ER-6N boring?

Lumen

OK, don't hold back on this one...

I did my second day of IBT today. It went fine. I used an ER-6N.

It's the sort of bike I was planning to buy. But it just felt boring. The engine sounded like a food mixer. The throttle response was soft. The suspension was soft.

Now I realise this sounds completely daft given that I have no bike experience whatsoever, but I just expected to feel a bit more engaged. We were only pottering around at 50kph, but I thought a motorbike would feel fun even going slowly.

The only other motorbike engine experience I have is of a carbed Fireblade in a 390kg car. That felt mental even going slowly, maybe because it was geared for 100mph max and stable enough to take full throttle and clutchless upshifts without killing me.

I think I want a bike like that, something that sounds and feels involving even going slowly.

I don't want something that's going to highside me into a hedge.

Is is possible to get an involving but non-vicious bike?

Thoughts?

gerrowadat

I have an ER-6F, and while it goes fine I agree the engine noise can be a bit lawnmowery. Maybe it's the particular type of engine, sound or pickup wise? I'd love to get back on an inline 4, and may do so once I shift the er-6...

Fiskar

Love my ER6 F, have 68K miles up on it, like the parallel twin sound as it is very unique.

Very economical compared to any v4. Had a Varadero 125XR and have to say the Kawasaki is better electrically than it ever was.

It has never let me down

Del2005

Lumen wrote: »

OK, don't hold back on this one...

I did my second day of IBT today. It went fine. I used an ER-6N.

It's the sort of bike I was planning to buy. But it just felt boring. The engine sounded like a food mixer. The throttle response was soft. The suspension was soft.

Now I realise this sounds completely daft given that I have no bike experience whatsoever, but I just expected to feel a bit more engaged. We were only pottering around at 50kph, but I thought a motorbike would feel fun even going slowly.

The only other motorbike engine experience I have is of a carbed Fireblade in a 390kg car. That felt mental even going slowly, maybe because it was geared for 100mph max and stable enough to take full throttle and clutchless upshifts without killing me.

I think I want a bike like that, something that sounds and feels involving even going slowly.

I don't want something that's going to highside me into a hedge.

Is is possible to get an involving but non-vicious bike?

Thoughts?

An exhaust will make any bike sound better and you where riding a training school hack which has had a lot of ham fisted riders so it won't be the most lively. Look at what speeds they can get out of the ER6 in the supertwins class at road racing.

PatM65

I have a set of Laser cans on my ER6n which make a lovely sound.

The bike you were on may have been restricted as well.

Pugzilla

Triumph Street Triple?
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/triumph/street-triple-675/2007/

Honda Hornet would be a cheaper option

arybvtcw0eolkf

I've never heard or rode a parallel twin which sounded good or tickled my fancy. But of course there are exceptions and I haven't rode 'em all of course, and I haven't rode an ER6N.

There's probably a very good reason why the school is using an ER6, and you've probably just found out why.

That said, they're also raced!.

One thing to keep in mind ~ whatever you think is boring right now will take you and most people here to to edge (and beyond) your limits/abilities before you find its (the bike).

Lumen

Pugzilla wrote: »

Triumph Street Triple?
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/triumph/street-triple-675/2007/

Problem: gimpy headlights.
Solution: single headlight conversion!

arybvtcw0eolkf

The Street Triple is pure sexy.

If I had to choose between the Street Triple or an ER6 I'd go with the Triple in a heart beat, they're a stunning bike.

Lumen

Lumen wrote: »

OK, don't hold back on this one...

I did my second day of IBT today. It went fine. I used an ER-6N.

It's the sort of bike I was planning to buy. But it just felt boring. The engine sounded like a food mixer. The throttle response was soft. The suspension was soft.

Now I realise this sounds completely daft given that I have no bike experience whatsoever, but I just expected to feel a bit more engaged. We were only pottering around at 50kph, but I thought a motorbike would feel fun even going slowly.

The only other motorbike engine experience I have is of a carbed Fireblade in a 390kg car. That felt mental even going slowly, maybe because it was geared for 100mph max and stable enough to take full throttle and clutchless upshifts without killing me.

I think I want a bike like that, something that sounds and feels involving even going slowly.

I don't want something that's going to highside me into a hedge.

Is is possible to get an involving but non-vicious bike?

Thoughts?

Its a pretty slow bike tbh, you would be bored pretty quickly on it if you felt its slow now and its only your second day of riding.

Those talking about the fact they race them is irrelevant, they do race them but heavily modified ones pushing 100+ bhp unlike the standard 65 bhp or something like that.

I would be looking at a Hornet 600 or bandit 600, they would have more poke and will sound alot better.

