane change is not to bad as you can use the shoulder to pass but you have no control from behind other than being faster.

Cheers Bard

[BigBikeBKK]

I find wind not to be a problem at all below say 140.. 140 - 160 its there but not harsh pr annoying.. 160 - 180 it starts to get bothersome, but I kinda want to be aware of the pace I am doing, these are Thai roads, with dogs, sand, wandering cattle, etc at 180 thats a km every 20 seconds and Thais dont look that far out.. 200 is for very rare stretches of road !!

Maybe I am not the racer others are.. But over 200 with the road users I have to share the roads with ?? the potholes, the unknown unknowns ?? No I dont want to tuck behind a screen and scoot up to 240 and be too comfortable with those speeds, back in the west its different but not here personally.

Don't think the ER6 can do 240 unless you tune it up a good deal, anyway the high speed is OK for lot of motorway stretches in Thailand, no traffic, you can see for miles boring as shit so 200+ is good to have then to get to some nice twisty roads in a hurry.

I see most of my speed on Motorway is 150 - 200 depending on traffic, I try to stay 10 - 20 km/h faster than the fastest cars to avoid getting hit from behind by an idiot in a Fortuner who think he is alone on the road and it's his private race track. If there is no traffic 180 and thereabout is nice comfy speed to get moving to nicer roads... On motorway the highest risk you face is to be hit from behind, or some asshol_e suddenly changes lane right ahead of you, the lane change is not to bad as you can use the shoulder to pass but you have no control from behind other than being faster.

Cheers Bard

Indeed, the ER6n tops out at about 210-215 indicated. I just got my new Two Bros pipe which will cut significant weight so I'm curious to see if I'll see a gain at the top. Re-gearing could certainly increase top end, but I like the power band where it is now- excellent low and middle range grunt and a bit soft at the top.

Anyway, 200+ is plenty fast on a naked bike (or any bike for that matter) and I only ride at high speed on wide open stretches of highway where I can see everything that might become an obstacle.

Agree 110% with Bard that in Thailand it's definitely to your advantage to be going faster than traffic.

I'm sure Trent will agree too! The one time he's going slow he gets rear ended... I'll bet he never makes that mistake again! Same story for my cousin in law's bf, laid up in the ICU after getting rear ended by a car while riding his scooter... He's quite lucky to be alive...