Comparison test of the 650 all-rounder

Comparison test of the 650 all-rounder

He and her and 1000 questions

As a hot new addition, the Kawasaki ER-6n enriches the bare middle class. There HE meets HER for the first time, one that has turned thousands of heads: the Suzuki SV 650.

It all began a zillion years before Christ. October 9th, early afternoon. Since then, the lives of men and women have revolved around the same questions: hunting or collecting, shopping or chatting, church or pub, shoes or football? Just like the relationship box
between Suzuki SV 650 and Kawasaki ER-6n: V or in-line engine, tried and tested or new, ordinary or playful? In any case, the SV is successful and
Mind. And above all a beguiling one
V-twin. She has turned thousands of heads. Men and women alike, the 650s don’t take it too seriously.
Her friends call her Su-Sie, the SV could be called "SIE" for an even shorter period of time, to echo the official abbreviation for "Suzuki International Europe". The mid-range top model wears only fresh cosmetics in the 2005 season. Wheels, frames and the unadorned, sleek swingarm are now in classic, serious black. But be careful, black rims make it visually difficult, says every color advice. The "little black dress", the small windshield on the colorful lamp mask, suits her better. And even protects you a little from the wind. The now falls
in a centimeter oven narrower held water cooler is less clumsy.
It is far more noticeable Kawasaki ER-6n therefore. And yet it is a low-volume truck that, like its faded sister ZR-7, suppresses a smooth 50 cm3 displacement. Nobody expected him, a completely redesigned middle grader. An "n" like nobody or like naked? Don’t knock carefully, just kick in the door to say hello. Where
Other mid-range bikes à la CBF or Bandit shyly ducking away, ER shows off proper, extremely eye-catching details. And that for just 6.195 euros? a good 130 euros less than the also inexpensive SV.
Smart: particularly heavily perforated brake discs with a stylish wave profile. Both for better heat and water dissipation. Triangular radiator covers with integrated (clear glass) indicators extend their claws. Borrowings from the Benelli TnT, such as the kinked manifold. Which also simplifies the oil filter change. Form and function. As if it were
Most normal in the world, ER carries his stainless steel silencer in the basement, under the engine. Reminiscent of a bread box when viewed from the left. Looks much more coherent from the right, with the panel around a short end tube that is hugely nestled against the rear drawn. The eye eats too.
This is also what the visitors to the MOTORRAD meeting at the Nurburgring on the penultimate weekend in July will find. Pay enormous attention to the pre-production model. Move incognito? Impossible when HE is there. It starts with the fresh color, lime yellow. What do you wear to do this? Shades of gold! They adorn the round steel frame tubes as well as the
The spring of the central spring strut and the triangular swing arm that is supported against it. Even the stanchions of the non-adjustable 41 mm telescopic fork, including triple trees and handlebar clamps, shine golden. They do the same with the black color variant, while Kawasaki combines silver paint with red components. Has something too.
The tubular space frame integrates the in-line twin and frames it appropriately
one. The weld seams and design of the gusset plates are to be improved before the start of series production. But the summit is the face of Frontmaske. Some say "like a scooter". "Like from a science fiction film "the others. Either way, it swivels with the handlebars, and there are two very bright multi-reflector headlights on top of each other. A hundred times more aesthetic than in the BMW R 1200 ST. The knob for the multifunctional instrument is enthroned above everything.
This polarizes style. And that’s good. It is not for nothing that the designers created the Z 1000. You dare to do something again. Sensual, feminine curves in the right places. Is HE ultimately a you after all? Why not. Anything you like is allowed, like on Christopher Street Day. Especially since it’s already in him
Visually there is no lack of dynamism, all lines slope downwards towards the front. There is
SHE knitted very differently. Looks angular, emphasizes the height. Their lines live diagonally upwards, collect in the moderately bright round headlights.
SHE, of all people, adorns itself with an ordinary long tailpipe of the stainless steel exhaust system. As massive as the aluminum bridge frame with screwed-on rear may be, a pretty cleavage is different. Behind it, the cylinders spread out at a 90-degree angle. The injector runs incredibly smoothly from the fully automatic cold start. As if the two cylinders were lined with velvet and silk. It is already rising strongly
at low speeds, has plenty of punch in the middle and turns like unleashed in five-digit regions.
This V2 is still the whole
great litter. Sounds great and never vibrates annoyingly. A great guy, hangs almost too directly on the throttle with two throttle valves per cylinder. The only disadvantages are the lack of lambda control for the catalytic converter and, above all, the rough load change reactions. Take the SV gently on the gas at the apex of turns? Forget
it. She then suddenly leaps forward, more precisely: outward. Especially since the underdamped fork then suddenly rebounds, which irritates the geometry.
Kawasaki chose the difficult route, started twice and finally tuned more tightly. You wanted to know, do what has to be done. There was no cooperation with Suzuki for the engine. Brave the (cylinder) head through the wall: the masses are already asking for it
600 cm3 according to four-cylinder or V2 engines. Row twins have so far only been crowned with success in the class up to 500 cm3, fueling the CBF 500, GS 500 and ER-5. With which the 6 series has nothing in common. Like the 1000 MZ, Kawasaki relies on a counter-runner with a 180 degree crank pin offset. Only with much better manners.
