The beauty and the magic of english summer is it all looks amazing but is never really hot like summer.
On such a hot day what better idea then not to go for a ride and shoot 🙂
Yamaha UK
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.
Special thanks to Saunders Yamaha, Knebworth for providing the bike.
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All images are copyright content owned by Mani Babbar Photography.
Finally a relief
After a long wait, I finally managed to get one off the eBay. Ah, sorry I need to mention that this is about the Touring Screen which is almost impossible to find now. Yamaha OEM accessory parts for the discontinued motorcycles is almost impossible to find.
All those people who ride all year long despite the ever-changing weather know the importance of the right riding kit. Especially when you do long distances everyday for your commute, you would definitely prefer to have a tall windscreen. When I bought my motorcycle I was not traveling 66miles a day and when I started searching for the screen it was already out of stock due to the discontinuation of the OEM accessories.
The original Touring screen Acryl(pic below) is no where to be found although there is always aftermarket GIVI, PUIG and few others but I don’t trust anything that is not OEM especially when it meant for the bike. After waiting, searching and looking continuously for the one I was lucky and timing was good that I got a very good deal for the OEM Yamaha Touring screen on eBay. At first I had my doubts but the listing clearly was for unused OEM Yamaha FZ6 touring screen that I was looking for. So without second thought I decided instantly on what I was after for all this time.
After a slow PayPal eCheque transfer via eBay I got my almost new or say it New Yamaha FZ6 Windscreen. It came in as two parts – the first being the acryl touring screen and second the trimming which unlike the original screen is not part of the windscreen but a rubberized trimming which is bit hard to get on to the screen.
As you can see the difference between the original and touring screen is quite a bit. In practical life, don’t know yet but my excitement is all about the getting it on to the bike right now.
First task was to get the trimming right. Unable to find it online as where to cut the trimming so using a full trim first on the corner and putting it on the cowl I realized that it just wont allow the nuts to be screwed. After getting the rough idea from the previous moulded screen and this one I decided to strip the trim so I can re-add it again.
So Finally after the adjustments the screen was sitting tight on the front of the cowl with the new much awaited extended screen.
Ready, the final addition is completed and we shall see how long it keeps me happy since after 30,000miles the urge to have more and more is always never ending.
Love for miles and miles of love
Well dont be tempted by the title of this post as it may seem but this is for the real love for what has not given me any sorrow for whatsoever in the years of togetherness. Yes, its about a Man(i) and his Machine.
Ride Review : Yamaha Fazer FZ6 S2
After 30,000miles calling it nearly 50,000kms its been a sweet nice comfortable ride.
I wrote a previous review of this Yamaha Fazer FZ6 S2 after the completion of 2000miles but this has gone farther than in my imaginative way.
Miles after miles the journeys have been completed in all seasons of the year beginning with the snowy, cold, wet, damp, and sunny weathers. This machine has never given me a moment where my heart would have felt like stopping.
Forever evergrowing love between Man and machine has never been reduced by anything else than their own fall back from the love. In my case this sweet motorcycle has played a very major inspiration in my life.
With coming to its 30000miles service, I am as happy as I could be with knowing that there has been no such cases where I would have been bothered with the consistency of this power pumping highly full adrenalin engine. Pushing out higher on the speed, no worries you will be able to challenge anyother till it hit the high revs of 12000RPM.
Riding smoothly on the long routes, saddle is well designed to comfort the sore bottom. It can do better but depends on the rider itself. I have taken the machine further beyond others riding non stop long journeys from London, England to Klagenfurt, Austria twice in less than 24hours covering 1000miles each way.
At times on the german autobahn I was tempted to put it down on the speed tests and yes, it does it pretty good with speeds well exceeding 140+mph. The feel is really challenging knowing you are just sitting on a 600cc.
Riding two up since my last few journeys up north in UK have been with a pillion, fully loaded flying up the bumps with both wheels in air and yet so balanced it feels so good to be call it irresistible.
Yamaha has ceases making the Fazer 600 which was on the same lines as R6 but then now focussing on costs they pushed the Diversion to be the new one in its 600 class. Moving the then existing Fazer FZ6 to a higher category adjusting just between 600 and 1000 launching a new category of Fazer FZ8.
Now that is more pumping horse power for a couple of extra thousand pounds but do u actually need them given the fuel is more expensive and this old 600 is still capable of doing all that what new 800 does. At the cost of those extra thousand pounds you sure are liable to get an extra 37BHP if that is your criteria.
For a person like me who travel all year long on two wheels I would not want to suggest an FZ8 to an everyday all weather rider an upgrade. This old well bundled FZ6 S2 is an bundle of package in itself.
Few <b>shortcomings</b> that I have felt riding all along the year on the short and long journeys is that – You need to get an extra tall windshield which can help you stay more comfortable on the long ride against wind deflection.
I am chasing to find one online but Yamaha stopped making their originals extended windshields but checking aftermarket windshields can be a big help.
FreeBirD 