No other motorcycle released in recent years in our country has changed the landscape of motorcycling as much as the ER-6n. When it was introduced in 2008, it created a sensation with it's sub RM30k price tag. In a country where the tax structure is severe on big bikes, and where the majority of motorcycles on the road are mopeds - the 650cc naked was a breath of fresh air. You no longer needed to be part of senior management at a multinational company to own a proper motorcycle. Now, you could be a young executive, or maybe a well paid blue collar worker, and still be able to fulfill your dream of owning a cool motorcycle. That's why this bike is so important to the Malaysian biking scene, and to Malaysian bikers. The ER-6n sure isn't a Ducati 1198, but it's capable enough to fulfill the needs of the majority of motorcycle riders.
Since it's introduction, rumour has it that the ER-6n sold so well that it even outsold the iconic Ninja 250r.
At one point, the waiting list to get one of these bikes was up to four months, although now - Kawasaki has managed to step up supply to meet demand.
For the 2009 model year, the ER-6n has gone through tremendous improvements. It is still the practical daily commuter for the daily trip to the office, but improved brakes and suspension now make it more competent as a weekend bike for the blast up Genting Highlands and make it easier to keep those guys on their ZX-6s and 10s in sight.
It is a tremendous improvement over the previous model year, and you notice the changes right away. Steering is more precise, and the frame feels more composed under hard braking and gives you the confidence to take those tight corners.
The exhaust is the same, and the bike still makes the same uninspiring blatting sound whenever the engine is revved.
The engine is similar to the previous model - and the bike tops out at about 200km/h flat out.
While the bike was designed with beginners in mind, it will also appeal to more experienced riders. It can charge through the corners with ease. With a short wheelbase of just 55.3 inches the bike corners almost like a pure sports bike, despite it's relatively simple swing arm set up. The upright sitting position gives a feeling of control over the bike, and there is no doubt that a new rider on a ER6-N will make much quicker progress on this bike compared to a more difficult to master 600cc inline four supersports.
Despite this, I find it a bit odd that a lot of newbies here are ignoring the ER-6n when they go shopping for big bikes. Some people tend to look down on the ER-6, terming it just a commuter - and prefer to aim for more glamourous bikes like the ZX-6s and 10s.
While these motorcycles are no doubt terrific machines, it takes a great deal of skill and experience to fully utilise their capabilities.
They are also a great deal more expensive. A 600cc in-line is almost double the price of the 650cc parallel twin. So if you want to get the best bang-to-the buck ratio - the ER-6n is probably it.
One reason why the ER-6N is so easy to ride quickly is because of how the power is delivered.
The ER-6 produces - 43.1 ft-lbs at 7200 rpm, which is surprisingly even more than a ZX-6R churns out at its peak at 12,000 rpm.
This torque translates into strong acceleration on the road - and because you are not gunning the engine at sky-high rpms - it is much easier to use it practically.
The Dunlop Roadsmart tire provided with the bike are adequate for most riding conditions.
However, if you plan to go around scrapping your knees and getting down dirty with the supersports - an upgrade to better tires is advisable.
The ER-6n chassis is pretty capable - and you will find out that the bike is capable of a lot more with better tires.
Ground clearance is good, although the highly placed foot-pegs will cramp some of the taller riders.
While most of the bike is sensible and well-designed, the meters are rather difficult to read.
While it is still possible to read - with much difficulty - the odd anologue speed meter, the digital bar that represents the rev-meter flickers so quickly that I found it nearly impossible to read the rpms - especially during fast acceleration.
It would have been much better if Kawasaki reversed the layout and used a digital speed meter and analogue rev-meter instead.
However, this minor annoyance hardly detracts from the fact that the 2009 model ER-6n is probably the best bike you can get in this price range right now.
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