Waiting with baited breath for TT to start. Our first attempt at Homestay this year, 4 Dutch, 4 Irish and 1 Scot arriving at various times over the next Fortnight. The atmosphere is unbelievable,can,t wait.

Tony

Waiting with baited breath for TT to start. Our first attempt at Homestay this year, 4 Dutch, 4 Irish and 1 Scot arriving at various times over the next Fortnight. The atmosphere is unbelievable,can,t wait.

Tony

Where abouts on the island are you? We've stayed in several home stay places before in Peel and a couple in Ramsey. This year we are doing a hotel in Douglas. I'll keep you in mind for next year!

HI Fabia_19, we are south of the Island at a place called Ballakillowey which is very near to Port Erin.

Tony

Weather is awful today :(

 

I was planning on visiting a few bike shops and maybe a test ride if I found something I liked. Might have to go for a look around anyway :clap:

 

Cant stop thinking about the deal Gary got on the er6 (jammy bugger)

Off looking for a new enduro bike for the wife today. She's out riding her current trail bike.

Cant stop thinking about the deal Gary got on the er6 (jammy bugger)

 

Make sure you get a 2012 onward Mark, and avoid anything before 2009 (suspension and corrosion issues)

They look the same until you get up close, but this latest variant seems to have addressed the issues

that let the others down a bit. It seems Kawasaki are listening... I only wish it was called the Ninja 650

like it is in the states.... But hey ho, it's still the same bike.   

 

In short they are lighter, more powerful, better handling and less vibey than older variants 

with improved mapping and better MPG too. 

Counting the days until I can get mine, 6 days and counting....  

Make sure you get a 2012 onward Mark, and avoid anything before 2009 (suspension and corrosion issues)

They look the same until you get up close, but this latest variant seems to have addressed the issues

that let the others down a bit. It seems Kawasaki are listening... I only wish it was called the Ninja 650

like it is in the states.... But hey ho, it's still the same bike.   

 

In short they are lighter, more powerful, better handling and less vibey than older variants 

with improved mapping and better MPG too. 

Counting the days until I can get mine, 6 days and counting....

 

Yeah, earlier models had problems with the ignition barrel as well.

 

Defo want a 2012 onwards.

 

Looked at that one in Bradford you gave the link to as the price was right but on further investigation (before I go and see it) the company sound a bit dodgy. Apparently they used to be called something else and have a massive amount of complaints against them and trading standards were involved. Seems they went bust and started up again with everything the same except the name. Also sound helpful on the phone but wont let you test ride unless you pay in full first.

 

Of course I have no first hand dealings with them and it's just from a bit research. I cant say its true or not and I haven't actually met them or seen the bike in person. Alarm bells are still ringing for me.

 

On a different note its cheaper to insure a ER6F than an ER6N even though the f has fairings and costs more to buy. Must be something to do with all the hooligans wanting a naked bike   (I prefer the N to the F)

I have to say he was one of the few who would have granted me a test ride. 

But yes you are better to listen to your instincts, The only thing that REALLY 

put me off was the afermarket exhaust. As a new biker in year 1 I'd sooner

have a standard unmodified bike as far as performance goes and the jury is 

out as to whether or not you need a power commander too to get the best out

of an er6f. I might get some hotgrips and add some bobbins but that's about it.

I'm not sure tail tidies work with the OEM luggage, I don't want my wifes lovely

big butt obscuring my brake lights. LOL

Road my first IOM TT lap today on the bike! Island is still quite quiet but definitely getting busier though out the day! The unlimited sections really are something else! I thought I was going fast, then a chap come flying past as if I'm standing still!!!!

First bike a Harley Ironhead Sportster 1000, Honda CBR 600, VFR 750, 2 x VFR 800 VTECH and currently a VFR 1200.  First got into biking because my wife had ridden pillion and enjoyed it, so permission was pretty easy!  Last long trip was last year to the Brno MotoGP in the Czech Republic - fantastic and they could teach us so much about how to put on a motor sport event!  Can't find a way to attach pics - maybe because I don't yet have the facility? - but I will when I can find the method!

Brno motoGP is excellent. Had a great time and great seats right on the start/finish line.

 

I like Brno too.

 

Must have been a great ride there and back?

2 days to go.... 

Brno motoGP is excellent. Had a great time and great seats right on the start/finish line.

 

I like Brno too.

 

Must have been a great ride there and back?