Lumen

I mentioned the ER6n mainly because it's what I've been riding, but as far as a purchase goes I was thinking of a choice between XSR700 and Street Triple.

That's an unfair comparison though, since the Triumph is even more expensive than the XSR900, the XSR700's big brother.

XSR700: €9,298
Street Triple: €11,000
XSR900: €11,548

Seems like the Triumph has the torque of the XSR700 and the power of the XSR900, so maybe is a bit easier to handle than the bigger capacity Yamaha.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Stick with the Yamaha since that was your first choice, and they're a really nice looking bike ~ esp in the yellow and black Kenny Roberts colors (my fav Yamaha color).

D3V!L

The sound of a parallel twin is a unique one

My missus has a 2014 ER6N and you have to dial the rear shock up and drive the bike like a 250 , rev it all the way up !!!

Theyre geared to be easy to ride around town but give it some gas and watch it transform.

Echoes675

I got a street triple r as my first bike. 8 and a bit months on I absolutely love this bike. I replaced the cans with something a bit louder but it is soooooo much fun!

I was originally thinking of SV650 / ER6N / Hornet as first bikes to begin with but then saw the street triple and all else paled in comparison. I have the round headlights model which I quite like. I know they are an issue of contention for some but as Lumen said there are single headlight conversion kits.

Lumen

eoin_mcg wrote: »

I got a street triple r as my first bike.

I'm trying to get my head around Triumph product naming. Street Twin, Street Triple, Speed Triple, Speed 94. It's like they only have four words.

Street Triple: 675cc (Modern classic)
Street Twin: 900cc (Roadster)
Speed Triple: 1050cc (Roadster)
Speed 94: 1050cc (Roadster)

eoin_mcg wrote: »

I have the round headlights model which I quite like. I know they are an issue of contention for some but as Lumen said there are single headlight conversion kits.

Is yours a conversion or is/was there a standard model with round headlights?

Echoes675

They changed the headlights in 2011 or 2012 from two round ones (which I prefer) to the angular ones they have today.

frozenfrozen

I had fun on an er5 for my ibt

Idleater

Re the triumph, I recommend finding one to actually sit on. I had my heart set on a Daytona 675 but it was tiny. Got the sv1000 instead.

The only problem (I joked before) with triples is that they have all the downsides of il4's combined with all the downsides of twins.

Triumphs are lovely though, I'd like a speed triple or tiger at some stage.

Echoes675

Idleater wrote: »

Triumphs are lovely though, I'd like a speed triple or tiger at some stage.

The new speed looks nice but I've heard they handle like an elephant. I have been thinking that a Daytona would be a nice bike to own too. I'm only 5'6" so it's probably about my size to be fair. I can't flat foot the street though so it's left foot on the floor and right foot on the back brake. Saw a few Daytonas in the showroom when I got my street and they did look nice in person.

Cuddlesworth

PatM65 wrote: »

I have a set of Laser cans on my ER6n which make a lovely sound.

The bike you were on may have been restricted as well.

If it was restricted, it would be half power basically which feels like crap.

Its a decent bike to learn on though, pretty much any twin 650 is.

prunudo

PatM65 wrote: »

I have a set of Laser cans on my ER6n which make a lovely sound.

The bike you were on may have been restricted as well.

Same as, have the twin lasers on my er6 and the sound is great.

As regards to the er6n being boring, op you're not riding it on the right roads. It won't be fun on motorway but on the twisties it's great craic.

Always fancied the triple but never warmed to those headlights, that single light conversion would make me reconsider though.

Cienciano

There's a big difference to riding on a training run and riding on your own. But most Japanese mid size bikes are boring other than the supersports. But it's usually the way with bikes, you start out on something fairly boring and work your way up.

galwaytt

Surprised no one has mentioned the SV650 yet.....

My SO has one, and we've just added an F series 800cc BeeEmm. Very impressive. Compared to the Deauville 700 I ride as a Blood Bike both are rocket ships. Or feel like it at any rate...

galwaytt

galwaytt wrote: »

Surprised no one has mentioned the SV650 yet.....

My SO has one, and we've just added an F series 800cc BeeEmm. Very impressive. Compared to the Deauville 700 I ride as a Blood Bike both are rocket ships. Or feel like it at any rate...

If he isn't happy with the Kawasaki the sv is equally as slow and boring though

galwaytt

Joe Embarrassed Pail wrote: »

If he isn't happy with the Kawasaki the sv is equally as slow and boring though

No, I think the Kawasaki engine is more akin to the nature of the Deauville. It's not about what power it makes....it's the nature of it.

Cuddlesworth

galwaytt wrote: »

No, I think the Kawasaki engine is more akin to the nature of the Deauville. It's not about what power it makes....it's the nature of it.

