Hello from Germany :)

Just another XJ 600 S Diversion owner - from Germany.

I was searching for an alternative to the original Seca II/Diversion fairing with google - so I came up here.

My ride is a '94 XJ 600 S Diversion. First timie on the road in 1995 and the previous owner was the first owner. He had it since 1995 and sold it in 2011.

Unfortunately he did not spent a lot of time over the last years in keeping the XJ in a good condition. He chose to put more time on his other ride, a BMW.

So here she is, the first pictures taken in july '11 when she was taken out of the barn (literally):





A lot of rust on one side of her, none on the other side. No one was able to tell why she looks that way. Maybe it was the salt on the roads of germany and he cleaned one side while leaving the other side... I do not know... He was not interested in telling me much about his XJ. So I got it for 700 Euro - usually she would be worth approx 1'500 Euro - without rust and without the red paint... :roll:

I gave her an oil change, a new tyre in the front and cleaned the chain - there she was running up and down some hills in late 2011.

After the winter I took her out of her garage on april 1st and started to change a few things. The huge signal lights are gone. Replaced with smaller ones with LED:



Spent 10 (!) minutes of my life on cleaning the exhaust manifold - using »Anti Blau« (anti blue) from the german Brand »Autosol«:



And I got shocked after changing the braking fluid on the rear brake:



This is not old oil. This actually was the breaking fluid inside my XJ 600 S... Probably never changed over the last 5 or 6 years (or even more)...

Well... There she is now... Still some work left... And the horrible paint job should be reversed to the original look. I did not get an answer why he decided to paint her red over the original yellow. It is poorly done and it comes off on the rims, the topcase mount and does not look very well - except a few feet away...



Last but not least: The number plate is not bogus. If you pay some extra money, you can choose what your plate does look like. On a XJ 600 S Diversion there is no »XJ 600« decal to find. So I took that number plate...



Yes, that are ammunition boxes. There was no key to the original Cases from the 1990s. Also they are a little bit to wide. So I searched for a cheap and reliable solution... One ammunition box: ~10 Euro. Used Touratech holding system: ~50 Euro. Padlocks: ~ 5 Euro. Some V2A-Screws: ~12 Euro.

 

Welcome to the forum. Interesting project with your motorcycle. Keep us updated with pics of your progress. Good luck & Prost!

 

Welcome Herr Fish....bright colour scheme!

 

welcome!! The ammo boxes are a neat touch!

 

Welcome, maybe the PO left one side uncovered. :lol: Hope the brakes work better now. By the beautiful scenery, I'm guessing your near the Alps. Switzerland or Austria? My mothers family came from the German-Swiss area to the US in 1732.

 

@wwj750 & adrian1:

Thanks. I wanted to get the original paint from Yamaha. But if I would repaint the fairing with the original paint -> doubles the worth of the whole XJ.

@mtnbikecrazy55:

They polarize. Some say it is a great idea and a nice alternative to the huge light alloy cases that are usually used. Others would »throw them away instantly«.

@Orange-n-Black:

I switched to steel break lines, too. But there was not that much of a difference. The next step will be the replacement of the brake pads. The old ones have much life left, so I did not switch them when changing the break fluid.

I am living in the south of germany, close to the border of austria (5-10 km). So I am a little bit lucky: Close to the alps, and close to the austrian fuel stations. Fuel is 10-15% cheaper in austria.

 

Whenever I get mad about gas prices I remind myself what you guys pay. :lol: Sorry!

 

Gruss Gott!
Und wilkommen!

Wo auf Deutachland wohnen Sie?

Ein lange zeit vor, habe ich auch auf Deutschesland gewohnt, in Wuerzburg (meistenlich), Heidelburg, und Frankfurt.


Ich mag Deutschesland sehr gern!!

 

None taken.

Take a look at the norwegian price... But sit down first. You might get unconscious...

Ja da schau her! (bavarian)

I am living in southeast germany, close to the border to austria:

maps.google.com -> Rosenheim, Germany

Approx. 420 km away from Würzburg.

 

We spent a fair amount of time in that area, we used to spend a week every year in thethe spring at the US rec services facility at Chiemsee. Very fond memories.

 

Welcome to the forum. I like your bike! Nice find.

 

I'm jealous of the scenery! And I do like the ammo boxes.

 

360° in december last year:

They have been offered as »US ammonition boxes«. So there should be more of those available.

Grüße, martin

 

If you ever wanted to know what it looks like when you are on a parking lot besides the german »Autobahn« (180° shot):





Greetings, Martin

 

Welcome....good pics.....I got married in Wegberg (near Moenchengladbach) honeymoon in Fussen.....will be back there in December....

 

Cool bike, Im kind of in the middle for the paint job. Doesn't look too bad definitely not great but not bad...... On the other hand it reminds me of Ronald McDonald

 

What caliber of ammo came in the boxes? How many rounds? That will help folks to find ones that size ...

 

....then you can mount the gun on the gas tank and really cut through he morning traffic......

 

-> Pictures and some text about those boxes (google translator)

-> Padlocks for the ammunition boxes (google translator)

-> Mounted using Touratech holders (google translator)
_____

In german bulletin boards the XJ is now best known as

[X] the parrot-XJ
[X] »remember Ronald McDonald«
[X] the DHL express

-> Some pictures taken last year (google translator)

Greetings, Martin

 

Uh, if I read the writing on the boxes properly, each box held 30 rounds of 25mm shells ... those wouldn't cut through the traffic, those would send the traffic right off the road. I am assuming they are HE or HEAP or some such. Those are made for serious work, not some tinker-toy BAR or such.