Thanks to ample flywheel, ER runs smoothly right at the bottom in the speed cellar. Turns evenly, but at the bottom a little more slowly than the SV. Both are nominally 72 hp. But although "Kawah" means power in Arabic, ER develops eight horsepower and five Newton meters less on the test bench, never achieved in any life
the power of the performance was low
stacking SV. Does that matter? No, it doesn’t matter. Kawasaki‘s pithy, bubbling shorts-stroke conceals this with the overall gear ratio that is a tad shorter.
ER even brings in the better torque values. Here comes the worldview
wavering. The little ones walk like the big ones, the weaker ones walk better than the strong ones. Thanks to better aerodynamics, ER runs with real 69 hp like the SV with their 77 good 200 things. Even if the particularly "fast" Kawa speedometer then already fakes 230. The front design offers amazing wind protection. Nice to know: the twin is very economical, content itself with around five liters of normal gasoline per hundred kilometers even on fast-paced motorway sections. Not so, given the small 15.5 liter tank.
But right now it’s not about burning. It’s about enjoying yourself. That injection technology is in full bloom at Kawasaki. Finally. With double-
throttle valves, G-Kat and particularly good pollutant values. HE is already holding up
today to the Euro 3 emissions standard, which came into force in 2006, with more stringent values ​​and test conditions. Indeed, a good, mature vintage in the middle class.
It’s traditional at Suzuki, the SV was always good for a place in the top ten. The model that MOTORRAD draftsman Holger Aue ounce said you couldn’t buy, "it’s only available on a social security certificate." But not on a sick note, because ergonomics is not a major strength of SV. The handlebars are a little unhappy. Right contact with the vehicle does not want to be established on the long single seat-
you never find the ideal position. Especially since the wide transition to the tank
Spreads the legs unduly and makes it difficult to close the knees properly. It is also a shame that the clutch lever is not adjustable and the pillion sits lost.
In comparison, HE sits like one
Tailor-made follows. Everything is where it belongs, the narrow waist fits like a glove. The low seat height of just barely
79 centimeters means justice for the little man. Only the knee angle is a bit acute. Tall riders can adapt the motorcycle to a higher seat (available as an option). Big and small Kawa drivers are completely reflected with their chest, arms and helmet in the curved watch glass of the sober rev counter. Probably intended, the feeling of a GP pilot with an on-board camera.
How was it the same with that
little difference? Well, the SV still shines with brilliant handiness. Drives so easily, so easily, so lively in the meandering curves. Makes puffies professionals who ride motorcycles really well
can. Because of 100 pairs of shoes: The SV has a tire binding, is not allowed to wear every rubber shoe. The tires from Dunlop, Sportmax D 220, are flawless. What one does not think of the supposedly comfortable fork
can say. Much too softly tuned,
she answers just sitting up with a deep bow. This means that SHE has to surrender early when the going gets tough in terms of road construction. Fully preloaded, at least there is the possibility, the fork makes the chassis more unwieldy. It’s a shame, the stiff suspension strut, blessed with rocker arms, could do better. But this way there is no harmony, it stirs in fast corners on bad asphalt in the beams.
It gets even worse when braking. Does the front fork go to block first? it does this quickly and suddenly ?? if there is an acute risk of blocking. A lot of work
for the driver and the front tire with a 60 mm cross-section and little self-damping: the tire begins to stamp and whistle. Here, harder fork springs, more damping and, even better, ABS are part of the concept. ER will soon be equipped with this, for an additional charge of around 600 euros. Made by Bosch. Already today is his
somewhat blunt front brake can be dosed much more transparently. It’s just better
tuned, the Kawa fork.
The directly hinged shock absorber does a pretty good job. It is optically dominant on the far right
much more accessible for pre-tensioning. Tends to be a little soft, it speaks badly to small Un with more tension-
flatness on. On very bumpy terrain it comes down to its damping reserves. But never the lean angle to its limits. Nothing rasps there. Moved with ambition, quick changes of lean angle are easy to do, even if not entirely at high speed
as easy as on Susi. “Essential
Riding "is what Kawasaki calls it, the reduction of riding to the essentials.
Like YOU, HE also wears a 160/60 rear tire, the new Dunlop D 221,
we have narrow 4.5 inch rim. Doesn’t fit ideally in theory because the tire is
too pointed, works in practice
however, quite well. And HE can run on all soles, provided they are of the dimension
and come from a manufacturer both front and back. All in all it has
ER the more balanced and good-natured chassis. Even the smaller turning circle. And thus offers a wider range: great for beginners as well as veterans.
Just don’t misunderstand the roles: SV is also extremely entertaining to drive. Even when it rains, you and you have complete confidence in both of you. Handy, weighs less than 200 kilograms and has a lot of punch. Just not with excessive torque waves that flood the rear tire when you don’t need it.
Great for a fair partnership between man and machine. Because ultimately you and ER stand for a successful combination of male and female virtues, wildly determined and yet relaxed. Maybe something has changed after all
changed for a zillion years.

