“I bought my first Yamaha XJ-S 900 Diversion back in 1998 and had a 17 y.o. idiot (3 weeks after he passed his test) hit me head on and wrote it off in 1999! I then bought a Kawasaki 500cc in anticipation of my wife passing her test and taking that over when I bought my 2nd Diversion in 2003, which I still have. I did once consider upgrading to an FJR 1300 but decided the Diversion did everything I wanted from a bike and it was after all an air cooled engine that has never given problems. I've heard of this engine doing 100,000 miles with regular servicing! I find it ideal for touring with 2 up, loaded Givi paniers and a tent on the rear rest. Never struggled once going up mountains in Spain. Servicing is cheap, and I now get annual insurance for around £100 F.Comp. All in all I have loved the Diversion as a great all rounder. Strip it of the panniers, crank the rear shock and it can still keep up with my mates on their sports bikes - in fact with a 24 litre fuel tank I soon overtake them when they are refuelling! Anyone interested in buying it let me know and I'll add you to my list!”
“The bike is solid and reliable. The engine has loads of torque and can pull from low revs or if revved can produce a good turn of acceleration. The bike is heavy at slow speeds, say in town or traffic, but handles well on the open road and can be laid into corners with confidence. The bike is easy to work on to change oil, brake pads etc. It can reach 140 mph if you want and is comfortable cruising at 80 -100 mph. A very good bike for touring, it is often available at a good price and in my view, it is under-rated.”
