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Kawasaki ER-500 (A1)


Rollingskies
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Until it's production finished in 2006, under pressure from new emission regulations, the ER-5 was one of the kings ruling the "big bike" class of the riding schools up and down Britian. There are a varied amount of models, but there is little difference between them. Renound for being a courier bike it doesn't need much more to suggest that it was built to last and to handle the strains of the novice and the couldn't care less delivery rider. It's parallel-twin engine produces 48HP and is easily restricted.


If ever there was a bike that "does what it says on the tin" then the ER-5 fits the tag pretty well. It doesn't boast elegance, nor does it emit prowess and lacks any agression. It's just what it is, a bike with an engine and you won't be turning many heads with it. Easy as they come to ride in it's sit up and beg riding position, it is completely forgiving if you get the wrong gear and yet has enough guts to leave most cars at the lights if you want to open the throttle. It will easily do 60-65mpg on the A roads with some respect and is easy to maintain when you get home giving it a true Japanese ethic. Reliable and useful. There is nothing on the ER-5 that's going to entertain for longer than the novelty factor. The biker who bikes for fun will quckly get bored and be left shaking their head wishing for something more fun. The rider who bikes to get from A-B will be entirely satisfied. It's not the bike that makes the ER-5 wrong, it's the needs of the rider. So if you want to get into biking (especially if you have a car) for a weekend around the country don't bother with the ER-5. If commuting all weathers to work and back with little care for biking as a hobby then the ER-5 would get near on full marks. This makes it an ideal bike to start with, especially for someone who has done DAS, without any biking background before, and has little road experience. The cockpit is pretty simple, you get a speed dial and a rev dial with a few lights indicating full beam and the indicators.


ER-5's are also cheap on the second hand market and parts are quite cheap to come by. Insurance is a give away even for young riders with no experience, partly because of it's unattractive "L-plate" image.


Unfortunately the ER-5 does have some negative and is notoriously prone to rusting, especially the downpipes and the bikes who all too commonly get left outside to the elements look very much the worse for wear. The brakes are terrible from the start and are what I would rate as the bikes biggest failure and leaving a 2 second gap iin traffic is especially important. Once up to speed the lack of fairing leaves a very exposed rider and even a mild wind will leave you clinging on. Fairing can be purchased for a price, but upgrades on the ER-5 is like trying to upgrade a Fiat Punto. It's just not meant to be. Save the money and get something better.


If I was to rate the bike I would need to rate it for two categories of rider. The first category is the weekend fair weather biker. This rider isn't interested in fuel economy, practicality, ease of riding and long distance commuting is done in the car. For this category the bike would get just 2 stars. 1 star because it won't let you down and the other because it's so cheap to own you could afford to buy another bike too. For the rider looking for a good all-rounder, cheap and cheerful and that does exactly as it is told without ever complaining it will be looking at 4 stars. It won't get 5 because of the brakes and lack of wind protection.

 

kawasaki_er-5.jpg.8621f1a78f59a7a7a0da2c2a1871ff55.jpg

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is this your own personal review of a bike you owned? If so, well written, if not we need to be aware of copyright and inform the reader of the external source. Personal accounts are what we are looking for :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

I agree - the brakes are shocking.


I ran the wife's in by taking it off to Holland for a week's solitary camping holiday and quickly discovered that if you need to decelerate in a hurry you might as well just jump off the thing and take your chances.


The finish on her black '98 wasn't any better or worse than most Jap bikes for the period to be honest and still looked OK after a couple of winters.


The thing I hated the most was the way the seat tiled forward and ended up crushing your nuts after 10 miles or more.


On its standard tyres, I've no idea what they were, it would lean and then some on the twisties to Burnham on Crouch. Very entertaining.


I'd have one in a snap for her again. It'd never last me as a sole bike in the shed but it's more than she ever needs.


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_y625j9uagyk/S65PFLjuAaI/AAAAAAAABjs/ngzt9mcsCsM/s400/kwacker5.jpg


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_y625j9uagyk/S65PFkFlxQI/AAAAAAAABjw/3XLdreC7f64/s400/sooz.jpg


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_y625j9uagyk/S65PEJEHTTI/AAAAAAAABjo/n0ZBym31PJU/s400/sooz2.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...

Thanks for that! When I've done a bit more riding on my ZX6R I might write one for that too. I think Techo already beat me to it though. My problem when reviewing though is that I don't have much comparative experience as is rather obvious in the review. :)

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