My Kawasaki ER6F/Ninja 650R Looking For Good Home

Test Market : Kawasaki ER6F/Ninja 650R

Readers would know that I advertised Green Hornet for sale on 2/11/2012 and received a couple of offers, but ultimately decided that it was too much of a reluctance to let this lean, mean machine go.

A fellow reader has wrote to me to inform me that he is changing his Italian CBU bike in January 2013 and felt that it would be a pity to trade-in at the bike shop as he wanted a "good and responsible new owner" for his bike- and by that, he meant me (LOL).

Now this is a bike that I have been pretty keen too [Update : Some readers e-mailed what it was really so here goes- it was a Ducati 916 from the nineties] so if any fellow readers would like to take Green Hornet off my hands, I may just be getting the fellow reader's bike too.

To summarize, details of Green Hornet is as per the following :

Name and Model : Kawasaki ER6F/Ninja 650R
Colour : Kawasaki Lime Green
Mileage : circa 13,000 km
Status : Kenderaan Import Baru - can check from vehicle grant card
No plate : Wilayah 3-digit tendered no plate
Accessories :

1) MRA Germany windscreen (made in Germany) -RM550

2) Shogun sliders - RM500

3) Givi Italy side panniers colour-coded (made in Italy) - RM2,200

4) Givi Italy topbox colour-coded (made in Italy) - RM2,800

5) Akrapovic exhaust (made in Slovenia) - RM1,65(0 inc installation

6) Radiator protector - RM120

7) BMC Italy air filter (made in Italy) - RM400 inc installation

8 ) Acumen UK gear indicator (made in UK) - RM500 including installation

9) Caliper theft protector sets - RM180 including installation

10) Branded riding jacket and pants set, and matching leather gloves - RM1,000
11) BM horn - RM80
12) Sports rims reflective stickers - RM20

Bike is newly-serviced and runs like a dream. As good as new condition, and idling beats some newer ER6 engines even (well, that's what my mechanic said). If you get the above accessories, you would have to allocate more than RM10,000 (I bought some of them at really good prices but with risks of importing from overseas); but on Green Hornet, it's all complete and no further upgrades are necessary by my reckoning.

Viewing can be done at Mont Kiara/Sri Hartamas after working hours. 

So, feel free to make me an offer that I can't resist, to get yourself this dream bike. E-mail me with your offer and contact no. at toyotaharrier240g@gmail.com and I'd revert soonest possible.

Late Night Ride after Beauty and The Beast, The Musical

There has been quite a few e-mails from fellow readers asking about this blog and the updates. My apologies on the delay as I have been rather busy with work and travels; and add in the rainy season and that meant that Green Hornet has been sitting pretty a fair bit.

This bike is not Wahab's Bee but it looks just like that. I gotta check with him if he's okay with me showing his bike to the world, sans the no. plate of course.

Having said that, Green Hornet now has a Yellow Bumblebee ER-6n counterpart to accompany it in the car park now. A fellow reader here and also my neighbour, Wahab, whom has been following this blog and chatted with me at times, had been intrigued by my adventures with ER6 and had been wanting to get his hands on an ER6. He must have scoured hard at the classifieds as he got a really handsome naked ER6 that looked like it just rolled out from the showroom. It came with a radiator protector and frame sliders, and a cash price of RM27k sealed the deal and got the Bee to Wahab's name. Wahab informed me that he's got lowering kits for his bike for the added confidence of having his feet fully-planted on the ground during stops- a good idea.

 I have no doubt that he'll be upgrading his Bee with nice upgrades soon. He's already asking me about Akrapovic exhausts- although for the 2012 model, he has to get a full system instead of a slip-on as per the system I have on my bike.

And if you're getting the Akra, may I suggest that you chuck away the asthmatic air filter and get a BMC race filter to. Makes all the difference and you gonna feel your Bee leaping with its sting ready, at the pull of the throttle.

Anyway, I was out this evening for the Beauty and the Beast musical at Sunway Amphitheatre, and a jolly good show it was too. I used to catch musicals with my wife (then girlfriend) when we were working in London a couple of years ago; and since coming back to Malaysia, this is only our third musical in the last three years. This musical was a modern take on the old story, with more modern interpretations including Opal Gangnam Style, I'm Sexy and I Know It, and Ghostbuster in its performance. It was simply hilarious- and well-worth the PS1 ticket prices.

