Yamaha XJ6 Diversion F – Ride Review

Extending my pleasure of riding with experience of years adds on to bring something only few can relate to. After a long day at work whether you commute on a bike or you ride on the weekends or you just do the touring there is everykind of bike for every moment of the occassion. Challenge is when you can fit all the modes of your riding style into one and you get a perfect blend of excitement.

“Escape the ordinary” as the promoted by YAMAHA for this XJ6 Diversion F ABS model. It is 600cc, liquid coolded 4 cyclinder engine that is guranteed to bring a joy to the rider as the braking is sharp coupled with a very well balanced weight distributed bike. I got a chance to ride on this new demo YAMAHA XJ6 DIVERSION F ABS model as mine Yamaha FAZER FZ6 S2 was in for its 30,000miles service. This new Yamaha XJ6 Diversion F is a bit too small in the feel if you are coming from a bigger bike.  In the first stance from the front it does give you a big feel of a bigger bike but then once you step on it just makes you feel you are the boss. Thats a very welcoming feel for anyone who is coming from a smaller bike or is looking to start for the first big bike. I personally was bit surprised to sit on the bike as it makes you feel you are riding a very light and flickable bike which I will mention in the later section of the blog.

First bit was to get used to clutch and power delivery. Not a problem at all, this bike proved itself a very smooth handling perfectly balanced and light even when you are enjoying the ride. For a change this does not feel like a 600cc at all. This bike gives you a feel of 250cc but actually is lot more under its tank. I had a full day to explore this bike to the limits which is exactly what I did. Plenty of time to observe notice and see how this bike felt. Amazingly, I only have positive feed back for a bike in a very very long time that satisfy all the boxes in the green section.

Riding on the smaller country side roads where you possibly are prone to some rough section of roads with patches of loose gravel you would enjoy the balance this motorcycle provides you. On the smoother section of the roads, this gets even more amazing since the power delivery kicks in and it invites you open the wrist of your right hand as far as you enjoy. Smoother it gets once you get a hang of it. Coming from a standpoint of an advance rider with over 100,000miles under my belt – it does makes me feel enjoy this bike but certainly not very attractive with the prices.

When you get off the bike after your first ride you may want to wonder what makes this so agile, enjoyable and sturdy bike. Some of your answers lie in hidden sections of dynamics and physics behind this bike. The more centralised weight distribution with smaller tyres compared to previous 600cc era, reduction in the size of the exhaust pipes and still you will be astonished to know that this weighs a good 222kgs. Dont be surprised but it does give me shock to feel that it just doesnt have that massive bulky feel to it all. 

I did not get a chance to empty the full tank but the fuel mileage given the consideration over the previous 600cc almost 98BHP bikes this only earns a 75BHP on the same engine which certainly gives all the credit to enhanced fuel mileage. You are looking at between 10-12miles per litre which I would say is very inviting given the fuel prices are only going rocketing high in years to come.

Speedometer is digital just as was in the previous FZ series although it does have a little reduction in its size as compared to previous bikes. The tachometer dial is well presented with extra dash of lines between each thousand RPM reading. I find it overly hard at times to get the figure but it could have been avoided. I think was aimed at the new riders so that does the justice for them. The Indicator and emergency light blinker is all merged into one green double arrowed light indicator. On the right lower side of the tachometer you will find few extra lights with orange, red and amber lights for extra information of ABS or low oil.

Not just Europe but this one bike that is set to rule the heart of Asians too. I would hope that this bike makes its mark in countries like India where 600cc battle is raging on and this bike will set the rest apart. In traffic or on open roads the bike is so flickable that you want to enjoy the feel of the  torque or speed at high revs.

I would personally rate this bike high given it is VFM and possibly very reliable 600.  Unlike its previous successor Fazer this would be a low scoring bike on the power but is good and aimed at same kind of high revs. Top speed is about 120mph where as Fazer FZ6 S2 marks a top of 146mph not to forget that engine is almost 25BHP extra power.

Verdict: Overall a good bike, VFM, good mileage, sleek, smart looks.
(-)ve: None to find but if you are coming from a bigger bike this is not a bike for you. You would rather want to go for older FZ series which are very good engines. Even the 10years old Yamaha FZS6 would give you good power range.

Price comparisons between the XJ series is included in the gallery with technical specs, although all the three models share same specs.

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Special thanks to Saunders Yamaha, Knebworth for providing the bike.
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All images are copyright content owned by Mani Babbar Photography.

Love Power and Pictures : My cravings

Continuing from where I left on my last blog, the cravings are killing me to express the weekend that I have had so far.

Not that it has been super great but I am living it so far, a little low with sore throat and mild signs of fever but nonetheless since Friday evening I have had an amazing beginning to this weekend. A week long killing of my eyes digging into the screen and waiting for the friday – A friday. I have been looking to meet a new friend not so old basically and we just met few months back as acquintances. She hails from Japan a bit of culture difference but more or less its was a nice evening over the table and walking, talking endlessly to her questions of my home land. Simply pleasant at times when some one you meet and talk about things which are not directly killing you in the line of your answers. I enjoy doing things that I do and I do love doing what I enjoy.

In all this while I have tackling to deal my sore throat but thats another bit of the story, I dont wanna get into. So Friday came to an end while saying good nite to my girl over the phone and that too is kind of bit everyday activity of my life. Being in a relationship over 1000miles is not an easy going for over five years now. I was looking forward to my Saturday qualifying sessions of home grand prix. Something never imagined that finally has come to life. Ever since I started watching F1(in 1995), there has been days that I have not missed many of these wonderful racing weekends. Not that it was going to be any different, I have enjoyed them passionately. The speed the power runs in my blood somewhere from those times and I still don’t own a car to make it least important I enjoy my life on two wheels and the freedom of sometimes even pulling a wheelie to give me the feel of the power. It was an early morning wake up alarm on saturday to not miss the Fp3 and Qualifying session. Pleasure, to watch my german hero (used to be MSC) S.Vettel who kind of dont disappoint me and keeps me charged up.

Getting out of bed and looking forward to something I have been waiting for. My first experiences, my great uncle always suggest me to experience everything that has not been done yet and I was about to get my first hand solo experience to see the Auction of some electronics, arts and furniture stuff. Away from my home at about an hours ride through the flowing countryside of surrey in Epsom. At first it was a grandeur but as it all started it got quite hot. I was literally not very keen on bidding but rather just being a spectator to view, learn and enjoy the pleasure of an Auction. Besides that was a day of enjoying my hands at a wedding photography something at first can get tricky but you know what when the day is good and light is playing in your favour you could make a day out of it.

About more or less I enjoyed my saturday, my ride and my pictures from the day. But Hey, I am not all about that – theres more to my side of things which were still going in my head. Yes I did went crazy and did not miss a chance to skip my Ace Cafe evening.

Although it happened to be Cheverolet car day but along came the Halloween evening dress up.

Not to count it over, it was just a saturday and Sunday in the making was waiting at large to begin with another early morning my F1 made my day. It simply adds on to watch the F1 sitting in UK while the racing is literally happening 30miles away from my home in India. I am tad emotional on things when I see them and cant be part of them. Hey, skip me on that – S.Vettel is making me happy while I am watching today race. A hot affair and happy to see him lead all the laps from beginning till the end of the last lap.

Relaxing my sore throat, I am just going to do an old remedy now – gargling with salty water and back onto the list of nice movies. Today list : Fairgame, Letters to Juliet and I dont know the third one yet.

& yeah, the clocks have gone back so another change to look forward to. Wishing you all a great week ahead and looking forward to catching up more friends next weekend and Sunday MotoGP last race of this season.