 

I like Brno too, my favourite restaurant is there in some big square it's a cellar one with a highland theme. SLABS of meat that no mere plate can contain so served on big bit's of wood ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh 

I had a small taste of riding again at the weekend, mother-in-law has bought a trike and wasn't confident enough to ride it home just yet so she asked me, not quite like riding a bike, in fact I found it quite strange to ride, I really didn't trust it round bends it felt like it was going to tip, it was really nice to have the throttle in my right hand again though, SWMBO is slightly worried though she said I looked far too happy riding it and that I want another bike....................She's right.

Where's Gary? Come on spill the beans.

Where's Gary? Come on spill the beans.

Happy to whore some pics and a quick review so far. 

And I'm loving it, such a light nimble bike compared to the 600 Fazer I passed on.

The Dunlop Roadsmart II tyres are awesome and reward a bit of commitment.

I'm already only 1cm from max lean on the tread and I haven't been sodding about

taking chances. They are just very confidence inspiring tyres.  Did about 70 odd miles

riding round the lanes on Sunday with my pal Sally following on her GT550 going nowhere

in particular. Got lost and found ourselves again. 

Am about to pull the trigger on a Motorcycle Garmin at 3 and a bit hundred quid though. LOL

We need a new one anyway and the Garmin comes with lifetime free maps and all the additional

kit needed to use it in car as well which is what swung it for us, pricey yes, but we can share it so don't

need two. .  

The ride home was fairly dull straight line motorway riding following the wife in our Fiat

as she had a sat nav in there and I wouldn't have found the way back easily from the 

guy I bought it froms house. 

Did 130 miles on just under a tenners worth of petrol, which I was happy with, and the bike

is happy to bimble at all speeds at around 4k and comes alive from about 7k to the redline

at 11k. Good torque spread and the newest mapping which sees 72bhp. Had to raise the screen

as I was getting it square in the face but on the next position up its loads better. 

 

 

 

Fully luggaged up

 

 

Nice bike and nice set up mate. Glad your enjoying it .

My dads got a garmin motorcycle sat nav on his bmw r1200gs adventure. Hes just got back today from a 3,000 mile 1 week trip around France, Spain, Italy etc etc. the sat nav never missed a beat. He loves it.

Shame about the bellends that tried to nick his bike at the motogp. Luckily it was strapped to his mates ducati multistrada, and they werent strong enough to move em both.

So hes got a slightly warped Pannier now.

I've started modding already. 

Replaced all the w5w lamps with LEDs and put a bit of vinyl wrap around the 

bottom lamp under the numberplate as it was getting damaged by crud off the rear 

wheel, waiting on some uprated h7 headlamp bulbs. I had a set of philips extreme H7

taken out from my old Fabia but somewhere along the line one has gone annoyingly

so after fitting them the High beam doesn't work so swapped back and tested bulb and 

sure enough it has gone. Got some new ones on the way. 

I also vinyl wrapped the side trim pieces either side underneath the saddle as they will 

be subject to constant wear so are safely covered with Di noc carbon.

And I'm cleaning as I go. Hopefully we are expecting good weather at the weekend 

so I'll be out again then. 

I ordered an official Kawasaki outdoor cover about a week before I got the bike from 

Kawasaki Direct. Still hasn't arrived so I contacted them today and had a good moan

the upshot of which is they have offered me a refund and a free one when they get the

delayed stock in. I only want it as a dust cover for when the bikes locked away so I can

wait, just goes to show that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.  

Ordered a XENA XX6 disc lock with built in alarm last night as theres naff all room under

the seat for much else but I managed to add to the toolkit a couple of dozen long cable

ties, a pair of long strong bootlaces and a cheap small pay and go phone with a tenners

credit which I bought to stay with the bike, it can also be easily tracked which is a nice feature

for my Mrs when I am out on my own as she does worry but doesn't want to keep ringing me.

It's on Vodafone so should be better in the sticks unlike my 02 phone which won't even work in

my house. It is pre loaded with all the necessary phone numbers and all my vital statistics are  

on it in the form of stored text messages should the worst happen and I am unconscious or

unable to speak, For a tenner brand new you'd be mad not to.  

I have a crash card in my helmet lining now just in case with a note on the crash 

card to check under the seat for the phone.