The last one that we caught in Malaysia was London the Summer Musical, and that was just alright (nothing much to shout about).


Anyway, after the musical ended at 10.30 pm, we had a late dinner at Sunway and thereafter sending my niece back to her place at Puchong before driving back to Hartamas. My wife and lil' Alex were bushed and were soon snoring gently away.

 

Me? Well, the sky's clear for the night and Green Hornet has been resting for a long while; so I took the chance to let it stretch its legs a lil' bit and went on a ride to KLIA and back. With a smooth night road and minimal traffic, it took only slightly more than an hour to have both man and machine in top form again.

 

After coming back, I dug out one of the Xena XX6 alarms that I bought a while back, to change a new battery. With so many caliper theft reportings of late, I had previously bought two for the front and rear discs; but found it a lil' troublesome to put on and off each time so the one for the rear has been kept aside after just a week or so. Wahab was telling me that he was looking for one, so I offered him mine at RM180 with a new set of Energizer Lithium battery. He agreed so I retrieved it from my storeroom earlier and changed the new battery. There was a battery provided with the alarm, but my guess was that it's more of a tester unit as the juice ran out very quickly.

Let's see if I get the chance to stretch Green Hornet's legs again later the day- if only the weather holds...

Thought : Malaysia Boleh!

Malaysians are a creative lot! And since superbikes in Malaysia remain pretty highly-priced and out of the-everyday-Joe's affordability, most Joe whom wants a shortcut would do one of the following :

1) Purchase a Singapore- or Thailand-registered superbike for use in Malaysia (but be prepared for any legal eventualities though);

2) Convert the ride into something else altogether. Now, we are not talking about converting look-alike bikes like Kwek Vulcan 1500 into a Harley-Davidson clone; but something like the below examples :

The police and JPJ would have a field day during road block operasi days.

Thought : Buying a Kwek 650cc this year? Hold your horses!

Because there would be quite a few options coming your way. The ER6 started the ball rolling and till todate, remains the best-selling parallel twin engine motorbike locally.

Then CFMoto's renditions (some called 'em as clones) of ER6 came along, with almost similar design, features and the same displacement as the ER6- supposedly let down only by its quality. But at its price-tag of below RM30k, it's bound to find interests amongst buyers who are ready to take on the unknown and disregard its lack of brand name and unknown support standards as yet in Malaysia.

CFMoto's answer to the ER6N.

CFMoto's answer to the ER6F/Ninja 650R.

Now a more established brand ie Honda is joining in the foray to have its share of the parallel twin engine market. As reported by Cycle World, Honda has made available 3-designs utilising the same parallel twin 500 cc engine ie CBR500R (to match ER6F/Ninja 650R), CBR500F (to match ER6N) and CBR500X (to match Versys 650).

1) CBR500R

If there’s any question about Honda’s new market focus, it should be crystal clear now that Big Red has unveiled multiple new 2013 products. Joining the efficient and inexpensive CRB250R and paradigm-bending NC700X are a trio of budget-friendly, 500cc parallel-Twins: the CBR500R, CB500X and CB500F. This trio proves that Honda is committed to bringing in new riders and welcoming back those who have fallen off the motorcycling wagon. The jewel among the three is the CBR500R, a fully faired sportbike with a strong resemblance to the rest of the CBR family. Which is a good thing, because as American Honda’s Motorcycle Press Manager Bill Savino so accurately puts it, “Nobody wants a beginner bike that looks like a beginner bike.”

You have to flash back to the V-Four-powered VF500 Interceptor to find the last multi-cylinder Honda sportbike with a half-liter engine capacity. Although Honda produced a European 500cc parallel-Twin called the CBF500 until 2003, this new model has little in common with that naked standard.

An all-new liquid-cooled dohc engine is counter-balanced and features a 180-degree crank for reduced vibration and good torque production. Bore diameter is identical to the CBR600RR’s 67.0mm, but stroke is a much longer 66.8.mm. The cylinder head has four valves per barrel, actuated by twin cams with lightweight rocker arms. Fuel mixture is delivered via Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) with 34mm throttle bodies.

