Yamaha XJ 600

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Yamaha
XJ 600
Manufacturer Yamaha engine
Production period 1984 to 1990
class motorcycle
design type Sports Tourer
Motor data
4-cylinder, 4-stroke, row (own double row two)
Displacement  (cm³) 592
Power  (kW / PS ) 54 kW (73 PS) at 10,000 rpm or 37 kW (50 PS) at 9,250 rpm (Germany) and 34.9 kW (47.4 PS) (Switzerland)
Top speed (  km / h) 206 km / h at 54 kW, 178 km / h at 37 kW
transmission 6-speed
drive Chain drive
Brakes front: hydraulic double disc brake 267 mm
rear: hydraulic single disc brake 267 mm
Wheelbase  (mm) 1430 mm
Seat height (cm) 79
Empty weight  (kg) 203
successor Yamaha XJ 600 S Diversion

The XJ 600 is a motorcycle model from the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer Yamaha from the XJ series . It is a half-shell motorcycle and was built from 1984 to 1990.

Due to its sporty properties as well as its great suitability for everyday use and because of its low price, this motorcycle is still widely used today. The good controllability in particular makes it an ideal motorcycle for driving schools and novice drivers.

General

The XJ 600 has been built in various model series over the years. The first series includes the XJ 600 (51J) with an output of 73 hp in the unthrottled version. In Switzerland only a throttled model with 34.9 kW was sold in order to comply with the local noise and exhaust gas regulations. From 1989 the 3KM (73 HP) and 3KN / 1 were sold for all countries outside Germany and Sweden. In Germany and Sweden, the modified XJ 600 came on the market as the 3KN / 2. The electronics were modified and the output was reduced to 66 hp due to changed legal noise requirements. Due to the small number of copies, no new name was given in the frame numbering. All XJ 600 of the first series begin with 51J and can only be distinguished from each other by the following six-digit serial number. The factory-produced variant with 37 kW (50 PS) was given the additional designation 51H.

XJ 600 (51J) XJ 600 (3KM) XJ 600 (3KN / 1 and 3KN / 2)
Years of construction 1984-1989 1989-1991 1989-1990
Vehicle type 51J 3KM 3KN
design type Half shell Half shell Half shell

Weak points

The entire XJ series does not have typical weak points, as it is based on uncomplicated technology. At most, both XJ 600s have a certain tendency to flutter the handlebars. As a rule, however, you will only notice this if z. B. tires were driven "square" due to carelessness with the air pressure or if the installation of the steering head bearings was sloppy. An error in the installation of the swing arm or a rear wheel that is not precisely aligned has an effect in this way.

The carburettors should be synchronized from time to time and the valve clearance should also be checked regularly, since negligence on the part of the user can sometimes significantly increase fuel consumption.

Yamaha XJ 600 manufactured in 1989.

Opportunities for improvement

As with many "bread and butter" machines, the original chassis properties can be optimized.

suspension

The suspension of the old series is almost better than that of the new series. This is thanks to the different concepts.

The 51J was supposed to be a super athlete on the drawing board. However, she was seen more as an athlete / sports tourer and bought accordingly. In contrast to many other motorcycles of the 80s, the chassis of the 51J harmonized with the engine power. Nevertheless, the chassis is second choice by today's standards.

It is recommended to first convert to progressive fork springs. This not only makes the response behavior more direct, which provides more feedback from the road to the driver, it also prevents the fork from bottoming out in connection with the conversion to a more viscous fork oil (15 instead of 10 viscosity).

The shock absorber can also be exchanged for higher quality accessories, but the improvement in behavior is usually not worth the very high cost (approx. 500 euros).

Braking system

The front two-piston double brake of the 51J is not only adequately dimensioned, but also ensures good braking performance by today's standards.

The rubber lines are often seen as the weak point in the brake systems. As with all cars and motorcycles with rubber brake lines, these ensure a softer pressure point, which can be improved by converting to steel-flex brake lines.

Tires

The factory tires and later accessory tires (such as Michelin Macadam) are no longer considered contemporary today. According to many users, significant advances in tire development have been achieved through the following conversions:

The first choice among the tires for most XJ drivers is the BT 45 "Battlax" from Bridgestone. With two compounds, hard in the middle and soft on the flanks, the manufacturer achieves high mileage, between 8,000 and 15,000 kilometers On the other hand, the tire builds up high adhesive forces even at low operating temperatures, even when it is wet. If the prescribed air pressure is constantly observed, it also reduces the latent tendency for the handlebars to flutter in all XJ 600 models.

Another alternative is the LaserTec from Metzeler. The driving characteristics do not quite reach the values ​​of the BT 45 on average, but overall it is also seen as a suitable tire.

Data on tires

The tire data specified by the manufacturer are:

Front Back
90/90-18 51H 110/90-18 61H

Below is a list of tires that were currently or previously available for this model.

Manufacturer front back Type release annotation
Avon Azaro Sport Touring AV45-ST Venom R AM41 ? ?
Avon AM 26 Roadrider AM 26 Roadrider 51J Yes
Bridgestone BT 45 "BattlAx" F BT 45 "BattlAx" R 51J Yes
Bridgestone G 851 ​​G ? ?
Bridgestone G 709 ? ?
Continental Conti Go! Conti Go! 51J Yes
Dunlop F14B K130 51J Yes No longer available
Heidenau K44 K65 51J Yes
Michelin A48 M48 51J Yes No longer available
Metzeler ME 11 Lasertec 51J Yes
Metzeler ME 11 ME 99 51J Yes
Metzeler LaserTec LaserTec 3KM ?
Metzeler ME33 / 99 ME 880 Marathon GL ? ?
Yokohama F-202 R-202 51J Yes No longer available

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Cooper Tire & Rupper Company Deutschl. GmbH - PDF. ( Memento from April 5, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Release certificate. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  2. ↑ BRIDGESTONE Deutschland GmbH - PDF. ( Memento from April 5, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Release certificate. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  3. ↑ Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH - PDF. description. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  4. ↑ Reifenwerke Heidenau GmbH & Co. KG - PDF. description. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  5. ↑ Pirelli Germany GmbH - PDF. Release certificate. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  6. ↑ Pirelli Germany GmbH - PDF. Release certificate. Retrieved April 5, 2016.