All Tests – Test of the new Kawasaki ER-6n 2012: the K takes off! – Always comfortable in the city

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2012 Kawasaki ER-6n review: the K takes off !

All Tests - Test of the new Kawasaki ER-6n 2012: the K takes off! - Always comfortable in the city

Barely unveiled, the Kawasaki ER-6n 2012 version is already being tested on Site. The opportunity to check, on the beautiful roads of Portugal, if the third version of the little Kawa is indeed more stylish, easy and fun… First try !

Always comfortable in the city

Not even mounted on it, the rider is already conscious – subconscious? – that this motorcycle is light. The 2012 ER-6n may weigh 4 kg more than the 2009 version (204 kg instead of 200), it remains obvious to handle with the engine off.

Riding it is just as childish: the rear saddle is not too high and does not require mastering the Mawashi-geri. The reasonable saddle height (805 mm) and the smoothness of the bike then allow you to put both feet on the ground, even for the little ones. On the other hand, pilots with long legs do not have their knees bent too much. A hell of a compromise !

The ER-6n does not upset the pilot’s thighs at all, on the contrary: no element – tank, frame, trim or other – does not interfere with the legs or knees.

The handlebars are relatively high and wider: it has been widened by 10 mm on each side compared to the old one. The levers are adjustable on both sides and allow small mimines as well as big paws to find their account, which is not the case on all motorcycles, even adjustable !

Before setting off on the sumptuous roads between Portimao and Faro in southern Portugal, Site takes a quick look under the saddle. Or rather under the two saddles, since they are separated on this 2012 ER-6n model.

No miracle, rather the minimum union – but which is not always respected by other roadsters: we discover room for a U and a second pair of gloves. In accordance with its look, the handling of the saddle is more "sporty"…

Despite a careful study of the slots and bolts, it is not easy the first time to put the two elements back, the fault in particular to the covering of the pilot’s seat which requires to be slightly removed. Once the helping hand is taken, the operation does not take too long, but it is longer than the old saddle.

We note on this occasion the presence of lugs under the rear hull to fix a net. Also practical in built-up areas, the ER-6n has a warning.

Final touch before engaging the first: the adjustment of the pentagonal mirrors raised by 10 mm. The visibility is very good, too bad the view gets blurred as soon as you advance…

Because if the first vibrations produced by the twin at idle and which punctuate the accelerations and times at low speeds are very nice, the crackling that seizes the levers and footrests from 4000 rpm are much less…

In town, however, we readily forgive the 650 twin: much more focused on traffic than on the tranquility of his fingers and toes, the pilot benefits from 3500 rpm of an engine that is both docile and lively..

In addition, the gearbox is very pleasant to use: the selection is fast and sufficiently gentle to abandon the clutch, moreover perfectly progressive and therefore adjustable..

Unfortunately, in the absence of the previous model, it is difficult to assess the progress made by engineers in terms of availability and roundness under 7,000 rpm. Site can nevertheless confirm that the engine adapts very well to the urban jungle..

Unlike more hollow 4-cylinders, there is no point in making the mill howl to effectively overtake buses, cars or bikes. In return, the twin still lacks a hint of flexibility: impossible to cross a town in 6th at 50 km / h and start again on a gentle trickle of gas.

Indeed, the area below 2000 rpm is quite simply inaccessible because the engine is stumbling too much! This "forbidden zone" is naturally more extensive on the last three reports: the ER-6n can no longer be used under 2,500 rpm.

As for the suspensions, they seemed to us better suited to the city, because a little less dry than those that Kawasaki usually offers. There is hardly that on very dry bumps or hollows that one feels the slight lack of progressiveness on the part of the rear element.

The angle of the steering column slightly more open and the caster lengthened – by less than a centimeter! – does not change the extreme agility of the front end of Akashi’s little roadster. Its neutrality, appreciated by beginners as well as experienced bikers, is also preserved.

The steering angle (35 ° on each side) also makes it possible to park in a scooter mouse hole 125 and to slip without any problem towards the red lights.

Braking is in keeping with it: not too biting, it allows you to face traffic in complete relaxation. Then, provided you tighten the lever with a little conviction, the power is there: the small two-piston calipers and the two 300 mm discs are more than enough to stop the bike and its rider..

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