Excellent handling was at the top of the engineer’s list, so a lightweight but rigid steel-tube frame is used for sporty response. Pro-Link rear suspension with a preload-adjustable shock and a conventional 41mm fork are hung at each end. The braking system consists of 320mm wave-style disc with a twin-piston caliper up front and a 240mm disc and single-piston caliper out back.
Optional ABS braking is available but Honda hasn’t released the price—if the CBR250R is any indication, we expect anti-lock will be a $500 premium. The 500R rolls on 17-inch cast-aluminum wheels in 120/70 and 160/60 sizes front and rear, respectively. Seat height is set at a smart 30.9 in.

Full-coverage aerodynamic bodywork is patterned after its CBR600RR and CBR1000RR siblings. Colors include red, black or Pearl White/blue/red. The ABS model is only available in red. The cockpit has a full array of instrumentation within its LCD display, including speedometer, tachometer, odometer, twin tripmeters, fuel gauge, clock, average fuel consumption and current fuel consumption. Pricing for the standard model is $5999.

2) CBR500F

We used to call bikes like the new 2013 Honda CB500F just “motorcycles.” Then the market evolved and got really specialized with sportbikes, adventure bikes, cruisers, etc., to the point that we started calling the plain old all-rounder a “standard,” which then evolved into “naked,” honoring the stripped-fairing sportbike.

Let’s call the CB500F a standard naked, since Honda has segmented its own new parallel-Twin lineup by introducing the CBR500R and CB500X, and the F is a stripped version of the R. The bodywork removal makes the CB500F the least expensive of the trio.

Like its brethren, the CB500F is propelled by a brand-new liquid-cooled, dohc, four valve-per-cylinder, counterbalanced 500cc parallel-Twin with 180-degree crank. Bore and stroke dimensions are nearly square at 67.0 x 66.8mm. Honda’s Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) delivers fuel through a pair of 34mm throttle bodies. Honda wasn’t talking horsepower, but expect it to be in the 50-at-the-wheel range.

The CBR500F’s steel-tube frame is shared with the CBR500R and CB500X. Suspension consists of a non-adjustable conventional 41mm fork and a Pro-Link single shock with nine stages of preload damping. Chassis geometry is identical to the CBR500R’s: 55.5-inch wheelbase, 25.5-degree rake and 4.05-in. trail. Cast aluminum wheels are wrapped in a 120/70-17 front and 160/60-17 rear tire. A 320mm wave-style front brake disc is pinched by a twin-piston caliper, while out back is a 240mm disc/single-piston-caliper setup. Like the other two models in the five-hundie lineup, an ABS model will be available but price has not been announced (we expect it to be a $500 premium).

A low 30.9-in. seat height should be inviting for a wide range of riders, and the F’s light 420-pound curb weight (with a full tank of fuel) should make it quite manageable. Honda hasn’t released fuel-economy figures for and of the three new 500s, but you can bet mpg will be emphasized as it has been on recent models like the NC700X and CBR250R.

Two colors will be available on the $5499 standard CB500F: Black or Pearl White. The ABS model will only be available in Black.

3) CBR500X

Adventure-style bikes are clearly hot, but Honda has decided to pursue the more street-oriented end of that broad class of motorcycle. The NC700X was the first of Honda’s new 2013 motorcycles to shake up the establishment, and its styling fits right into that urban-adventure genre. But Honda has one more X-style bike up its sleeve in the brand-new CB500X, which was recently unveiled along with two other parallel-Twins for 2013: the CBR500R and CB500F.

Like the rest of the trio, the CB500X—which looks eerily similar to the NC700X—has the same new liquid-cooled engine, a counter-balanced 500cc dohc parallel-Twin with a 67.0mm bore and a 66.8mm stroke. The valves, four per cylinder, are actuated by twin cams with lightweight rocker arms, and the intake mixture is delivered via Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) with 34mm throttle bodies.

A diamond-shaped steel tube frame is shared with the CB500R and CB500F. The key difference is the X’s added front suspension travel, and revised geometry. The same conventional 41mm fork is used, but it offers 4.9 inches of travel compared to 4.3 in the others. Out back, the same Pro-Link single-shock suspension system has 4.7 in. of travel, identical to its stable mates. A slightly more relaxed 26.5-degree rake angle (compared to the R’s 25.5) and a touch more trail (4.29 in. compared to 4.05 on the R) and a longer 55.9 in. wheelbase (CBR500R: 55.5), should provide stable handling on any type of road.

