1996 – 2007 Kawasaki ER-5

My Kawasaki ER 5 is better than most of its rivals. But that’s not saying much and Honda’s CB 500 beats it hollow in most respects. The Kawasaki ER-5 brakes are particularly woeful and pillions only make matters worse. Rider comfort is good on the ER-5 and the gearbox is fine for the first few winters. The steel-tube cradle frame is stiff enough for the 37kW (50 hp) the re-tuned GPZ engine pumps out, and although the suspension is rather soft, the ER-5's light too much work to do.