I got my new ER-6n ABS in February and got 1.800km on the counter in march now - and all what i can say is "absolute fantastic - pure fun to drive that bike"
I own a gladius and I don't find the suspension to be bad at all. Sometimes it may feel a bit stiff over train tracks or speed bumps, but i'm glad it has stiffness when i'm hammering through a corner
I dont care what company a naked bike comes from all i have is... ..my desire vs. my budget 1. style 1. good mpg 2. durability 2. durability 3. good mpg 3. available in the u.s.a 4. escape 5. high end power.
I bought a Gladius nine months ago and have done 10k miles on it. I swapped the rear shock for an £40 ebay GSXR 750 one and now have a fast bike with quick steering, but rock solid, handling. I agree the styling is not sharp enough and Suzuki's marketing has been abysmal. It deserves better press as it's a great machine that will be just as quick as any sports bike on a twisty back road . If you fancy a supermoto but are worried about twitchy handling try a Gladius. Not just for girls!
The single rear shock is connected to the rectangular-section steel swingarm through a progressive linkage, which allows the suspension to react more smoothly improving overall ride comfort. shock spring preload is adjustable over a seven step range to suit rider preference and load. In other words guys take it to your dealer and they will adjust it to your prefernce. My bike has no such problems as I had it done before I collected it.
I am glad to hear that the Gladius did so well. I am thinking about buying one tomorrow. I like it. The one I am looking at has 900 miles on it and they want 5200 for it
I´d choose the xj6. I got one myself, xj6 DIVERSION,(can see my video) it´s funtastic bike for all kinds of people, even beginners.It´s a "got to have one" bike, very very good , it´s smoother but energetic when you need it to be. It´s also very pretty, and catches all kind of looks, (mostly girls).It´s easy to handle even in short turns .I trully advise you the xj6.
ER6N's look is just all about liking, if you don't like it that doesn't make it a bad motocycle. Personnaly I love it, and the driving part is just perfect to me.
ER-6n 2009 is great, i had an 125ccm YBR Yamaha for 2 years, and now i bought the ER-6n, it´s great !!! realy happy with it ! "i think its for starter ok 2009 model" it´s perfect !! buy it and you will see ;) Greets from Munich
you won't regret it.... I swear in the right gear like 3rd at 5k rpms.... you can pass in under 2 seconds. 45-90mph is happens sooo fast. Also... when you upgrade... Please get all the gear. It all has a purpose. Full faced helmet, gloves, jacket (with armor), pants (with armor), boots that protect your ankles. I'm writting this now... while my legs are cut up. I rode my 09 gladius the other day and it was wet outside. I lowsided at 30mph with full faced helmet, jacket, sneakers, and pants.
I'm happy to see the Suzuki did so well. I like everything about the SV650 and I was probably going to buy it as my next bike. I was upset to they were replacing it with the Gladius I'm still not really sold on the looks of the Gladius, but I haven't seen it in person yet. Everything else about it seems great though
my two cents: the kawi er-6n has great muscular design, easy to ride, superior dynamic, fastest coming out of curves, muffler never touches the ground on high speed turns.
If anyone here finds it girly, that's fine, we're all entitled to our opinions. But don't say any of the others are better unless you've ridden them all; once you've ridden them all you'll almost certainly prefer the Gladius. It's so much more fun than the others, much more character. I had planned to buy the ER6, which is a very good bike, but I tried them all and it was a no-brainer - the Gladius wins. I bought the Gladius, and love it. Trust me, do yourselves a favour, and ride them all.
Im planning to purchase this kind of bike next week...and with this video, thought the monster is the best...but yayyyy...im too much excited for my new gladius..soon.:-)
1. Hornet is not new. 2. In my mind, it's not exactly in the same category. Hornet competes against FZ6, Z750 and GSR600. I have a 2008 Hornet and I love it. Would buy it again :-)
@aluisious i don't know where you live but gas is really expensive in Turkey. ( earnings/gas price) So when you wanna buy a 4 cylinder naked but don't wanna a 90-100 hp bike to save some money, you can't just go and buy fz6 which is 98 hp or fz8 106 hp or z750 etc. also check out the different country sites for motorcycle brands, you'll see the model difference, we don't have as many options as most of the other countries. But deep inside you're right
I realize the video is from 2009, but how could they omit the Honda CB600F, otherwise known as the Hornet? If the Ducati is considered a "budget" bike, then so would the Hornet.
