Menus
- Swiss army knife first price
- Discovery
- In the saddle
- City
- Motorways and expressways
- Departmental
- Braking
- Duo
- Practice / accessories
- Conclusion
Swiss army knife first price
While the ER-6n has been a historic bestseller in the Kawasaki lineup since its debut in 2006, its streamlined “f” version still struggles to woo the crowds. In view of its qualities, this third generation deserves to reverse this trend ….
Discovery
After the ER-6n last October, it’s the turn of the streamlined “f” version to evolve in depth. Logically, the latter takes over the very long list of modifications made to the little Kawasaki roadster: frame, swingarm, engine, suspensions, exhaust…. but also a completely new fairing. Let’s quickly go over the look, very “Kawa” (editor’s note: therefore anything but consensual) with various sources of inspiration drawn from the range: ZX-10R, a little ZZR 1400 and a lot of Z 1000 SX, especially at the level of the fork head. Beyond the aesthetic, Kawasaki emphasizes having worked on the evacuation of the calories dispersed by the engine. A point that we were unfortunately unable to verify in this month of Siberian February…. Still, the shapes of this third version are much more consistent than the 2009 iteration which looked from some angles like an anorexic ZX-6R. The abandonment of the one-piece saddle in favor of a more "airy" two-stage element gives the front a more stocky and aggressive side.
Well seen. Finally, Kawasaki had the good idea to equip this ER-6f with an adjustable screen, but we will come back to this in detail a little later ….
In the saddle
First observation, Kawasaki has worked a lot on perceived quality: well concealed electrical harness, few visible screws, very low clearance between the different body parts…. The new split-tube frame, narrower at the crotch, allows short people (under 1.70m) to easily put both feet on the ground despite a saddle height that drops from 785 to 805mm. The controls, all adjustable, fall naturally to the hands and the saddle handlebar footrest triangle defines a very natural position. The other pleasant surprise comes from the dashboard. The old one was certainly 100% digital but suffered from poor readability. None of that here. The new speedometer unit incorporates an analog tachometer in its upper part and, on the floor below, a digital screen coupled to an on-board computer which displays the fuel level, speed, total mileage, two partial trips, average and instantaneous consumption, residual autonomy and time. Latest innovation, an "eco" light that goes off as soon as you twist the accelerator a little too much. A novelty in tune with the times.
City
Closely derived from its roadster variant, the ER-6f is very comfortable in the city. With the exception of the catchy gearbox, all controls are smooth and feel great. Light, balanced and good steering wheel, this Kawa is able to pick up on a trickle of gas from 2,000 rpm on the first 3 reports and the modifications made to the vertical twin (reworked intake and exhaust, new balance shaft….) Bring a significant gain in torque from 3000 rpm. At the usual operating regimes, the response to acceleration has also improved, smoother than in the past, especially when throttling.
The steering, very natural, immediately gives you confidence and it only takes a few kilometers on the handlebars to feel at home. Fans of pole position at red lights in traffic jams will rail against the mirrors attached to the fairing, and the gauge too wide for this kind of exercise. The others will be happy not to contemplate their elbows ….
Motorways and expressways
Once is not customary, our presentation route takes a long section of the motorway in order to verify all the benefits of the new fairing. The gain in protection is notable compared to the previous vintage. Only the feet and hands remain somewhat exposed. And the adjustable bubble? The interest of the settings is not anecdotal, since the differences felt are very real between each position but, the angle of the screen remaining fixed from one position to another, they do not strictly speaking affect protection. The game here is to find the positioning best suited to your height…. For my seventy-five, the low position turned out to be perfect. At the intermediate setting, the slight gain in protection is accompanied by unpleasant aerodynamic noises in the helmet. As for the high position, it is downright deafening. It will therefore be necessary to tinker a little before finding the ideal position. Just note that the adjustment of the screen is done via 4 BTR screws, but it also requires removing the screen, i.e. 4 additional screws. The operation is tedious the first time (10 minutes), then faster (5 on the third disassembly!). Once this detail has been adjusted to the convenience of the pilot, the fairing of the ER-6f allows you to cruise quietly up to 150 km / h without feeling the harmful effects of wind, rain or cold.
At a "German" pace, the tachometer needle flirts with the red zone at around 220 km / h and the chassis does not flinch, even in large curves. At a more legal pace, some vibrations go up in the footrests at around 120 km / h (5500 rpm in 6th gear) but nothing unpleasant if you wear something other than flip-flops.
