KAWASAKI ER-6F (2012 - 2017) Review

Year: 2013

Annual servicing cost: £78

I would recommend the Kawasaki ER650F as your first bike after passing your test. It's was the bike that my instructors used for full licence training and I have seen a few stunt riders on the ER650F. Fun bike, easy to ride.

Buying experience: Can't remember price, traded in Yamaha R125 that I used for 2 years and never lost any money on it.

Year: 2015

Annual servicing cost: £100

Best feature is the engine, strong mid-range & top end performance, rev-happy and properly quick if you ring it out. Good MPG but quite a small tank, just 16 litres. Less good is the one-piece exhaust as it stops me just swapping just the can. I've got used to no gear indicator but in this sector of the market, there's no excuse for it not being standard fit.

Buying experience: bought new from a dealer, typically average experience.

Year: 2015

Annual servicing cost: £100

Deceptively quick and corners beautifully, a great do-it-all machine. Good points: punchy engine that loves to rev, low running costs, makes a great sports bike or sports-tourer. Bad points: doesn't make a great sound & exhaust is a daft one-piece so you can't just swap the can, fuel tank a bit small. Overall a great, friendly and fast bike.

Buying experience: Average dealer customer service.

Version: ABS

Year: 2016

Annual servicing cost: £200

What a fantastic bike, having ridden many bikes (KLE500, Transalp 650, Fazer 600, BT1100 & Pan European 1100) I wanted something that could do it all. Commute, city riding, thrashing day trips and touring. This covers all bases very well. It looks great first off, pulling off a sports bike look but feeling upright and comfortable when riding, it is extremely agile and flicks side to side very well making overtaking, filtering and slow maneuvering ( without the fear of dropping it) a breeze. Being a popular bike there are many options and accessories to add making it very adaptable and customisable to suit your needs. Being 6ft 2' I was vary I may feel cramped but it is not an issue, I have ridden 150 miles in one stint without cramping up. I recently took the bike to the Isle of Man TT fully loaded with soft panniers, having been a few times before I was able to hold off a bunch of 1000cc Sportbikes over the mountain section, it's midrange torque giving it a big advantage accelerating out of the corners. I would recommend this to any rider, being new or experienced, its an instantly usable and very friendly bike to control and enjoy.

Buying experience: Bought from a dealer brand new at 0% finance with a £99 deposit, excellent!

Year: 2015

Shifting gear box is clunky, specially 1, 2nd and 3rd gear. It feels horrible.

Buying experience: good price bike.

Year: 2014

Annual servicing cost: £94

I would definitely recommend this bike to anybody! Great to ride what ever your riding experience, surprisingly quick through the bends, I have embarrassed litre bikes before! the zero to 60 dash is under 4 seconds, zero to 30 is a little over 1 second, not much stays with you from the lights. ABS should be standard and not extra IMO, and the standard exhaust looks great but sounds average, it's also a one piece design so is pricey to change.

Buying experience: Bought new from a dealer, buying was a pretty painless affair, £5.2k on the road... I like a deal me :o)

Year: 2015

Year: 2013

I had to give up bikes more or less straight after passing my test 25 years ago having only ridden 125's and decided to go back to biking only recently after promotion at work. I would recommend this bike to new/returning riders to get used to riding a larger machine as it isn't insanely quick, but has a decent amount of go for the rider to be able enjoy the experience of a blast out on main roads and get the 'big bike' experience but it also has a wide range power and therefore is gentle and forgiving when pottering around town. It handles well, looks sporty and is quick enough for the roads (not sure about a track day though). I would have preferred the version with ABS for that extra added safety feature however I don't tend to ride in the wet. I would recommend fitting crash bungs on it as I had a minor 'off' whilst going slowly round a roundabout and the scraped engine case and faring cost my insurers over £1500 to fix I will look at a more sportier bike in the future now I've got the bug again - perhaps a ZX6R!

Buying experience: I got a bank loan and paid cash to a dealer

Version: ER6F

Year: 2015

I have had a few different bikes, Sportster 883, GPZ1100, Yamaha Thunder Ace 1000cc. I purchased this bike because I wanted a light weight, comfortable bike that would be fun to ride on weekend blasts, but easy enough for everyday use. All I can say is I am blown away by this bike. Its so easy to ride, very quick from a standing start, and can be flicked left and right through the twisties. I know this bike is listed as a first big bike, but don't let that put you off, its safe for a new rider, but fantastic fun if you want to push it. I have now problems keeping up with all the lads on their bigger bikes, especially when on a bendy road. Get one, you will love it.

I've had about 3 ER-6Fs over the years among other bikes. It was my first and after a detour around some other bikes, I'm now back with one. I traded in a ZX-6R to go back to it. So lets compare, I do miss the top speed and it doesn't corner anywhere near as nicely. But... it doesn't do that bad of a job and it's still stupidly quick off the line in the low speeds. But with its upright riding position, its so much more comfortable, along with a quite comfy seat, including pillion. Filtering and commuting through traffic is so easy with its great turning, light and nippy body. With a few extras it's also a nice baby tourer, with top box and givi side panniers - When fully loading though, be prepared to adjust lights and preload - but once done gets the job done. Now for the negatives, The Mirrors. ... Get mirror extenders, otherwise the mirrors are awful. Once done though, they're acceptable. The stock factory tyres, they're not particularly grippy in the wet or even dry. The negatives, are the mirrors. They are awful. Get mirror extenders for them as a priority. Also the stock tyres are pretty terrible in the wet too. Anyhow, great starter bike, commuter, baby tourer (With addons). Not a good sports bike, but then it isn't one, even though has the looks.

Back to biking after 23 years, after a BIG crash. Bought this bike to ease myself back in, and what a GREAT little machine it is. You get what you pay for + SOooo much more! It's got a punchy little engine that gets you to 60 in a little over 4secs. It's good for just under 130mph. If you cruise with the eco light on (Under 6K revs = approx 80mph) it'll return 60mpg! Sporty looks, with an upright, comfortable riding position. The only thing I didn't like is/was the sound of the parallel twin engine. Aftermarket Scorpion = Job done! Happy to recommend this as a first big bike to anyone recently passing their test, or as a fun/comfortable/economical/cheap insurance bike for leisure & commuting for the seasoned rider.