@classicminiman13 the sv650 is still around and bad A on the tracks but the gladius is just a street fighter that uses the sv engine. If you have back problems like me the gladius is awesome!
cant wait for my brand new gladius...:-) ive seen it, ride it....damn so easy to ride on...the speed, comfortability...everything is there...thats why i give up my gsxr to replace this small but gorgeous looking bike...and the name..doesnt matter...the ride does. though the name itself comes from the latin word meaning "Sword"...
it depends on where you live though. in my country, i'll be effing lucky to find a road long enough to reach 120 mph. since traffics are all over the corner. so a 200-250cc bikes are a better choice :/
Suzuki Gladius...how come I can't seem to find it on any of the new "Buyer's Guides" or on Suzuki's website? Is it not sold in the U.S? Sorry, noob here.
I prefer Yamaha Xj6.. because is my new bike, and I prefer Japanese tipe!! is very easy to ride, is beautifull and the sound is very nice.. my Yamaha color is Yellow... and i want to remember you that Yamaha is the moto of Valentino Rossi.. the best rider in the history of bikes!!!!!!!
Your profile, which is apparently incorrect! What are you looking for in a bike? Even if you could, an r1 or a zx10 isn't a very good choice to start with IMHO - its possible, but your cornering skills will develop quicker with a 600, or even a 400 or 250. They're all great fun! Well, hopefully.
I love the Kawasaki man, I wanna trade my Harley in for one, but I'm a little short of cash right now. It'd probably knock the price down majorly, but still...
what about the BMW f800r??? i knew it's a 800 but what d0 you think of it..... i meat summer is not far away and ive gonna get my licence in april and and right now my favorite for the first bike in my life to buy is THE BMW F800R
Saying the Ducati is a "budget naked" because it's an entry level Ducati is like saying the Bentley Continental GT V8 is the "budget luxury" because it's the entry level Bentley.
am i preconcive to think ducatis are more expensive because they are hand made and the nippon bikes are machine built? yet probably the ducati is built the same way? however i do agree with you on the 'special' mentality although we cant deny where suzuki and the lot got inspired to build a vee-twin. personally i would still buy the better bike regardless of reputation
@hai2you2 They still sell new 2010 SV650SAs here in Canada, as well as the naked one. On top of that they got ABS now. Want one so bad, come and get one.
good review unfortunately i don't think my dad will let me move from a ninja to an r1 so i've gotta pick one of these.... :( but oh wellz, better than not riding.
that revised suzuki 650cc V2 engine is just great with a nice suzuki gearbox, THe same engine in the great tourer v-strom.. But kawasaki just launched the new kawasaki ninja 650,, an improved er6. Any competitors to these two great middleweight 70 bhp bikes.. Prefer midrange power to high rpm power.
The Gladius is cheaper to make; this being the reason it replaces the SV650 in these tough times for our economy. I still don't like the Gladious for one or many reasons.
ER-6N rocks. Sadly we are stuck with only one color in the US (candy plasma blue). I hope Kawasaki introduces more colors for 2010 damn it. The Ducati is awesome looking as well as the Yamaha bike they have there which we do not have in the US. The Gladius is but ugly though IMHO. There is just to much going on visually with the Gladius.
@aluisious If you want a bike as powerful and what not as a fazer, buy a fazer. If you want an economical bike, or a sensible bike, or a more reliable bike, I guess the XJ might just but what you need. Also bare in mind it's not actually been tuned, only a moron would genuinely believe someone sat there with a spanner adjusting things to make it less powerful, it's just been redesigned in a cost effective manner, which in turn reduces the torques and power from the engine.
@dragonslayer1st 50cc mopeds have a top speed of about 32mph. I've done 40mph on a bicycle. Save your pennies for another year until you're old enough for a 125cc.
Well the review was in the UK, and I will bet you 10 years wages that 'Gas' petrol is way more expensive in the UK than it is in Turkey, no matter what your earnings are!......So who cares, as it is all about fun.
@spalex300, one example would be the gladius in the color they are showing in this video. If you have every seen the advertisement that Suzuki has come up with for the gladius, you can see that Suzuki has marketed the Gladius for homosexual american men. It is very clear. Having said that, one can make the Gladius in black into a hetero Ducati like clone "street-fighter". Just add flat handlebars, a good masculine exhaust, and fender eliminator and you have a sharp looking little bike for men.
