This is (was) a really solid, dependable, reliable old workhorse. Unfaired, and with a decent headlight (I've another, it's faired - which rattles annoyingly - and with the stock rectangular headlight, which is just nowhere near as useful as this beastie...) it's yet another project that's fallen by the wayside...
So, what can I say about it? The last MoT I can find record of expired in September 2001, and it's been SORNed continuously since February 2004. I'm fairly sure the intermediate bit was legal, but the paperwork isn't scanned in and I can't be arsed with hunting for it in boxes in the loft! I've tested what I can, and can confirm that the steering yoke turns smoothly and without resistance! (For info, I bought the bike in November 2000, so I had a good few years of pleasure out of her - and a hoot she was to ride!)
So, what can I say about it? For those that don't know the marque, the XJ600 was the precursor to the Diversion. That was described as the Diesel Astra of the motorbike world, and all the good bits of those underpinnings were all carried through - trust me! Wikipedia describes it as the first Japanese in-line 4 600cc engined bike, and also one of the first to have a rear mono-shock. It's hardly up to par with modern sports tackle, but it's a seriously reliable, bullet-proof motorcycle, and with a respectable 72bhp to a rather lardy 212kg (less, sans fairing, no doubt) it's not slow. Neither is it particularly chuckable - it's a set it up right and it'll follow through kind of bike, and improves your riding as a result... And the suspension on this bike was good enough, when last ridden, to keep the tyres doing what they should at some pretty fun angles of lean - pegs down wasn't an issue...
So, why am I selling? (Or giving it away, if anyone'll have it...) Basically, I've several other old hacks, and this one isn't going to get the attention it so desperately needs. It's just been sat, outside, with various bits stored in various places (forks, tank and both wheels in the garage; bodywork & bits in a filing cabinet; etc...) The main bit of the bike (engine, frame, bars, etc) has been stood outside and used as a stand for heaven knows what over the years. The point at which I decided I wasn't going to be doing anything with her was when the bag of sand sat over the airbox intake split - so that might want cleaning out before she's fired up!
Still, why would anyone want it? I genuinely think it's a bike that's capable of running again. But at the end of the day, it's in the way and I need rid. So, spares or repair but the whole lot goes:
A few pics of what I can find in a quick 15 minute skirmish in the back yard / garage:
The bike itself - I wonder if photoshop might help these images?
And in the garage, there's the forks, wheels etc:
And the tank:
Interested? Let me know on the contact details below, and feel free to come and pick it all up. I'm only interested if the whole lot goes, though, and if you really do want to do it up, then I can let you know what came from where... I think it's all there, possiby bar the battery...
Sorry, she's gone now. To the same college as had the Dream - I hope that a bunch of kids get a good year putting them back together, and learn as much about the wonders of machinary as I have, over the years... *Sigh*
Contact Details:
E-Mail: andy@wilde.org.uk