Difference between revisions of "Kawasaki ER-5"

The '''Kawasaki ER-5''' is a [[Naked bike|naked]] commuter [[motorcycle]]. This Japanese workhorse is powered by a [[Engine cooling|liquid cooled]] [[Four stroke|4 stroke]] [[DOHC]] 498 cc engine based on the design used in the [[Kawasaki Ninja 500R|Kawasaki GPZ500]], producing around 50 bhp. It is capable of a top speed of around 110 mph (175 km/h) and usually lasts around 55,000 Miles. It is a favourite among training schools in the UK and around Europe because of it's relatively low maintenance costs and forgiving nature. The handling is unexceptional, but the standard [[Dunlop Tyres|Dunlop]] Arrowmax tires provide quite good footing. They do, however, tend to slip in wet or rainy conditions. Many users choose to change them for [[Bridgestone|Bridgestone BT45's]]. Overall it is considered to be a good "first bike", as it survives being dropped more or less unharmed, is easy to work on and easy to get spare parts for. It also gracefully accepts being restricted to 33[[Horsepower#Brake horsepower .28 bhp.29|BHP]]/25[[Watt|KW]], which is the maximum power output permitted for certain types of restricted licences within Europe, adding to its appeal for beginners.