How good is the little RC390? Bloody good indeed.

Chuditch

Member
Not sure if this belongs here but felt like sharing, I am in Australia going for my open license (unrestricted motorcycle). I ride my 2017 RC390 as often as I can and I got it after a long break from riding (years). Today I rode the bike I will be going for my unrestricted license on, a Kawasaki ER6N (unrestricted).

My instructor was going on about how nimble and easy the ER6N is to learn on and how much faster it was than my 'ugly little ktm'.

Hmmm it might just be me, but the ER6N wasn't nimble and easy to ride, at least compared to the RC390. It actually felt really heavy, clumsy and too easy to 'turn in' in steering. Nor was it particularly quick, especially within the urban riding environment I had it pooting around in.

I didn't feel like giving the instructor the message, but it was plain to me that the RC390 was far more refined and handled a lot better than my riding school hack.

So, to try to summarise;

RC390, very good, ER6N, underwhelming and clunky.

I think we get a little over critical sometimes of our little beastie, without acknowledging what a sweet handling and forgiving bike it is, especially when ridden hard.

I now have to dumb down my riding to pass my opens, like jumping in the hot tub time machine, back to a time when bikes were clunky and didn't tell you shit like your side stand is down etc. Don't get me wrong, I love older bikes, but this bike wasn't that old.....
 

Seth

Member
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Awesome story! Thank you for sharing this one. The lil RC390 sure is forgiving and refined as noted above.
 

John390

New Member
I agree. People who haven't experienced a well sorted, narrow, light weight proper sport bike don't get it.

I like the ER6N, and other bikes in its class, but there is no way it can be compared in nimbleness.
 

Andy

Member
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Good! It’s brilliant, still never knew a small bike could be so much fun. I no longer ride large bikes anymore and have learnt far more about riding fast on the RC than years of 750 and 1000s!

I tell everyone on trackdays to add one, or any type of small bike, to their collection! There’s quite a few cropping up on trackdays now, ex Cup bikes and I think with things like WSS300 you’ll see more smaller capacity bikes about!


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