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I had always fancied an off-road/trial bike that I could paint matt-black and live out all my Mad Max fantasies (yes really!) but trying to find a decent off road bike for this sort of money proved near-impossible, so I realised I had to give up on my Mad Max dream… at least, for the meantime! ... Read review
Advantages: Economy, handling, reliability Disadvantages: lack of Wow factor, power
...I noticed a scruffy little Kawasaki stuffed into the part-ex corner looking pretty sorry for itself. I casually asked the salesman how much they were asking for it. I was pleasantly surprised when told it was advertised at £895.
Upon further examination, the bike did look to be a bit of a state. The chain and sprockets were well knackered, one indicator wasn't working, the handlebar grips were torn and loose, one fork seal was leaking ... ...and cracks all over. Pointing all this out to the salesman, I offered £750 for it, and after he had a brief chat with his manager, I was handed the key to my new bike under the strict understanding that I would not be riding the bike away as it had no MOT or tax! 1-0 to me!
As I got kitted up and prepared to ride off, I gave the salesman a cheery wave, which he duly ignored.
First impressions as I rode the bike home were not ... more
As some of you may remember I managed to blow up the engine of my beloved Harley Sportster in the early part of last year. Luckily at the time I was working for a Harley dealership so was loaned a replacement bike while mine was being rebuilt. Not so luckily I got sick of my job and quit while the bike was still in pieces. Understandably my ex-employers wanted their loan bike back so the hunt was on for a cheap (sub £1000) run-around until I got the Sportster back.
I had always fancied an off-road/trial bike that I could paint matt-black and live out all my Mad Max fantasies (yes really!) but trying to find a decent off road bike for this sort of money proved near-impossible, so I realised I had to give up on my Mad Max dream… at least, for the meantime! Whilst viewing a prospective purchase at a dealership in Southend (turned out to be an over-priced old wreck) I noticed a scruffy little Kawasaki stuffed into the part-ex corner looking pretty sorry for itself. I casually asked the salesman how much they were asking for it. I was pleasantly surprised when told it was advertised at £895.
Upon further examination, the bike did look to be a bit of a state. The chain and sprockets were well knackered, one indicator wasn't working, the handlebar grips were torn and loose, one fork seal was leaking and the bodywork was in pretty poor condition with scuffs and cracks all over. Pointing all this out to the salesman, I offered £750 for it, and after he had a brief chat with his manager, I was handed the key to my new bike under the strict understanding that I would not be riding the bike away as it had no MOT or tax! 1-0 to me!
As I got kitted up and prepared to ride off, I gave the salesman a cheery wave, which he duly ignored. First impressions as I rode the bike home were not so good. The bike was so different to my Harley. The seat was much higher, the pegs further back and the riding position so radically different to what I was used to. I felt like I was leaning forward over the handlebars in a racers crouch! In reality, the ER has a very conventional riding position. It has a low seat height, making it very popular with new riders, shorties and women. The low weight, neutral handling and low insurance group all combine to make this an ideal first bike. None of this could be further from my mind on that first ride though, as I revved the hell out of the 500cc parallel twin motor to find out if the thing was still running - the engine and exhaust are practically silent compared to my Harley - and tried to get used to the alien riding position. About halfway home, as I was starting to get used to the bikes power and exploring the handling, the engine started spluttering and coughing and lost a lot of power. Pulling in the clutch and giving a generous portion of throttle may not have been the wisest course of action to take….but it worked! The bike started running on both cylinders again and I continued on my merry way home. This happened a couple more times o the journey home and I was starting to worry that I'd bought a lemon, so it was with a sigh of relief when I pulled into my garage without further mishap.
As I had now committed myself to owning this bike, I though it wise to arrange some sort of insurance cover (!) and after much ringing round I got a quote from MCE (who also insure my Harley) for £380 Third Party Fire & Theft, beating my best quote by over £600! 2-0 to me! Looking over the bike the next morning, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a valid MOT certificate under the seat, with 6 months left to run. So my ride home the previous day wasn't as illegal as I thought! 3-0 to me!