Good thing I bought a Gladius. Lots of fun to ride, good on gas, easy to ride, great transmission. Ugly as sin means nobody will steal it......
I got my new ER-6n ABS in February and got 1.800km on the counter in march now - and all what i can say is "absolute fantastic - pure fun to drive that bike"
I own a gladius and I don't find the suspension to be bad at all. Sometimes it may feel a bit stiff over train tracks or speed bumps, but i'm glad it has stiffness when i'm hammering through a corner
I dont care what company a naked bike comes from all i have is...
..my desire vs. my budget
1. style 1. good mpg
2. durability 2. durability
3. good mpg 3. available in the u.s.a
4. escape
5. high end power.
Just want to say, you guys do a fantastic job on your reviews. I have always enjoyed your perspective on the bikes you review.
I bought a Gladius nine months ago and have done 10k miles on it. I swapped the rear shock for an £40 ebay GSXR 750 one and now have a fast bike with quick steering, but rock solid, handling.
I agree the styling is not sharp enough and Suzuki's marketing has been abysmal. It deserves better press as it's a great machine that will be just as quick as any sports bike on a twisty back road . If you fancy a supermoto but are worried about twitchy handling try a Gladius. Not just for girls!
The single rear shock is connected to the rectangular-section steel swingarm through a progressive linkage, which allows the suspension to react more smoothly improving overall ride comfort. shock spring preload is adjustable over a seven step range to suit rider preference and load. In other words guys take it to your dealer and they will adjust it to your prefernce. My bike has no such problems as I had it done before I collected it.
I am glad to hear that the Gladius did so well. I am thinking about buying one tomorrow. I like it. The one I am looking at has 900 miles on it and they want 5200 for it
Love the fact you have a radio/tie mic now ! A good tip is to put them just inside the coller near the neck away from the wind.
I´d choose the xj6. I got one myself, xj6 DIVERSION,(can see my video) it´s funtastic bike for all kinds of people, even beginners.It´s a "got to have one" bike, very very good , it´s smoother but energetic when you need it to be. It´s also very pretty, and catches all kind of looks, (mostly girls).It´s easy to handle even in short turns .I trully advise you the xj6.
ER6N's look is just all about liking, if you don't like it that doesn't make it a bad motocycle. Personnaly I love it, and the driving part is just perfect to me.
ER-6n 2009 is great, i had an 125ccm YBR Yamaha for 2 years, and now i bought the ER-6n, it´s great !!! realy happy with it !
"i think its for starter ok 2009 model" it´s perfect !!
buy it and you will see ;)
Greets from Munich
you won't regret it.... I swear in the right gear like 3rd at 5k rpms.... you can pass in under 2 seconds. 45-90mph is happens sooo fast.
Also... when you upgrade... Please get all the gear. It all has a purpose. Full faced helmet, gloves, jacket (with armor), pants (with armor), boots that protect your ankles.
I'm writting this now... while my legs are cut up. I rode my 09 gladius the other day and it was wet outside. I lowsided at 30mph with full faced helmet, jacket, sneakers, and pants.
Where is the Hornet?
I'm happy to see the Suzuki did so well.
I like everything about the SV650 and I was probably going to buy it as my next bike. I was upset to they were replacing it with the Gladius
I'm still not really sold on the looks of the Gladius, but I haven't seen it in person yet. Everything else about it seems great though
my two cents: the kawi er-6n has great muscular design, easy to ride, superior dynamic, fastest coming out of curves, muffler never touches the ground on high speed turns.
The soundtrack is really good compared to the usual one.
If anyone here finds it girly, that's fine, we're all entitled to our opinions.
But don't say any of the others are better unless you've ridden them all; once you've ridden them all you'll almost certainly prefer the Gladius. It's so much more fun than the others, much more character. I had planned to buy the ER6, which is a very good bike, but I tried them all and it was a no-brainer - the Gladius wins. I bought the Gladius, and love it. Trust me, do yourselves a favour, and ride them all.
Im planning to purchase this kind of bike next week...and with this video, thought the monster is the best...but yayyyy...im too much excited for my new gladius..soon.:-)
I just bought a gladius today. Fantastic bike and I got it for $5,000 us dollars.
696 is little pricey but in terms of braking, cornering and feeling is by far the best!
As a Duck rider I can't argue that statement. The Triumphs are very nice.
