I’ve left my bike to be serviced at Crescent in Southampton (am working down there this week and it had gone over 4k miles, didn’t want to wait till I got back). I was expecting a scooter or something as a loaner bike, but they gave me a 12 plat ER6f.
It’s quite different to my GSX650f. Much lighter (although to be fair I always have a full topbox on mine too), quite easy to flick into corners, and generally quite fun. The seating position isn’t as comfortable for me (I’m dead on 6 feet tall), I wouldn’t be using this for long motorway rides, but it’s quite fun. The engine has much less torque, and the redline is reached much faster - you need to change gear earlier and stay higher up to really go. There also doesn’t seem to be as much engine braking as I’m used to, which I guess is related. It’s certainly no slouch, and fun to ride!
Nice to play with someone else’s bike for a while, but I’ll be glad to get mine back at the end of the day – I mostly just because I’m so used to it
Back when I had my Honda Transalp (600cc, slow as hell, but good bike to gain experience on) they gave me a CB1000R while they were servicing the Transalp. I couldn’t keep the front wheel on the ground! Scared the hell out of me at the time, but it’s why I ride one now
So, I picked my bike up after the service, and decided that I like it more :-).
Went for a bit of a ride around, taking 2.5 hours from Southampton to Eastleigh, lots of little roads. The cold wasn’t a problem with heated gloves and muffs, and it was just so enjoyable. I think for now, my bike will do me just fine…I don’t know what I would do with the power of something like your CBR!
Much less? The ER6f makes more torque than the GSX650f.
It’s only after 2/3 throttle the ER6 twin will show a loss. On city roads most would of up shifted long before then. Unless they are going balls out with some traffic light GP
Hmmm…so I didn’t look at what the numbers say. Maybe it’s not about the amount of torque itself (I guess the way I ride I rarely use even half the capabilities of a bike), but rather the way it’s made available - I suppose the toruqe curve is much more even. On my bike, no matter what gear I’m in, the moment you turn the throttle it pushes forward hard. On the ER6f, I had to be much more careful about what gear I was in, you had to play the gears up and down.
Still a nice bike, definitely lighter so easier to manoeuvre, I just like my engine more
You know, you’re right, that’s probably it ;-). I’m just used to always having them, since this bike is my workhorse as well, that I never think of doing so!
Although on the pooh-sticks ride I deliberately left the top-box on so that I could carry the pooh-sticks for Julie…
As quite a few know, I’m getting a green ER-6F just like this one:
Absolutely loved it when I test rode it - highly ‘flickable’ and made me grin constantly. Not highly powered enough for many, but plenty enough poke for me, while I’m still at the early stages of biking. Just have to accept that I’m not ready for a 990 KTM SMT yet, so this will look after me in the meantime. Cannot wait!!
Which dealership - if it’s a demo bike they may be looking to sell it soon! The nearest one I have found in the last 6 weeks of looking is 70 miles away, all others are over 150 miles away!! Ideally I would like to test ride the bike I buy (and get an accurate price for the one I’m chopping in!)
Slightly less of a trek then Simon, but will probably leave it a couple more weeks and see if something comes up within the M25(ish). Daniel - you are such a star, but no more pillioning for me not after my last experience!! If however, when I do find the right one, you are free than I would very much welcome the company again - that was a fun day when we went to try the Z1000 sx.