Next purchase is a CTEC battery charger to hard wire in a charging plug under the seat 

so I can whack it on overnight if the bikes been stood for a while. My diesel car battery 

charger might be a bit OTT :P 

 

 

 

 

 

JEALOUS!  I have been looking at bikes for weeks now and saw a nice ER6-F but no luggage :( Now I feel I would be missing out :( 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That is exactly the type of shed I want to get! Is it an off the shelf one? If so where did you get it?? Also do you know the dimensions? 

Iv got an Xena XX14 for my sv, i love it. Its brilliant.

I didnt like the idea of disc locks incase i forgot to take it off one day and ended up having a disaster. However, i cant even pick the bike upright without the 120db alarm shouting at me (which is even clearly heard over my beowulf baffleless can)

It really is a brilliant bit of kit.

Shed is 8ft by 12ft and was bought off the peg so to speak. 

3x2 timber framework, one inch thick floorboards, I paid about 600 for it 

including installation from an ebay based company last year.

I would normally do things like that myself but was too ill last summer

to do it myself. I'll see if I can find the invoice.

I've put in stronger georgian wire opaque windows so you can't see in,

and am waiting for better weather to reinforce the outside window frames. 

I've also added lights and constructed a built in storage/bench thing which I

have built as part of the shed itself so it adds strength to the structure.

Next I want to cut some floor out, fit a dug in ground anchor and chain and

then reinstate the floor around it. I came in from mine at 1am this morning

as there's no clock out there and I was busy tinkering listening to Team Rock radio.

 

As for the luggage, if you buy the OE stuff you can have either a top box OR

panniers but NOT BOTH. If you want both then GIVI is where to look and at a fraction 

of the price being honest. You could always take them to a bodyshop and get 

them sprayed to match if the colour thing is important. 

Excellent. Good to know you made it home safe Gary

 

Great review. And you seem to be making the most of it so far

 

I confess you spurred me on to book a test ride which I had to wait for over a week due to the crap weather but last Friday I took a 2014 ER6 for a test ride at my nearest Kwak dealer (Clay Cross). I have to say the guys at the dealership have been spot on. Very helpful and no problem with a test ride. Cant fault them so for anyone in the area I would recommend them.

 

I only took the bike out for an hour or so (about 50 odd miles) the weather wasn't great and the traffic was terrible so didn't get a proper ride but enough to let me know if I like the bike or not.

 

The summary for me is there's nothing wrong with the bike at all. It's a great ride and once I'd got used to the riding position (I have a sports bike) I was taking corners with more confidence. Traffic filtering is easy on this bike. IMO it is a bit "snappy" being a twin but I'm sure you get used to it. I prefer the power smoother rather than jolty. I liked it but it didn't grab me. On chatting to the sales guy when I returned I told him what I thought and he said he had felt the same and in his opinion I needed to test ride the SX. He thinks once I test ride the SX my mind will be made up and I will want one. Obviously he is biased being a Kwak dealer but I believe he gave me some honest genuine advice and I will be booking a test ride in a couple of weeks time when I have a moment spare.

 

So I went in to buy a bike (they had a 2013 with 2,500 miles and panniers for £4,500) but came out not buying one :'(

 

Went and bought a new DVD player instead and ended up being talked into to a new AV receiver, speakers and a deposit on a new TV, which has blown a huge hole in my chance of a new bike

 

I will MOT and insure my current bike for the time being and keep looking for something, maybe an SX????

I caved and the GSA Twin Cam has gone, and been replaced by a new GS Touring Edition

 

 

DSC_0001 (2) by Mr Fluffmeister, on Flickr

Feel slightly sheepish and embarrassed to call myself a 'biker', but I'm enjoying my upgrade to the Honda Forza NSS300

 

 

 

 

 

Bearing in mind it's meant for cruising, I've changed the standard sporty screen for a more protective Puig version

 

 

 

 

 

Bought black to match the Octy...............not that I've any intention whatsoever of giving it the JPS treatment

 

Performance is very good, superb comfort, and outstanding economy

Feel slightly sheepish and embarrassed to call myself a 'biker', but I'm enjoying my upgrade to the Honda Forza NSS300

 

 

 

 

 

Bearing in mind it's meant for cruising, I've changed the standard sporty screen for a more protective Puig version

 

 

 

 

 

Bought black to match the Octy...............not that I've any intention whatsoever of giving it the JPS treatment

 

Performance is very good, superb comfort, and outstanding economy

 

I hate to admit it, but I reckon this is the future