At this speed, the on-board computer indicates an average fuel consumption of 4.2l / 100 km, or a range of over 300 km. If you have a sensitive buttock, know that the thickness of the saddle foam has almost doubled in this 2012 vintage and the gain in “immediate” comfort is appreciable. We haven’t gone so far as to empty a tank in one go to check the softness over time, but owners can give their opinion on the subject here !
Departmental
On the secondary network, the ER-6f is as fun and rigorous as its roadster cousin. Precise and neutral, the front axle is placed where the gaze rests while requiring very little effort when setting the angle despite the geometry of the frame, retouched for more stability (the caster angle goes from 24 , 5 ° to 25 °, the trail from 102 to 110 mm and the wheelbase is extended by 5 mm). The handlebars, wider and offering better leverage, combined with the excellent original tire mounting (from the Dunlop Roadsmart II) are certainly no strangers to the phenomenon. Even at high pace, the ER-6f accepts course corrections and cornering braking without freezing or breaking apart. The suspensions, also retouched with increased travel and softer springs, are announced by Kawasaki as more rigorous and more comfortable. The gain in rigor is indeed noticeable: the front and rear work better on bumps than the previous generation.
For comfort, however, the difference is more difficult to perceive than during the presentation of the roadster. This was due to the low ambient temperatures – less than 10 ° – which were harmful to the hydraulics during our test. And as the suspensions are not adjustable ….
On the engine side, the vertical twin of 72 horses offers two faces: torquey and rather discreet in its vocalizations from 3 to 6,500 rpm, it is expressive and angry beyond, climbing with enthusiasm towards the red zone, all coated hoarse and metallic vocals.
Braking
The double front disc proves to be convincing with a precise touch and a bite that will suit beginners as well as advanced drivers. The power is absolutely correct, but requires a strong grip to get the most out of it. The rear element lacks feeling but plays its role of stabilizer perfectly.
Duo
The place reserved for the sandbag is welcoming, even if the surface allocated to it seems to be smaller than on the 2009 vintage and its one-piece saddle. The thick seat, low footrests and wide side grab handles place it among the good students in the category and our passenger for a day has not noticed any aerodynamic disturbances (eddies, etc.) at high speeds since his ride. observation post.
Practice / accessories
Small disappointment, space is limited under the saddle. Once the rear portion has been dismantled (the front accommodates the battery and fuses), there is hardly room for a disc unit, even though Kawasaki announces that there is space for an approved anti-theft device. Why not…. One thing is certain, the ABS version, whose electronic management unit will logically be housed here, will probably only be able to accommodate a rag so as not to get the foundation wet on rainy days ….
Fortunately, the ER-6f makes up for it in other ways. These include the adjustable levers, the warning control on the handlebars, an accessible adjustment wheel to adjust the height of the lighting or even multiple hooks arranged on the lower part of the rear loop and at the level of the indicators which allow to easily stow a package on the passenger seat. Finally, the Greens accessories catalog transforms the ER-6f into a mini GT with side cases (35 L), top case (30 L) and tank bag. For a more protective screen or a comfort saddle, you will have to go through the accessories box.
Conclusion
Those who fall for the ER-6f rather than its fairytale cousin won’t regret it. For an additional € 500, they will inherit a mini sport-GT, certainly more sport than really GT but far more versatile than a simple roadster. The only thing is, road-oriented machines, even entry-level, have never been popular in France. The old “f” version only represented 20% of ER-6 sales and this new version, for all its qualities, should not (or little) reverse this trend. Faced with the competition, however, the streamlined roadster from Kawasaki should perform well. The ER-6f 2012 version is displayed in concessions at a price of € 6,999 in its standard version and € 7,599 equipped with ABS . Faced with a Honda CBF 600 S, a Suzuki GSX 650 F / A or a Yamaha XJ6 Diversion F, all in the same price range, the little Kawasaki has equivalent driving qualities while offering sporting potential and “fun” capital. most attractive.
Strong points
- Versatility
- Easy to use
- Fun AND rigorous cycle part
- Significant engine improvements (torque, flexibility)
Weak points
- Rough gearbox at low revs
- Reduced space under the saddle
- The somewhat expensive ABS option
Competitors: Honda CBF 600 S, Suzuki SVS 650, Yamaha XJ6 Diversion F
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