Doubt it, I've used both unrestricted. They are close enough to each other in performance, both are middle of the road in the everything. They don't do anything well but they don't do anything bad either.

If he is thinking of first bikes anyway, first thing he should be looking at is insurance for specific model. I paid 1600 for the first year on the ER6n restricted, doubt its much cheaper now.

Wossack

performance wise yea (they race in the same class), but gotta factor in the vtwin noise / power delivery - I imagine it feels more of an occasion on the sv?

Lumen

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

If he is thinking of first bikes anyway, first thing he should be looking at is insurance for specific model. I paid 1600 for the first year on the ER6n restricted, doubt its much cheaper now.

Well, I've gone ahead and ordered an unrestricted XSR700.

Quote from Liberty is €796.61, fully comp, provisional licence, zero NCB, level 3 insurance assessment (I think that assessment level is correct, will have to check docs when I get home, but it's €849.72 with a level 4 assessment).

I think it'll drop a bit when I move out of Dublin.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I was tempted by an Speed Triple or XSR900 but thought they'd be a bit much for a first bike, and given that I'm a bit ****. :pac:

arybvtcw0eolkf

The XSR700 will have more than enough more.

Don't forget a photo when you pick her up, and best of luck on it.

Gavin

Lumen wrote: »

Well, I've gone ahead and ordered an unrestricted XSR700.

Quote from Liberty is €796.61, fully comp, provisional licence, zero NCB, level 3 insurance assessment (I think that assessment level is correct, will have to check docs when I get home, but it's €849.72 with a level 4 assessment).

I think it'll drop a bit when I move out of Dublin.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I was tempted by an Speed Triple or XSR900 but thought they'd be a bit much for a first bike, and given that I'm a bit ****. :pac:

No custom made titanium bike ? Disappointing. You needn't think I'll be buying this off you when you get bored of it.

galwaytt

galwaytt wrote: »

No, I think the Kawasaki engine is more akin to the nature of the Deauville. It's not about what power it makes....it's the nature of it.

Don't agree they are both donkeys tbh, I suppose it just depends what you are looking for in a bike but if he finds the Kawasaki boring then the sv is just as ponderous a machine.

I've never ridden a deaville but have heard about them, if a bike is compared to it I'd be staying away.

b_mac2

Joe Embarrassed Pail wrote: »

Don't agree they are both donkeys tbh, I suppose it just depends what you are looking for in a bike but if he finds the Kawasaki boring then the sv is just as ponderous a machine.

I've never ridden a deaville but have heard about them, if a bike is compared to it I'd be staying away.

You one of these straight line speed lads, with chicken strips my nan would be ashamed of?

I'd have plenty of fun on either bike riding tight twisties, once I had a good set of tyres.

prunudo

b_mac2 wrote: »

You one of these straight line speed lads, with chicken strips my nan would be ashamed of?

I'd have plenty of fun on either bike riding tight twisties, once I had a good set of tyres.

I agree, I've have great fun on both over the years. I was starting to think that my idea of boring might cause me to die of excitement if I get another bike.

Pugzilla

I think cornering is the most fun part of having a bike. Going fast in a straight line loses its thrill fast Anyone can buy a superbike and twist the throttle.

Cornering is a skill you can spend a lifetime improving.

Cienciano

Pugzilla wrote: »

Going fast in a straight line loses its thrill fast .

No it doesn't :pac:

arybvtcw0eolkf

Pugzilla wrote: »

I think cornering is the most fun part of having a bike. Going fast in a straight line loses its thrill fast Anyone can buy a superbike and twist the throttle.

Cornering is a skill you can spend a lifetime improving.

Try learn to wheelie then get back to me about corners

Nothing like getting her up on the balance point & the feeling of weightlessness, or even just power wheelies where you're taking her just a few wheel off the ground for twenty meters.

Oh, and fast straights ~ acceleration & speed never get boring.

lennymc

congrats on the bike purchase lumen.

Echoes675

Any pics yet Lumen?

Lumen

eoin_mcg wrote: »

Any pics yet Lumen?

Just sorting the life insurance before I pick it up :-)

b_mac2

b_mac2 wrote: »

You one of these straight line speed lads, with chicken strips my nan would be ashamed of?

I'd have plenty of fun on either bike riding tight twisties, once I had a good set of tyres.

No mate Im not, why?
Because I think they are slow bikes which they are

Also dont get the chicken strip argument, takes more balls to ride a a bike 180mph on a straight line then lean her over at 30.

Pugzilla

Sensation of speed is much higher when leaned over than going in a straight line.

You can only use so much power in the twisties. Corners are the great equaliser.