Comparison test of the 650 all-rounder

He and her and 1000 questions

´Technical data: Kawasaki ER-6n – KawasakiER-6n

engine
Water-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, a balance shaft, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, fork rocker arms, semi-dry sump lubrication, injection, Ø 38 mm, regulated catalytic converter , alternator 336 W, battery 12 V / 14 Ah, mechanically operated Multi-disc oil-
Bad clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain.

Bore x stroke 83.0 x 60.0 mm
Cubic capacity 649 cm3
Compression ratio 11.2: 1
Rated output 53 kW (72 hp) at 8500 rpm
Max. Torque 66 Nm at 7000 rpm
Pollutant values ​​(homologation) in g / km
CO 1.044 / HC 0.170 / NOx 0.052

landing gear
Steel tubular frame, telescopic fork, Ø 41 mm, two-arm swing arm made of steel, one spring strut, adjustable spring base, double disc brake at the front, Ø 300 mm, double-piston floating calipers, disc brake at the rear,
Ø 220 mm, single-piston floating caliper.
Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 4.50 x 17
Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 160/60 ZR 17
Tires in the test Dunlop D 221 »B«
mass and weight
Wheelbase 1405 mm, steering head angle 65 degrees, caster 106 mm, spring travel f / h
120/130 mm, seat height * 790 mm, weight with a full tank * 196 kg, payload * 178 kg, tank capacity 15.5 liters.

Two year guarantee

Service intervals every 6000 km

Colors yellow, silver, black

Power variant 25 kW (34 PS)

Price 6195 euros

Additional costs around 105 euros

Technical data: Suzuki SV 650

engine
Water-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 90-degree V-engine, crankshaft transversely, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, cups-
tappet, wet sump lubrication, injection, Ø 39 mm, uncontrolled catalytic converter with
Secondary air system, alternator 375 W, battery 12 V / 10 Ah, mechanically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain.