Turning my attention to the condition of the bike, I found that the indicator was totally knackered, so a pair of universal mini-indicators were acquired, for around £20.00. The fork seal set me back around £8 for a pattern (non-genuine) part. I have since found out genuine seals are cheaper at around £5. Chain and sprockets were changed at a cost of around £80.00 and a service kit (Oil, Filter, Air Filter and Spark Plugs) cost around £50. The old air filter and spark plugs were in very poor condition and the engine ran much better after changing these, as a quick spin round the block proved.
The next day my insurance certificate arrived, so it was off to the Post Office to buy the dreaded Road Fund (tax disc) but once again I was pleasantly surprised, the 500cc engine falls into a lower taxation bracket and as a result only costs £45 for a full 12 months. 4-0 to me!
Now everything was nice and legal, it was time to press my new bike into service. I fitted a small fly screen and a pair of saddlebags that I had laying around, to add a bit of weather protection and carrying ability. Filling up with petrol cost around £10 and that lasts me 130 miles on average, using the bike back and forward to work. Long distance work sees this rise to around 150/160 if careful with the throttle.
As I got used to the "strange" riding position, I started to explore the handling of the bike a little more. The light weight compared to the Harley makes cornering a much more pleasurable experience. This bike is by no means a sports bike but the handling is so neutral, and the bike so chuckable that you find yourself looking forward to the corners and trying to get leant over just that little bit more.
The 500cc liquid cooled parallel twin engine is no monster, producing just 46bhp, but if you give it a decent amount of throttle, not many cars will beat you off the line, although the 110mph top speed means most modern cars will have no problems overtaking you on the motorway. But top speed is really not what this bike is about. The sweet handling, low running costs and gentle power delivery mean this bike is perfect for what I, and most owners use it for - bimbling around town and commuting to and from work. It's no coincidence that the ER is used by so many training schools, it really must be one of the easiest bikes to ride, run and work on. I have now had the bike over a year and in that time I have had no problems other than a leaking rocker cover gasket - easily changed with the petrol tank removed and a recent coolant leak, which I believe to be caused by a perished water seal on the coolant housing, another easy fix.
Not long after buying the bike I decided to tackle the tatty bodywork, stripped the bike down and…sprayed it matt black, with a fluorescent orange stripe! The result is, well different to say the least! I have also purchased a hugger (rear mudguard) for £80 and bellypan (front spoiler) for £45 to protect the vulnerable suspension and engine from corrosion. The result is a cheap, eye-catching, sweet handling, fuss-free, reliable bike that I can use all year round. Harley, what Harley?! 5-0 to me!
Advantages: Lightweight, economical, good in town, Only OK for ripping! Disadvantages: Handling gets spacey at high speed.
My friend runs a motorcycle school and we often road test bikes. At present the ER makes up 70% of the school bikes. My experience of the ER is somewhat mixed.
As a first bike it can be a really good bike. It depends on your weight. If you are small or under 11 stone, the bike tends to handle erratically. It dives over into corners and is quite easy to drop (Exhausts always hitting the deck).
This is good for a new rider because it means less work, ... ...you gently draw it down and it shoots to the floor. It also seems to have problems with traction. If you hit a corner with and adverse camber, you have to force the rear down to ensure bite.
These problems do seem to be weight-related. If you are heavier(or got a pillion) the ER handles like a dream.
Acceleration is pretty good and it keeps on giving at the top of the gearbox (I have had more than the spec top speed out of it). The lower gears ...
FruitBatInShades 26.10.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Kawasaki ER5
Advantages: Very cheap to run easy to maintain loads to choose from comfortable good handling Disadvantages: Poor spongy brakes build quality a bit shoddy in places lumpy constant gear changes
I bought my Er-5 in March 2008. So far it has been a great bike!
I bought it second hand with just 11,500 miles on the clock at a very reasonable cost of £1300.00. To date this bike has been a real money saver it is very economical about 65 miles per gallon with tax and insurance prices being incredibly low! It is perfect for everyday commuting and not bad on motorways and long journeys. All the power is midrange and shortlived. Don't expect much ... ...gear ALOT! Take off from a standstill start is ok and will beat average family cars off the mark. Handling is surprisingly agile with no dramas. Confidence in riding this bike grows quickly! The engine & exhaust has a nice thumping note that sounds better than the actual performance! Basic servicing is really easy on the ER-5 with most servicing parts available in Halfords although getting to the spark plugs and removing the fuel tank is a pig. These ...
