BIKE OF THE MONTH REPORT

MODEL:  Kawasaki ER6F

DATE:  20/04/09

DEALER:  Laguna

RIDER:  Johanna Wells

OWN BIKE:  Yamaha FZ6S

AGE:  Mature

HEIGHT:  5’ 2”

INSIDE LEG:  28”/30”

WEATHER:  Excellent - sunny

The ER6 F looks great.  It’s an

ideal sporty looking bike for

riders of a smaller stature (with

a lower seat as an option), but

taller riders don’t seem to have

a problem either.  The body is

slim, angular and the bike

lightweight.  The riding position

is easy if you aren’t looking for

a sports bike per se.

I found it ideal for riding round

town, with easy control at low

speed, but also perfect on the

country lanes with brilliant, fun acceleration.  It seemed light and

responsive, and pulled away well, so you won’t have a queue of bikes

behind you on a ride out.  Not being

hugely experienced on a wide range of

bikes this would more than satisfy my

needs if I was looking for something

that was fun, nippy and easy to ride.

It was comfortable enough for me, with

a relatively upright position and the slim

build meaning that getting feet attached

to short legs on the ground didn’t pose

a problem!  Again, ideal for the smaller

rider!  The fairing provided excellent

protection, though you might want to

consider the touring screen for longer

distances.  The view of what’s going on

behind remained a bit of a mystery

throughout the ride as the only image

when using the spock like mirrors was of

my hands and arms.  I was told that this

had been a common complaint with

others coming back from test rides but that you could change the mirrors

for ones with longer arms...

It is possible to fit luggage to the bike if you need it, depending what you

are going to use the bike for.  For commuting and fun rides out it would

be ideal, I didn’t feel it would suit me as the right bike for longer

distances or touring.

I couldn’t really make much of a comment on the fuel economy.  A quick

blast out on a test ride doesn’t really give you a good idea of how far

you’ll get on a tank!  And pillion..

no one’s been brave enough to

get on the back with me so you’ll

have to try it out yourself!

The dealer (Laguna’s at

Ashford) was extremely helpful

and is to be recommended,

nothing was too much trouble

but without being pushy.

Overall I would say that it was a

great little bike, not quite what I

was looking for but well worth a

try.