YAAAAAAY SUZUKI GLADIUS.
ITS MY FAVORIT TOO
though i only got to sit on it.
Yes you're right, but it is worth a slightly bit more money for the ducati feel, soul and sound. However i do agree that it's not worth £1000 extra.
1. Hornet is not new.
2. In my mind, it's not exactly in the same category. Hornet competes against FZ6, Z750 and GSR600.
I have a 2008 Hornet and I love it. Would buy it again :-)
how do u do a proper motorcycle test on the middle of winter with snow everywhere????
@aluisious i don't know where you live but gas is really expensive in Turkey. ( earnings/gas price) So when you wanna buy a 4 cylinder naked but don't wanna a 90-100 hp bike to save some money, you can't just go and buy fz6 which is 98 hp or fz8 106 hp or z750 etc. also check out the different country sites for motorcycle brands, you'll see the model difference, we don't have as many options as most of the other countries.
But deep inside you're right
I realize the video is from 2009, but how could they omit the Honda CB600F, otherwise known as the Hornet? If the Ducati is considered a "budget" bike, then so would the Hornet.
heheh yep ...got one ..Gladius and happy with it myself ;)
@classicminiman13 the sv650 is still around and bad A on the tracks but the gladius is just a street fighter that uses the sv engine. If you have back problems like me the gladius is awesome!
Ye you're right, although the ER-6n has been around in europe for some time too.
I guess they should've added the CBF600 by honda.
That Gladius looks really interesting, except for that horrible red :S
i bought 1 as my first bike, it is cheap, dnt get y people think its expensive?!? iv gt the ER-6n now and love her
It's not "budget" by any means, but it's still cheaper than your 600cc supersports, which so many people buy.
cant wait for my brand new gladius...:-) ive seen it, ride it....damn so easy to ride on...the speed, comfortability...everything is there...thats why i give up my gsxr to replace this small but gorgeous looking bike...and the name..doesnt matter...the ride does. though the name itself comes from the latin word meaning "Sword"...
Neevesy turn your indicator off... thank you, please continue
er 6n headlight looks like a scooters but er6f is really nice
if i were the one to pick would put ducati 1st
good review, but I personally prefer ER6n
Different class, these are all ~70hp beginner bikes. Bikes missing here are CBF600 and Bandit 650, but..
I think the Gladius looks great, but in a different way than the SV.
Where's your review which contradicts this?
Since it cost the same as the other budget bikes. You can get 696's very cheaply.
Helpful vid, thanks!
it depends on where you live though. in my country, i'll be effing lucky to find a road long enough to reach 120 mph. since traffics are all over the corner. so a 200-250cc bikes are a better choice :/
Er-6n the best! I have one and it's very good to ride!
Suzuki Gladius...how come I can't seem to find it on any of the new "Buyer's Guides" or on Suzuki's website? Is it not sold in the U.S? Sorry, noob here.
I prefer Yamaha Xj6.. because is my new bike, and I prefer Japanese tipe!!
is very easy to ride, is beautifull and the sound is very nice.. my Yamaha color is Yellow... and i want to remember you that Yamaha is the moto of Valentino Rossi.. the best rider in the history of bikes!!!!!!!
beautiful bikes, i want xj6...
ER6n is the best choice...
I liked the old monster but the new one is little strange to me :)
tHE Kawa is also the cheapest
When there are aprilia shiver and ducati monsters in the mix?
yes, love it
Hahahaha Neevesy describing the Gladius as "beauitfully styled" - that hasn't aged well, eh?
The front fending has been removed, makes it look more raw...
Your profile, which is apparently incorrect!
What are you looking for in a bike?
Even if you could, an r1 or a zx10 isn't a very good choice to start with IMHO - its possible, but your cornering skills will develop quicker with a 600, or even a 400 or 250.
They're all great fun! Well, hopefully.
Does anybody know the name of the song that appears on this video? By the way... Tha Yamaha looks great! Pretty aggressive and sport-like look!
Where are hondas?!
jerryx2000 .
But Ducati is on the list? Who's "budget" is this anyway?
Crab Jockey Vladimir's
I love the Kawasaki man, I wanna trade my Harley in for one, but I'm a little short of cash right now. It'd probably knock the price down majorly, but still...
Would be a very hard choice!!
@aluisious more low mid torque perhaps? important for the commuting type motorcycle.
