Yamaha Diversion XJ600S

The Yamaha XJ Diversion 600s... Not a bike that pops into every bike riders mind... But in my opinion probably one of the best commuter bikes that your pennies can buy.

The "pre-diversion" Yamaha XJ's never seemed to appear on the radar of the biking press. In 1992/93 Yamaha launched the Diversion which appeared in two forms..... the shaft driven 900cc do it all bike and the little brother, chain driven 600cc motorcycle that I have grown to adore.

I first bought a 1995 European import Divvy from ebay in early 2004, I had just wedged my Honda VFR750 under a a crash barrier on the A2, money was tighter than the Gladiators spandex and finances and a wife left me with £450.00 to spend. Ebay brought my attention to Diversion 600.. I bought it with 36,000miles, and in need of two tyres.

MAINTAINCE
In my two years of ownership it has gone through:
6 SETS OF TYRES (Metzlers - £130.00 set)
40,000 MILES
8 SERVICES (home serviced wiith good oil, under £50.00), 1battery (£25.89)
1 x EXHAUST (this is the weak point, they rot where the silencers meet the header pipes, expensive part - £350.00 Nexxus S/S) three chains and sprokets - (£65.00)
TWO DROPS - ( £0.00 - Gotta love crash bars)
TWO MOTs - (£50.00 - Passed straight through)
Most of europe and probably the whole of Blighty.

HABITS
I enjoy a healthy 45-50mpg when behaving and 30-35 when playing..
They are fun round the bends as long as you respect their limits. They will sit comfortably a 80-90mph on the long black strips of motorway.
My favorite pillion (Wife) claims the best comfort out of my many bikes.
Tank rang is about 140 miles before the tiny reserve kicks in, so your safer at 120 before you start looking for a pull in.
The engines are bomb proof I have ragged the life out of mine, throttle pinned on motorways for hundreds of miles and the aircooled 600cc lump continues to purr....

DOWNSIDE
Apart from small vibrations around 5-6000 revs, there is only one that I can think of and that is the cost to replace the exhaust, I know not many are cheap, but the pure fact that they are so common to go on the Divvy's, means that sourcing one second hand is impossibleso your left with two options:
1. Yamaha System - £410.00 + £10.00 Header Gaskets
2. Nexxus Stainless System Inc Gaskets - £370.00

This bikes is a pleasure to ride and a dream to live with, cheap reliable, and its bnoot just mine as a year ago my wife bought one and has never looked back.. Small enough for her 5'2" arse to climb aboard in comfort.