The 17-in. wheels, shod with a 120/70 front tire and a 160/60 rear, give a good indication of the bike’s asphalt intent. But that’s not to say dirt roads are out of the question. Braking is handled by a 320mm wave-style disc with a twin-piston caliper up front and a 240mm disc and single-piston caliper out back. Optional ABS braking is available, but we don’t know the price. We suspect it will be a $500 premium.

What really sets the CB500X apart visually and functionally, is the upright and relaxed adventure-style riding position. The comfortable ergonomics should make the X an ideal commuter, weekend explorer or errand runner. A wide and upright handlebar, adjustable windscreen and larger-capacity fuel tank (4.5 gallon compared to 4.1) make touring a definite possibility. Optional accessories include sidecases, a 35-liter top box, hand guards, heated grips, centerstand and a taller windscreen in addition to a bunch of bolt-on pieces with the look of carbon fiber.

You probably won’t be attacking single-track dirt trails on the new CB500X, but this urbanite should make adventure touring a whole lot more affordable as Honda hopes to sell the bike for right around $6000, although the official price has yet to be announced. Expect the new CB500X, only available in Matte Black Metallic, to hit dealerships early next summer.

KLIA Ride @ 23/11/2012

Woke up at 5 am on Saturday and the sky was still dark, while the lights peppering KL were still litted. Thought of going for a ride at around 6 am but it started to drizzle then.

"No biggie", I thought, "I could then test the K3 in the drizzle anyway".

LOL, typical bikers to find any excuses to go riding.

After getting breakfast ready for the family, I donned on my gear and hit the open road. I wasn't sure where would the open road take me as yet- but traffic was good in the morning with hardly any cars, and Green Hornet felt very much alive with the new BMC Italy air filter and Akrapovic exhaust combination so I just let the bike run along.

 
Before long, I was on the NSH doing triple-digit touring speeds best not written in black and white. The parallel twin engine excelled at such "duty", and the panniers gave the extra weight so that the bike felt planted on the highway at speed. The wind-in-my-face was a great feeling. And somehow, I find myself thinking about work and many solutions came naturally to my mind while riding. This was killing 2 birds with a stone.

 
Digressing a little, since KTM recently launched its 2012 CKD Duke 690 at RM46k, I have been quite interested to test-ride that handsome streetfighter as well as the previous 2010 CBU KTM Duke 690R (you could get a pre-owned at app RM40k depending on the accessories installed). The 2012 looks smarter but the 2010 looked more hardcore yet futuristic in the same package.

The parts that came stock were from pretty good brand names and quality control should be assured. But typical of the single-cylinder engine, while the engine is torquey and great for stunts and short rides, your bottom may bottom out during longer touring with the vibration of the engine.

That's where the parallel twin engine has a distinct advantage over the single-cylinder engine. 

Let's continue to sleep over it first.

Before long, I find myself reaching KLIA. There were lots of cars receiving groups of Malaysians back from their umrah. Green Hornet was able to move in-between the cars at ease and it felt good to be so versatile. The increased torque from the mods definitely make riding the bike so much more enjoyable.

In the evening, I rode the bike to the condo vehicle wash area and gave it a good wash and polish. A very friendly chap by the name of Wahab came over to chat with me. Turned out that he was an ardent reader of this blog and it was good catching up with a fellow from who has his heart at riding. While I have met quite a few readers of this blog around KL (normally they recognise the bike and came over to make friends), this is the first time I am meeting a reader whom was staying in the same condo as me.

T'was great knowing you, Wahab. Hope you get your ER6N soon and we'll go riding together sometime then.

As for the K3, it felt pretty comfortable during my ride today- although at higher speed, the visor would just clamped shut (I had it slightly opened initially to get rid of the inner misting). And everywhere I stopped, the helmet simply drew lots of attention to itself. Not for the shy riders then!

Let the good times roll!

Review : AGV K3 Dreamtime Rossi Replica

I would compare the AGV K3 Dreamtime alongside the Nolan N104 N-Com and Caberg Konda, simply because all 3 are Italian brand helmets. The N104 and Konda impressed me with their design, quality and finishings- and therefore, I was expecting similar qualities from the K3.