Yer the gladius is a great bike thats the one for me
what about the BMW f800r??? i knew it's a 800 but what d0 you think of it..... i meat summer is not far away and ive gonna get my licence in april and and right now my favorite for the first bike in my life to buy is THE BMW F800R
XJ6 for me, beautiful bike
Saying the Ducati is a "budget naked" because it's an entry level Ducati is like saying the Bentley Continental GT V8 is the "budget luxury" because it's the entry level Bentley.
How is it on the freeway?
Love the ducati but hate its price!!!
@Spinder00 They were trying out budget bikes the Street Triple is awesome but not cheap.
I did too... :D hard to stop grinning
Hey, i prefer saving a few more months and get a proper bike like A street triple hehe
@aluisious they wanna keep it around 70hp to attract beginner riders!
Isn't the Suzuki priced the same as the ER6N?
am i preconcive to think ducatis are more expensive because they are hand made and the nippon bikes are machine built? yet probably the ducati is built the same way? however i do agree with you on the 'special' mentality although we cant deny where suzuki and the lot got inspired to build a vee-twin. personally i would still buy the better bike regardless of reputation
True, i'm not a fan of the transformer styling too...
Must say I'm suprised with the verdict..
Hornet is more expensive than all these bikes, this was a budget test. by the way, it would have won outright
im watching a 15 years old video, because im looking to buy a 15 years old bike. not joking, im seriously considering one for a daily beater bike.
congrats!
XJ6?
if the ducati is 5.5k you should have stuck the FZ6 in, its awesome.
i think its part of a com. system
How come the Triumph Street Triple wasn't included?
@hai2you2
They still sell new 2010 SV650SAs here in Canada, as well as the naked one. On top of that they got ABS now. Want one so bad, come and get one.
I like the kawa the most
good review
unfortunately i don't think my dad will let me move from a ninja to an r1 so i've gotta pick one of these.... :( but oh wellz, better than not riding.
@Spinder00 man check the street triple's price and the prices of xj6,er6-n etc!they are not in the same category!greetings from greece!!! :)
Xj6n the best, in my humble opinion.
tell something about ABS?
that revised suzuki 650cc V2 engine is just great with a nice suzuki gearbox, THe same engine in the great tourer v-strom.. But kawasaki just launched the new kawasaki ninja 650,, an improved er6. Any competitors to these two great middleweight 70 bhp bikes.. Prefer midrange power to high rpm power.
The Gladius is cheaper to make; this being the reason it replaces the SV650 in these tough times for our economy. I still don't like the Gladious for one or many reasons.
Hornet ftw !
since you can get one for $9000 brand new and much cheaper if you get them used
touche. applies in my country too
Honda CB 600 F Hornet? Or you didnt add it in because its more expensive or what what?
ER-6N rocks. Sadly we are stuck with only one color in the US (candy plasma blue). I hope Kawasaki introduces more colors for 2010 damn it. The Ducati is awesome looking as well as the Yamaha bike they have there which we do not have in the US. The Gladius is but ugly though IMHO. There is just to much going on visually with the Gladius.
@aluisious If you want a bike as powerful and what not as a fazer, buy a fazer. If you want an economical bike, or a sensible bike, or a more reliable bike, I guess the XJ might just but what you need. Also bare in mind it's not actually been tuned, only a moron would genuinely believe someone sat there with a spanner adjusting things to make it less powerful, it's just been redesigned in a cost effective manner, which in turn reduces the torques and power from the engine.
@dragonslayer1st 50cc mopeds have a top speed of about 32mph. I've done 40mph on a bicycle. Save your pennies for another year until you're old enough for a 125cc.
No KTM SuperDuke?
no triumph street triple?
Well the review was in the UK, and I will bet you 10 years wages that 'Gas' petrol is way more expensive in the UK than it is in Turkey, no matter what your earnings are!......So who cares, as it is all about fun.
@marctsi No, its over 6 grand
@aluisious make it easier and cheaper for every day or new rider...
ride a FZ6 and compare it to the XJ6, you'll understand.
@spalex300, one example would be the gladius in the color they are showing in this video. If you have every seen the advertisement that Suzuki has come up with for the gladius, you can see that Suzuki has marketed the Gladius for homosexual american men. It is very clear. Having said that, one can make the Gladius in black into a hetero Ducati like clone "street-fighter". Just add flat handlebars, a good masculine exhaust, and fender eliminator and you have a sharp looking little bike for men.