2010 Kawasaki ER-6n
John Zamora: Associate Editor
Miles Ridden: 3,600
Mods: CRG mirrors, Ermax hugger, Kawasaki tail caps It's amazing how the simplest modifications can have a profound impact on a bike's overall look. I found the stock mirrors to be an eyesore and felt they looked more like insect antennae than mirrors. While it would have been easy just to ditch them completely and do the over-the-shoulder-look routine, I am adamant about having functional mirrors on any bike I ride. CRG is the originator of bar-end mirrors, and was the first company I had in mind when it was time to swap them out. New to its product line is the diamond shaped "Arrows" that feature a larger surface area and an adjustable arm to tuck them up and away when needed. They not only look great, but provide a pretty decent view of the world behind. And that's with less than five minutes total installation time. Now the front of the ER looks much more aggressive-like a proper streetfighter.
Model: Justene Jaro
The nicest...
Model: Justene Jaro
The nicest accessory that'll ever touch Zamora's Kawi. too bad for him she split seconds after the photo was snapped.
The next piece of the cosmetic puzzle was the removal of the passenger grab bars. Since I had already swapped rearsets and eliminated the passenger pegs, the bars were useless and bulky. Attached simply with a couple of bolts, I would have ditched them long ago, but underneath are two huge, unsightly holes. Luckily its sister bike, the Ninja 650R, comes stock without the bars. After a quick call to the Kawasaki dealer for cover tail caps, the holes were plugged and left the back of the bike with a more streamlined look faster than you can say "love handles be gone."
The ER has been sold in Europe for years and there are a ton of accessories that can be sourced from over the pond. Ermax may be unfamiliar to US riders, but it has been making a wide range of accessories specifically for the ER-6n since its release in 2006. I have a handful of oddball goodies to install, but for starters I added a flat black hugger with a longer chain guard for a sleek and stealthy look.
Ermax Hugger
$165
frog...
Kawasaki Cover Tail Caps
$25/each...
CRG Arrow Mirrors
$109.95...
My quest to give the ER-6n a more aggressive street stance is nearly finished. I only have a few parts left to install to let the ER fully flex its muscles. Once completed, it'll be time to hit the streets and bike nights to show off my custom lightweight that is hiding under heavyweight clothing.
Coming next month:
Ermax undertail and windscreen