Let’s talk about its design first. The K3 Dreamtime being a Rossi helmet replica, looked great and I still take time to marvel and gaze at its graphic every now and then. It simply looked marvellous, and put to shame some of the more expensive helmets that I have seen and tried. The paint was vivid and quite a no. of fellow riders and drivers complimented me on the K3. Not bad at all for a helmet costing less than RM900.

But scrutinise it in more depth and it starts to fall apart a bit. The N104 and Konda were made-in-Italy articles, the K3 was made-in-China. No biggie as lots of products worldwide are produced in China these days with good QC, but I don’t feel a sense of high QC with my K3. I took apart the inner fittings and noticed that the neckroll was coming off. It was put in place with a layer of glue, that’s all. I could glue it back easily; but still, that’s additional work and I was expecting more from an AGV.

The chin curtain fell off easily. A quick Google later, I found out that it was a normal occurrence worldwide and many riders had lost their chin curtain while riding or taking off their helmets. This could be a design flaw then- the ones on the N104 and Konda felt so much more solid and stayed in place. Still not a deal-breaker though, as many riders reported that the flimsy little chin curtain did not contribute much to masking the wind noise or turbulence. I won’t be putting this on then.

The clip for the strap (to prevent the strap flipping) came off all too easily. Most helmets with DD rings do not use the clip anyway; but the K3 had it and I was expecting it to stay in place then. It was simply not impressing me in this manner.

But fitting was good, and I have been using L-size for my Daytona, Shoei, Nolan and Caberg. The AGV’s L-size fitted well and comfortably. And the K3 was quite light at app 1.5 kg and the weight savings helped during riding.

The visor was easy to take off and re-install with the AGV no-tools-necessary-just-press-here system; and I believe I would be getting a AGV Iradium Silver/Blue visor to complement the looks of the K3.

If you’re getting this from overseas and paying the regular sub-USD200 price for this helmet, by all means it’s a good deal. Heck, just the design itself was well-worth the price- if you commission a painter to airbrush the same design on your fullface helmet, it would cost quite a few hundred RMs to do so already.

But local pricing as seen at Mudah seem to vary quite a fair bit- from as low as RM660 (lower price than overseas?) to sub-RM1k+. At the higher-end of the spectrum, I would rather top-up a bit more and get a Shoei instead. Do check that you are getting the real deal though with all the necessary AGV markings and manual pack though, as you wouldn’t want to pay low prices only to get “brand replica” helmets.

Would I keep this helmet? Well, I believe so- I just can’t stop marvelling at the graphics. In fact, I may be collecting more K3 Rossi helmets soon.

Enjoy the colourful artpiece!

Consider This : AGV K3 Rossi Dreamtime Fullface Helmet

My Italian-made helmets included the Nolan N104 N-Com Action and Caberg "Top Gun" Konda. Both are modular helmets, but I have always eyed another Italian brand that makes deliciously-handsome and artistic fixed fullface helmets.

I am, of course, referring to the AGV K3 Rossi replicas.

RevZilla states that the K3 is near the top end of the AGV entry-level range. GP-tech lines and Valentino Rossi replica helmet graphics make this the ideal helmet for young riders and fans of the racing world. The only full-face thermoplastic model in the AGV range, the K3 is the perfect choice for riders in search of a safe, high-quality helmet with attractive design at a modest price. The K3 design is inspired by the latest AGV developments starting from the Stealth, S-4, and Ti-Tech and continuing with the Blade/Blade LX and GP-Tech that have so clearly and distinctive defined the company’s style. This makes the helmets immediately recognizable and distinguished from all the other proposals on the market.

• Fabrics: Dry-Lex with hygienic treatment
• Inside padding: Removable and washable (excluding neckroll)
• Number of shells: 1 shell size
• Retention System: Double-D ring
• Shell: Painted HIR-TH (high resistant thermoplastic) resin
• Shield Mechanism: Perimetrical visor seal, XQRS (Extra Quick Release System) - shield replacement without tools in few seconds
• Ventilation System: Front air intakes and rear extractors

Purchasing vide RevZilla K3 Dreamtime would get you the K3 at a mere USD220 (ie app RM660); but you would have to deal with customs and taxes when it reaches Malaysian soil, of course. If you are not used to online purchases, you could always purchase from local resellers at app RM900.