Bore x stroke 81.0 x 62.6 mm
Cubic capacity 645 cm3
Compression ratio 11.5: 1
Rated output 53 kW (72 PS) at 9000 rpm
Max. Torque 64 Nm at 7200 rpm
Pollutant values ​​(homologation) in g / km
CO 2.005 / HC 0.440 / NOx 0.108

landing gear
Bridge frame made of aluminum, load-bearing motor, telescopic fork, Ø 41 mm, adjustable spring base, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, double disc brake at the front, Ø 290 mm, double-piston floating calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 220 mm, two-piston fixed caliper.
Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 4.50 x 17
Tires 120/60 ZR 17; 160/60 ZR 17
Tires in the test
Dunlop D 220 F "STL" "SL"

mass and weight
Wheelbase 1440 mm, steering head angle 65 degrees, caster 102 mm, suspension travel f / h 130/137 mm, seat height * 810 mm, weight with a full tank * 194 kg, load * 206 kg, tank capacity 17 liters.

Two year guarantee
Service intervals every 6000 km
Colors blue, black, red
Price 6330 euros
Additional costs 140 euros

MOTORCYCLE measurements: Kawasaki

Kawasaki
200

3.9
7.2
26.0

4.6
5.1
6.7

46/91

normal
4.6
4.9

316

MOTORCYCLE measurements: SUZUKI

Suzuki
200

3.8
7.0
21.0

4.7
5.8
6.8

48/94

normal
5.2
5.0

340

Performance chart

La Grande Dame: The design of the much older V2 engine of the SV 650 offers
more power in every speed region. From 6500 tours even significantly
more; 66 Newton meters of maximum torque is a solid figure
for a 650. In contrast, the Kawasaki’s performance remains almost constant between 7500 and 9500 rpm. So disappointed expectations on the
ER-6n? No! After all, the kawa is already after the strict one
Euro 3 standard homologates and effectively hides their lower performance with a shorter overall translation.

Scoring: engine

Dolce and Gabana: Suzuki’s 650 V2 is powerful, easy to turn and smooth. Sensual and fiery. Still a big hit in the middle class. As well and directly as it depends on the gas, it also changes loads. The ER-6n may have less punch on paper, but in practice it can
it does well with the performance of the Suzuki
record, you even show the rear light in the draft. Disturbing load change reactions are alien to the Kawasaki.

Scoring: chassis

It’s hard to believe that the simpler design of the ER-6n’s chassis has proven to be superior in practice: stable and well-coordinated. The SV suffers from their fork which is too soft and does not want to fit the stiff suspension strut. With easy handling, both are good for practicing like robbers.

Scoring: Security

So far, safety has not been a Kawasaki domain.
This changes the ER-6n. She has a good one
adjustable front brake. And the mid-range hit with ABS will soon be on the market. The lean angle of the little Kawa is practically unpredictable, great is its stability when braking. Unfortunately, the SV lacks them because they are soft
Gabel violently and quickly on the block and then too little feedback about a
locking front wheel mediated. So the SV ABS would have been much more necessary.

Scoring: everyday life

So what. The SV shines in everyday life
good range like payload. The ER-6n can’t do that very well, with a 15.5 liter tank and a payload of only 178 kilograms. Both are missing a main stand; It can be retrofitted only at the SV because of the exhaust.

Scoring: comfort

Good from ER experience? Thanks to the lower seat height, smaller pilots in particular are better off on the Kawasaki. The avant-garde front design brings minimal wind protection.
In return, the SV-V2 runs more smoothly.

Scoring: costs / environment

Surprise: The ER-6n also wins this chapter.
And ultimately brings the victory it deserves. Hopefully the series-
machines are just as good, only better
processed. Tea first real Kawasaki with G-Kat undercuts the Euro 3 emissions standard. Furthermore, the ER-6n is cheaper for inspections, although like the SV it is
has to be serviced every 6000 kilometers.

Test result: Kawasaki

KawasakI An ER that does what it’s supposed to: offer lots of driving fun for beginners to professionals. Good-natured, but never boring. And of all the cheap ABS types, ER is the most sensual.

Test result: Suzuki

Suzuki It is a very good motorcycle with a beautiful engine. Now she has found her master. With
some fine work on the chassis and ergonomics as well as G-Kat everything would be open again.

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