Heights 07.08.2008 (08.08.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Kawasaki ER5
Advantages: Great commuter and fun to ride Disadvantages: Drops into corners a bit too quick if u are light!
Motorcycle: Kawasaki ER5 (2001 model)
For: Good commuter bike and fun to ride
Against: Gets a bit windy at speed
Value: No doubt that you are getting quite a bit of bike for the money!
Costs: Parts are pretty cheap and servicing can easily be done at home in the garage. Fuel consumption is very frugal even when the bike is pushed hard and insurance is next to nothing, even for riders under 25.
Reliability: Bomb proof
Driving: The bike is fun ... ...sports. It turns in quick enough if you counter steer but would benefit from a stickier set of tyres than the standard tourers supplied if you want to push the bike harder. Lighter riders may have some trouble as this bike weighs in at 170kg so may drop into corners a little quick unless you are over 12 stone!
Performance: Pretty good. It will leave most cars standing at the lights but it is not so fast that it will scare the living daylights out ...
RogerBVH 24.07.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Kawasaki ER5
Advantages: Great confidence booster, nippy, good for touring, great for short riders Disadvantages: Get worse the better the rider gets
My little ER5 has been my saving grace. I passed my motorbike test on this great little bike, despite falling off it 10 minutes before my test (hit a curb on my practice -u-turn). After passing my test i went to purchase my first motorcycle, i was dead excited and explained what i wanted to my local yamaha dealer, and they showed my the fazer 600. I sat on the bike and being 5"3 could just reach the floor. I asked if not having flat feet on the floor ... ...be fine and i stupidly bought the bike. After falling off three times in 6 months i had, had enough and wanted to change the bike and i was advised to get an ER5 because i knew the bike and was comfortable on it. I lost around £1500 pounds on the fazer and am still begrudgingly paying it back now.
I picked up my ER5, a little black number, and was immediatley more comfortable. With the low seat option making the bike seat height 50mm lower it is ...
mogsie83 23.08.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Kawasaki ER5
Advantages: Cheap to run,reliable. Low insurance, easy self maintenance. Low wear rate on tyres/sprockets Disadvantages: Unexciting. Clunky gearbox. Minimal wind protection. Poor front brake.
I bought a second hand er-5 A3 with 9500 miles on the clock. This bike is like a Ronseal advert, does exactly what it says on the tin. Its a simple machine thats perfect for the daily commute or the simple fun of a ride. The engine is out of the ark but it starts every time and if you look after it will go on forever. The gearbox is a bit clonky and expect a good clunk between 1st and 2nd, otherwise its ok but make sure you move down the box as you ... ...to smooth things out. If you stop while still in say 5th then you could find yourself embarrassed trying to work down the gears. Handling is adequate allthough you will need to use the rear brake a bit, the front braking is a bit naff and needs a good handful. You will be hard pushed to lock up the front wheel and I changed my brakes for EBC with a braided hose...helped a bit. I have never needed choke to start it but use a bit once running to hold ...
raisebeck 19.05.2007 (04.10.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Kawasaki ER5
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"
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My black Honda VTR-1000 Firestorm is my second motorcycle. My first was a (relatively) mild-mannered KawasakiER-5, in the opinion of many, a perfect "beginner's" machine.
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Advantages: traffic jams? what traffic jams Disadvantages: bad weather, and it hurts if you fall off
you may be there all day. If you turn the wrong way, don't worry (unless its the wrong way down a one way street). Simply turning left instead of right is not a cause to fail, and will be put down to nerves, as long as the turn was done safely and correctly, the examiner will simply adjust your route to take the wrong turn into account.
Another thing to note is what type of machine your are riding. When traing many of my pupils on larger machines (such as the 500cc KawasakiER-5). They were suprised at how they were supposed to make use of the machines power. Without being excessive I would have to remind them now and again that they need to show the examiner they are capable of riding a 500cc motorcylcle, as opposed to a 125. This may mean overtaking slower traffic on faster roads where a 125 may not have the power to do so ...
