Kawasaki ER-6n (2006-2016) Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule with associated service intervals for the Kawasaki ER-6n.
The Kawasaki ER-6n is the naked sibling of the Ninja 650, a.k.a. the ER-6F (the “n” in ER-6n is for “naked”). It’s very much the same bike, just sans fairing!
Kawasaki has made the ER-6n since 2006, but only sold it in the US since 2009. It was retired in 2017 in favour of the Kawasaki Z650, which was updated at the same time as the Ninja 650.
The ER-6n is powered by a torquey 649cc liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-valve-per-cylinder parallel-twin engine. It’s the same engine that powers other similar motorcycles, like the Versys 650. It doesn’t set your hair on fire, but it’s an engine that most people can’t kill before they crash their bikes.
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Maintenance Schedule for Kawasaki ER-6n
Below is the maintenance schedule for the Kawasaki ER-6n.
The following is the list of maintenance operations and to be done on this motorcycle with a time or distance interval — whichever comes earlier.
The maintenance for the Kawasaki ER-6n is broken into three sections: Change/Replacement Items, Engine Related Items, and Chassis-Related Items.
Legend
- I = Inspect
- L = Lubricate
- R = Replace
- C = Change
Notes:
- For higher odometer readings, repeat at the frequency interval established below.
- The break in schedule is no longer shown (as the time has passed)
Items to replace on a Kawasaki ER-6n
km x 1000 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
mi x 1000 | 7.5 | 15 | 22.5 | 30 | Every |
Air cleaner element | I | I | I | I | Every 2 years, or more often when riding in rain / dust |
Engine oil # | C | C | C | C | Every year, or more often when riding aggressively (dust, traffic, high speed) |
Oil filter | R | R | R | R | Every year |
Fuel hoses | R | 4 years | |||
Coolant | R | 3 years | |||
Radiator hoses and O-rings | R | 3 years | |||
Brake hoses and pipe | R | 4 years | |||
Brake fluid (front and rear) | R | R | 2 years | ||
Rubber parts of master cylinder and caliper | R | 4 years | |||
Spark plug | C | C | C | C |
Periodic Maintenance — Engine
km x 1000 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | 36 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mi x 1000 | 3.75 | 7.5 | 11.25 | 15 | 18.75 | 22.5 | |
Valve clearance | I | ||||||
Throttle control system (play, smooth return, no drag) | I | I | I | year | |||
Engine vacuum synchronization | I | I | I | ||||
Idle speed | I | I | I | ||||
Fuel leak (fuel hose and pipe) | I | I | I | year | |||
Fuel hoses damage | I | I | I | year | |||
Fuel hoses installation condition | I | I | I | year | |||
Coolant level | I | I | I | ||||
Coolant leak | I | I | I | year | |||
Radiator hose damage | I | I | I | year | |||
Radiator hoses installation condition | I | I | I | year | |||
Evaporative emission control system (California) | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
Air suction system damage | I | I | I |
Maintenance of the Chassis of a Kawasaki ER-6n
km x 1000 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | 36 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mi x 1000 | 3.75 | 7.5 | 11.25 | 15 | 18.75 | 22.5 | Every |
Clutch and drive train: | |||||||
Clutch operation (play, engagement, disengagement) | I | I | I | ||||
Drive chain wear # | I | I | I | ||||
Drive chain guide wear | I | I | I | ||||
Wheels and tires: | |||||||
Tire air pressure | I | I | I | year | |||
Wheels/tires damage | I | I | I | ||||
Tire tread wear, abnormal wear | I | I | I | ||||
Wheel bearings damage | I | I | I | year | |||
Brake system: | |||||||
Brake fluid leak | I | I | I | I | I | I | year |
Brake hoses damage | I | I | I | I | I | I | year |
Brake pad wear # | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
Brake hose installation condition | I | I | I | I | I | I | year |
Brake fluid level | I | I | I | I | I | I | 6 months |
Brake operation (effectiveness, play, drag) | I | I | I | I | I | I | year |
Brake light switch operation | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
Suspension: | |||||||
Front forks/rear shock absorber operation (damping and smooth stroke) | I | I | I | ||||
Front forks/rear shock absorber oil leak | I | I | I | year | |||
Steering System: | |||||||
Steering play | I | I | I | year | |||
Steering stem bearings | L | 2 years | |||||
Electrical System: | |||||||
Lights and switches operation | I | I | I | year | |||
Headlight aiming | I | I | I | year | |||
Side stand switch operation | I | I | I | year | |||
Engine stop switch operation | I | I | I | year | |||
Chassis: | |||||||
Chassis parts | L | L | L | year | |||
Bolts and nuts tightness | I | I | I |
Maintaining Your Chain on the Kawasaki ER-6n
It’s important to maintain your chain on the ER-6n, particularly as these get used as commuters, which can be surprisingly high-stress. Use a good-quality chain lubricant like Motul chain paste, or a Motul chain care kit which comes with a couple of handy tools to maintain the chain.
Kawasaki recommends you follow the following chain maintenance schedule:
Chain maintenance item | Every |
---|---|
Check drive chain lubrication condition, lubricating if necessary (Motul chain paste) | 400 mi / 600 km |
Check drive chain slack, adjusting if necessary | 600 mi / 1000 km |
Notes:
- Do these items (checking/adjusting slack, and checking/applying lubrication) more often if you ride your ER-6n in dusty or rainy conditions.
- Always lubricate the chain after washing the motorcycle.
Tyre size and tyre pressure for the Kawasaki ER-6n
The Kawasaki ER-6n has the following tyres and tyre sizes standard, as well as the following recommended tyre pressures.
Wheel | Tyre size | Tyre pressure (cold) | Shipped tyre brands |
---|---|---|---|
Front | 120/70 ZR17 M/C (58W) | 225 kPa/32psi | DUNLOP SPORTMAX ROADSMART CQG |
Rear | 160/60 ZR17 M/C (69W) | 250 kPa/36psi | DUNLOP SPORTMAX ROADSMART G |
General information about the Kawasaki ER-6n
The Kawasaki ER-6n is an affordable bike that’s easy to ride and which outperforms considering how cheap and simple it is.
The ER-6n is a member of Kawasaki’s parallel twin-powered family of middleweights. It’s powered by the same 649cc 180-degree parallel-twin water-cooled engine that powers the Ninja 650, Versys 650, and Vulcan S.
It’s not a terribly inspiring engine, but it makes torque everywhere you need it, and easily takes riders to speeds north of 180 km/h where a naked bike starts to feel like maybe it doesn’t belong (probably far below that for most mortals).
The Kawasaki ER-6n’s beauty is in its versatility. It’s near perfect as a commuter motorcycle — lightweight, simple, difficult to stall, easy to steer, and very, very reliable. In fact, I’ve never seen a ER-6n ruined through anything other than neglect or a crash.
The engine in the ER-6n will, if serviced, regularly go past 100,000 km (60,000 miles) without even sounding different. Many owners even forego valve inspections (but they really shouldn’t).
A few things that make the ER-6n easy to ride are the lightweight clutch, neutral finder in the transmission, and very clear display.
While the ER-6n only makes modest power, it’s still a popular choice for a track day bike as it’s so cheap to service, change tyres for, and (if necessary) replace if it’s totalled. It’s tempting for new owners to replace the exhaust, but the reality is that the first modifications you should make to the ER-6n, if you planning on pushing it hard, are to the suspension and brakes.
Manual for the Kawasaki ER-6n
The above maintenance schedule comes directly from the user’s manual for the Kawasaki ER-6n, which is available here.