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ER 5 Good First Bike ?


Spongefinger
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Hi all,


Doing my full license this year and been looking at bikes. Looked at the obvious ones Bandit ( which is my fave) , hornet , Fazer and Er6 N. On a selling group today a ER 5 came up pretty cheap and I wondered if it's worth considering as a first bike to knock about on ? My biking will be purely for fun , Sunday rides etc. I realize it's HP is pretty low compared to the others I listed I'm wondering if I would get fed up with it quickly ? I'm a pretty large chap as well 6ft and over 18st. Thoughts 😀

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Good all rounder bikes, like cb500s. I personally love them and they accelerate as good as any other similar type of bike with a good top speed. Well built and cheap to maintain.

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Any of those would be ok. It will be down to personal preference too, I don't like bandits and would steer towards the hornet or Fazer as they are what I like. You won't go wrong with any of them though :cheers:

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Got the wife one when she passed her test, then took it touring Northern Europe.


Thought it was a great little bit of kit for the local corners, brakes were gash in an emergency, and the seat cantered my nads into the tank on long journeys.

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Guest Richzx6r

My first bike was a zx6r, really it doesn't matter how big the engine is as you only go as fast as your right wrist

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The ER5 is a good bike the engine is bomb proof they have issues like all bikes main one being vacuum tap but there are easy fixes if it happens to you. Spares are plentiful and cheap its a solid work horse that wont cost a fortune to run and if you want to move on to something bigger you wont lose on it.

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Just a thought but if you fancied something a bit different have a look at the Kawasaki KLE500 they use the same engine and a more sit up riding position. They are a bit rarer and prices are a bit higher than an ER5.

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Another to consider is TDM 900.


Upright riding position, not the fastest my FZ6 was quicker.


Disconnect one wire from ECU and 95% of show speed judder vanishes.


Tall bike easy to see over traffic for all day riding position. Good fairing, good mpg. 180odd kgs not heavy.

Surprisingly fun in Twisties.

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Another to consider is TDM 900.


Upright riding position, not the fastest my FZ6 was quicker.


Disconnect one wire from ECU and 95% of show speed judder vanishes.


Tall bike easy to see over traffic for all day riding position. Good fairing, good mpg. 180odd kgs not heavy.

Surprisingly fun in Twisties.

 

Funny you should say that I saw one for sale a while back and liked the look of it and the reviews seemed very positive just thought 900 cc might be a bit too much for my first big bike.

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Another to consider is TDM 900.


Upright riding position, not the fastest my FZ6 was quicker.


Disconnect one wire from ECU and 95% of show speed judder vanishes.


Tall bike easy to see over traffic for all day riding position. Good fairing, good mpg. 180odd kgs not heavy.

Surprisingly fun in Twisties.

 

Funny you should say that I saw one for sale a while back and liked the look of it and the reviews seemed very positive just thought 900 cc might be a bit too much for my first big bike.

 

The clue is in the nickname TeDiuM 900, if a bit unjust. My FZ6 could get me into trouble allot quicker (98 BHP) than the TDM (89 BHP).


if your considering a 500 the TDM will keep you amused for a fair whilst. I have sold my FZ6 and kept the TDM then I also have Triumph Trophy 1200 which is a lovely bike but at 250kg is hard work to manoeuvre on my own...


If your interest is out and out speed forget the TDM go for one of the 600's, if you are looking for enjoyable days ride TDM should not come of the list.

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The clue is in the nickname TeDiuM 900, if a bit unjust. My FZ6 could get me into trouble allot quicker (98 BHP) than the TDM (89 BHP).


if your considering a 500 the TDM will keep you amused for a fair whilst. I have sold my FZ6 and kept the TDM then I also have Triumph Trophy 1200 which is a lovely bike but at 250kg is hard work to manoeuvre on my own...


If your interest is out and out speed forget the TDM go for one of the 600's, if you are looking for enjoyable days ride TDM should not come of the list.

 

When I sold my first Strom in 2005 I got a TDM 900. My take on it is that it's a very good bike.......but totally wrong for me!


My main gripe was the way it handled......it seemed to have a tendency to keep going wide in corners and I was consciously having to force it where I wanted it to go.


I was used to the Strom just falling into the bends naturally whereas the TDM didn't. I find Bandits are the same in that respect.


On the other hand all Fazers (old and new) the ZR-7S, XT's, DR's, Transalps act in the same way as the Strom, ......they go where I want without having to think about it.


It may be my riding style......I just don't know......but me and the TDM just don't go together.


As the choices have moved into this territory then I'd have to throw the 650 Strom into the mix.


For value for money, reliability, running costs, adaptability, and comfort it takes a lot of beating. I'm certainly not aware of any other bikes at anything like that price point that can match it.

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Another to consider is TDM 900.


Upright riding position, not the fastest my FZ6 was quicker.


Disconnect one wire from ECU and 95% of show speed judder vanishes.


Tall bike easy to see over traffic for all day riding position. Good fairing, good mpg. 180odd kgs not heavy.

Surprisingly fun in Twisties.

 

Funny you should say that I saw one for sale a while back and liked the look of it and the reviews seemed very positive just thought 900 cc might be a bit too much for my first big bike.

 

The clue is in the nickname TeDiuM 900, if a bit unjust. My FZ6 could get me into trouble allot quicker (98 BHP) than the TDM (89 BHP).


if your considering a 500 the TDM will keep you amused for a fair whilst. I have sold my FZ6 and kept the TDM then I also have Triumph Trophy 1200 which is a lovely bike but at 250kg is hard work to manoeuvre on my own...


If your interest is out and out speed forget the TDM go for one of the 600's, if you are looking for enjoyable days ride TDM should not come of the list.

 

Cheers,


Speed if definitely not one of my priorities....I think pottering is probably more my style 🤣

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