Does what it says on the tin... (Yamaha Diversion XJ600)

Name: Andy105

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Product:	Yamaha Diversion XJ600
Date:	03/06/01 (3482 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap to Insure, Pulls well, Riding Position

Disadvantages: Bit boring, Not sporty

I've had my 1995 XJ600s Diversion for a little while now. I went for this model because the insurance is reasonable and its reliability.

I bought it (without an MOT) for £1200 and is in good condition for its age. This is quite good value for this model, year & condition.

Luckily, it passed its MOT first time despite my concerns, but I'm not complaining since I budgeted around £200 to get it through.

I use the bike daily to get to work & back, and also for occasional long trips. The longest being a 220 mile round trip in the worst rain since Noah started chopping down trees. My gloves are still damp...

Here are my finding so far.

~~~Riding Position~~~
The upright postion is superb in traffic, giving a great view of the road and most importantly, letting everyone see you. Its also surprisingly comfortable. I did 110 motorway miles in appaulling rain without a stop. And walked normally.

~~~Handling~~~
The bike isn't a sports bike. If you want to get your knee down and stay on the bike, you don't need a divvy!

Filtering through traffic queues is a breeze as the bike is quite narrow, and the steering lock is very accommodating.

It gets round the corners, but I am still wary of how far I lean the thing over and still expect the rubber to remain the only part of the bike in contact with the road.

Its a fairly heavy bike compared with the GS500 I learned on,and its not quite as nimble. Drop it 'like I did' and you may have to get help to pick it back up. I'm serious!

~~~Economy~~~
Tankfull of unleaded will cost around £12.00 and run for around 170 miles ish. I tend to let the bike run to reserve and then fill up.

**tip**
If you are doing 70mph down the motorway and the bike seems suddenly listless - turn the tap to reserve! It means you are almost out of gas.

~~~Performance~~~
Like I said earlier, this isn't a race bike, and you shouldn'
t expect too much. Saying that it can pull. And it pulls nicely, easpecially mid range, 40mph to 60mph in the higher gears and even 60mph - 80mph in top.

This means that motorway overtaking can be accomplished safely and effectively.

There is a slight vibration through the footpegs between 4300 & 4750rpm (60mph in top) which I know affects other divvys, but its not a real problem.

~~~Brakes~~~
Theres a single disc up front which does its job. Thats quite important as the all the rear brake pedal seems to do is operate the brake light. I took this up with the MOT tester who assured me that the brake performed to the required standard.

Just keep your distance....

~~~Lights~~~
Poor headlight.

~~~Maintenance~~~
Bought some allen keys, a new set of metric ring spanners and a Haynes destruction manual. Chain adjusting is easy enough, and there are loads of things you can take off and put back on without enlisting expert help.

~~~Conclusion~~~
The land speed record is safe in the hands of Richard Noble, but the XJ600 provides a compromise in terms everyday useability and a bit of fun at weekends.

I needed a bike that is cheap to insure and can be taken to work and back or further in all weathers each day. My bike fits the bill well, but I'm already looking forward to something a bit sportier next year.

A forgiving ride, the Diversion is a great first bike, but won't suit everyone.

Summary: