| Product: |
Yamaha Diversion XJ600 |
| Date: |
10.06.02 (4260 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: economical, comfortable, fun
Disadvantages: top-heavy, electrically vulnerable, bouncy
I bought a new Divvy 600 in 1995 as my first "proper" bike (something of a step up from the trusty RXS100 learnt on) and sold it to a good friend some 18,000 plus miles later to a very good (female) friend to move up to a YZF1000R ThunderAce (see review).
I vivdly remember picking up the bike at 6pm from the dealer and the elated 100-odd miles I covered that evening, basking in the smoothness of the ride and the apparent oceans of performance available even while being gentle while running in - my first "real" overtake past a Golf exiting a 30 limit was a real thrill!
I forget what the initial tyre fitment was - Dunlop, I think, but I had my hand forced when replacement time cam around, as there was a shortage of Japanese rubber, so I ended up with a set of Avons. They turned out to be much better than the Dunlops, but a bit scary in the wet. I managed to get each of the footpegs down in the dry, though. The final choice was Bridgestone BT35s, which were astonishingly good - I managed to surprise a few more sporty bike riders around the corners. Mind you, there are some real wusses out there - even moreso than I!
The ride is very stodgy in some ways, although this can feel like a magic carpet if you're used to a bumpy ride! I certainly had no complaints, as the tyres usually maintained contact with the tarmac!
I took pillion on several occasions, managing an unintentional wheelie down Oxford High Street on the first occasion! The dash from there to Bristol and more leisurely journey back knocked the otherwise very fine fuel consumption, so that the reserve tap needed tweaking at around 110 miles. Typically I found I had to change at 135-145. Since running out of fuel altogether (following a service where the engineer had switched the tap over) during a motorway overtake and having a ThunderAce which just has a "low fuel" warning light, I have come to dislike the tap arrangement. Twins are
not easy to start in the middle of road junctions once the carb(s) is/are empty ...
I did have a serious problem with the engine not too far into my ownership, which transpired to be because the cylinder heads hadn't been tightened down properly, so the thing stopped altogether one hot day and I had to push it several miles up hill and down dale in High Wycombe. It was fixed free of charge, of course.
Another problem developed with the electrics, when the dealer discovered the loom had corroded irrepairably during the winter and spring. The symptoms were that the lights sometimes failed to come on, and sometimes the starter motor would not operate, but I don't think this affected the running of the bike.
The bike is quite stable in crosswinds and at speed, although I found a pronounced upward suctionon my crash helmet at high speed, which could get uncomfortable with the chinstrap pressing on my chin (where else?). I did find that the weather protection was better than I would have expected from the half-fairing, though.
This bike is a splendid commuter, and a great first "proper" bike, as you can drop it and, like as not, not damage the half-fairing. That's just as well if you're short, as it is a bit top-heavy.
It's a bit tame to me, now I have tasted the ThunderAce as well as the ThunderCat, (much taller and heavier) Diversion XJ900S, R6 and XJR1300 musclebike (I do get to ride non-Yanahas occasionally, too ...), but I remember my miles on "Divina" with affection.
I hope you enjoy any you experience, too.
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