Minor Winter Project - installing suspension worth 1/3 of the bike

[Papa_Complex]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

and are you both the same weight? Did you attempt to adjust his preload? Are you sure that the weight bias is the "same" between these bikes? Do the bikes weigh the same period? Did BMW really have the same intended market segment/intended rider type as Kawasaki? Were the tires the same? Same diameter/type forks? How about low/high speed compression settings? I think that you're comparing Granny Smith the Red Delicious here...

My friend and I are within 10 pounds of the same weight. I made no attempt at adjusting the BMW, as this was a quick run. The Kawasaki has no adjustment possible on the forks, in stock form, nor does the BMW. Both bikes have damper rod forks. The BMW has 43mm forks. The Kawasaki has 41mm forks. The BMW is listed as 412 pounds and the Kawasaki is 442, dry (bikez.com). The BMW was in stock form, but adjusted as best my ex-amateur racer friend could manage. He had his bike modified with a set of F800S bars. I swapped my stock bars for a set of Renthal low and wide dirtbike bars. This makes the upper body ergos virtually identical, between the two bikes.

My friend had suggested the swap because the ER was on his short list when he bought the BMW. He had never owned a BMW before, so curiosity played a part in his final choice of bike. As I was also considering the F800 series of bikes, when I was making my choice earlier this year, that would tend to make me think that they are aimed largely at the same market segment / rider type. The fact that both are middle-weight parallel twins may have something to do with it.

While I liked the brakes on the BMW, I found the front end dive to be unacceptable. My friend agrees and is debating the expense of sending the forks off to Traxxion.

Just for the hell of it, pics of the F800ST and my ER6n.

[Rangerscott]

It sucks that the Versys came with inverted forks but the two main street bikes (650r/er6n) didnt.

[Papa_Complex]

Originally Posted by Rangerscott

It sucks that the Versys came with inverted forks but the two main street bikes (650r/er6n) didnt.

Yeah, definitely weird that they put the best suspension on the "adventure touring" version of the bike, rather than the sportbike (Ninja 650R). I noticed that the fork part numbers are different between the Ninja 650R and the ER6n too, which seemed rather an unnecessary change if they were going for budget.

[Triple]

Originally Posted by Papa_Complex

Yeah, definitely weird that they put the best suspension on the "adventure touring" version of the bike, rather than the sportbike (Ninja 650R).

Price. The target market for the ER-6N and 650R are newbies and/or riders who want a sportbike or streetfighter look minus the cutting-edge performance. The Versys is an adventure-touring bike, something for which people are willing to pay a premium. Riders willing to pay for better suspension on sportier models will usually just buy a ZX-6/10R.

The ER-6N is the only decent-looking naked / standard on the market right now as far as I'm concerned, and I'm not even that crazy about it. It's a dying (mutating) class. What was so wrong with round headlights..?

[Papa_Complex]

Originally Posted by Triple

Price. The target market for the ER-6N and 650R are newbies and/or riders who want a sportbike or streetfighter look minus the cutting-edge performance. The Versys is an adventure-touring bike, something for which people are willing to pay a premium. Riders willing to pay for better suspension on sportier models will usually just buy a ZX-6/10R.

There's a market for smaller bikes with passable suspension though. For some odd reason the ER and Ninja 650 don't even share the same forks! If they did, then economy of scale would give the option of cartridge forks on those bikes, at a reasonable cost.

The ER-6N is the only decent-looking naked / standard on the market right now as far as I'm concerned, and I'm not even that crazy about it. It's a dying (mutating) class. What was so wrong with round headlights..?

I agree, on both counts, though I also don't mind square headlights on bikes of this style. As to a "dying class", Kawasaki Canada has dropped the ER for 2011.

[Triple]

Originally Posted by Papa_Complex

There's a market for smaller bikes with passable suspension though.

In the states, that's called a 600cc supersport.

[Papa_Complex]

I rather like the stock exhaust on my ER. It's small, out of the way, unobtrusive, and quiet so it doesn't attract attention, if I aim to misbehave.

[Rangerscott]

Originally Posted by Papa_Complex

I rather like the stock exhaust on my ER. It's small, out of the way, unobtrusive, and quiet so it doesn't attract attention, if I aim to misbehave.

With ya on that. I may replace it if I find a great deal on a can.

[Rangerscott]

Papa. We own the red headed step child of bikes. There aint shit for our bikes.

[Papa_Complex]

Pretty much but if you check European suppliers, they at least have SOMETHING for the ER.