Well, watch up for this space when I put on this K3 Dreamtime for a spin one of these days, when the sky clear up and the road beckons for a long, smooth ride.

And doesn't it simply look handsome to the core!

Review : BMC Street + Akrapovic Slip-on = OMG! Torque

A Tale of Two Cities

Back in 2010, the Ninja 650R was selling at RM36k (CKD Malaysia) or RM45k (CBU Japan), while the Ninja ZX6R was selling at RM68k (CBU Japan).

"Why the big price difference?", a novice may ask; and that was even before he realized that the Ninja 650R had a 650 cc engine (parallel-twin) while the ZX6R had a 600 cc engine (inline-four).

"Surely a 650 cc engine should be better than the other 600 cc engine, right?", the novice may add.

Well, the Ninja 650R was designed as a sports tourer to tackle city-riding and the occasional long-distance touring; while the ZX6R was designed purely as a racer. Take it to track and the difference between both stock machines could be felt immediately.

Maximum Power :
1) Ninja 650R - 64.8 hp (48.3 kW) @ 9,000 rpm
2) ZX6R -  129.3 hp (96.4 kW) @ 13,500 rpm

Maximum Torque :
1) Ninja 650R - 44.7 lb·ft (60.6 N·m) @ 7,250 rpm
2) ZX6R -  52 lb·ft (71 N·m) @ 11,500 rpm

From the aforementioned publicly-published figures, one could see that the strength of the Ninja 650R was in the delivery of the maximum torque at the lower-end of the rpm. This made the Ninja 650R a very enjoyable ride around town, where stop-look-go traffic were aplenty.

Torque Gear 

I never intended for Green Hornet to be a racer-wannabe, for that was not its nature. I enjoy its high-torque performance during city commutes.

Earlier in August 2012, I invested in an Akrapovic Titanium slip-on when its prices were gradually reducing from RM3,000 (2008) to RM1,500 (2012). Cost of installation at KS was RM90.

According to the information provided, the exhaust system modification with the SLIP-ON system results in a major boost in performance, delivering a usable 72.3 HP at 8900 rpm on back wheel. But the increased power isn't available just at the top of the range; the system shows its quality already from 2000 rpm up through entire rpm range. The maximum power in-crease between the Akrapovic and the stock system is 5.2 HP at 5280 rpm. Additionally, the torque is substantially higher in the lower rpm area at 3000 rpm and in the middle of rpm area.

The installation of the Akrapovic Titanium slip-on brought an urgency in torque previously not milked from its parallel-twin engine, and made riding Green Hornet a lot more fun.

Air Asia X

You could board Air Asia X and fly to Italy to get your hands on the BMC Street air filter that I got; but an easier and smarter way would be to buy it off the shelf at bike performance shops hereabouts, or purchase from the many online sites.

I tried installing the air filter myself some weeks back but the fact that the fuel tank has to come off and I didn't know the best way of supporting the tank while I work on the air filter had me going to KS a few rounds already- but Ah Ho had been busy on the 3-4 times that I dropped by.

Today, being the Awal Muharam public holiday with our Muslim friends a-celebrating, I figured that I may stand a better chance of catching him today and lo and behold, it turned out exactly as planned. Green Hornet was immediately worked on the moment I rode in. Mileage was at 12,900 km when the BMC was installed.

Cost of installation at KS was RM15 (I read from Pielang Bikers forum that it was a RM10 charge, but disregarded the 50% increase anyway as I was going to buy Ah Ho a drink anyway), and Ah Ho worked on it himself.

Oh, and I found out that they support the fuel tank with an old tire- works well too!

The torque increase could be immediately felt at the rev of the throttle, and the bike was almost jumping up and about. Definitely a worthwhile upgrade with the imported BMC air filter selling at RM320 locally.

I would definitely not hesitate to recommend the combination of BMC and Akrapovic to milk the extra torque from the Ninja 650R's parallel-twin engine. What an even more enjoyable ride it has been after the installation of both upgrade parts.

Alright, got to hit the road now- ride safe, mates!