 

The end of the 2012 season in Germany is coming. But: You can cross the Alps in October without worrying about snow:



1st picture: Reschensee (wikipedia.org)
2nd picture: Eating chocolate right at a gas station next to the austrian Autobahn. It's just the warm clothes that make me look fat.

Greetings, Martin

 

Oh to go back "home" ...

I would so love to ride over there - only cages for me then. Back when life was easy, fun around every corner and friends alongside ...

I think I would be intimidated by the Alps though on a bike, the lower stuff has enough twists and turns for me on a bike ... I used to have a lot of fun with an '81 TR7 convertible though. Took that over the Alps into Italy once, lots of driving in/around central Germany - Wuerzburg (Frickenhausen, Heidingsfeld and Rottenbauer) was home - Wuerzburg American High School where I graduated -> the Romantische Strasse to Augsburg, down to Schongau, following the river with its twists and turns, overland around Kitzengen, Schweinfurt, Giebelstadt, the beauty and views at Oberammergau (not to mention the wood-carvings for which they are world re-known along with the "Passion Play" put on every 10 years since they were spared the Black Plague (Now every 5 years for audiences?) ... wow - that just sent me off for a couple of hours of Google Earth and such ... oh, to go back "home" ... 'Course, Leighton Barracks doesn't exist anymore as such. The Marne Gardens, home of Rocky the Bulldog, Mascot of the 3rd Infantry Division and designed created by Walt Disney himself, is now named Victory Park. Rocky is no longer there. The park is where I held my first job as groundskeeper back when I was 14. I got to care for Rocky himself. Sad really. Rocky and the Marne Division are as much a part of the History of Germany, France, WWII, and the Cold War as they are US history. It was the 3rd ID which took the brunt and broke (one of) the last significant German offenses in WWI, choosing to stand and not move while the French fled the field. That is where they got their name: the Rock of the Marne - they stood at the Marne, like a rock, and refused to move or give an inch to the Germans.

Back to motoring ... I remember as a child we were up in the area around Berchtesgaden - maybe on the way to the Eagle's Nest area? - pulling a wheel-camper (pop-up trailer a couple of feet wider than the car) behind a classic (wide) American station wagon (you know the ones - with a bench seat wide enough for 4 in a pinch) - and we met a tour bus coming down ... we had to back the car with trailer down the road for quite some distance before the bus could get by (no way to turn around, impossible to disconnect/move the trailer by hand as the grade was much too steep) - my mother had her door open, looking out over literally nothing, guiding my dad by looking at how much (or how little) road the tires had left ... truly hair-raising stuff. One wrong twitch and the trailer would have taken our whole family over the side. I don't know how my mom did it - hanging out over nothing like that. The car was an early to mid-60's AMC wagon - it *probably* had a lap-belt for her to use (who used seat belts back then?) ... At one point doing the switchbacks and the car was against the mountain, the trailer got so close that the rocks tore at one of the support arms. My dad had to use his belt to lash the thing together so it wouldn't protrude from the car and we could continue. I just can't see myself on a bike on those switchbacks and grades. The very idea gives me the heeby-jeebies ...

 

Hallo x_fish, Wie geht's? I like that design of bike (not the DHL colors though). I may have to look for one when I am ready to upgrade.

And what a great time of year to be on zwei radern! Festival season. I would be at every town's Markt trinken und essen!

I was only in the south once - Garmisch - hands down the best day of snowboarding I ever had.

Viel Spaß!

 

Something new on my website: The integration of the google translator - as a link.

From now on you can read what i wrote about my XJ 600 S (aka Seca II) by simply clicking on the tiny flag on the right side.

-> www.600ccm.info - Saisonende 2012: Ab ins Winterquartier

-> after clicking on the flag

Once clicked you can visit all the other pages and the google translator will translate all of it.

I have to wait until the 1st of april until I can ride again -> so I had some time to integrate that on my website.
____

@tumbleweed_biff:

I will take a small trip to the area around Berchtesgaden - and will provide some pictures. But it will be may or june until I can do that.

Greetings from Germany

 

Hey Martin
I would appreciate if you could post some close-up pictures of your luggage racks (top and side ones) because I think i'll have to fabricate my own one for a Seca 900 that i'll buy this weekend, and I would like to see how the factory one looks like.
Please give special attention to bolting points.

Thanks in advance

Francois in Quebec

 

hello and welcome X_FISH
the license plate is in the new format European special Martin ...

the gas is more expensive than the wine ... to meditate ....

A+

 

X_FISH: It is pretty cool that you included the translator, but it doesn't totally work. Translators tend to take things to literally, and things get lost in translation.

(Geil das sie diese kleinich keit im web seite ein gebaut hat. Aber die programme funktioniert nicht immer)

Like this sentence (Sowei dieser satz): "Die Batterie hatte ich schon vor zwei Wochen ausgebaut und seit dem nicht mehr unter die Sitzbank packen können beziehungsweise dürfen."

Google Translation (Von Google): "The battery I had two weeks ago, and expanded since no longer can pack under the seat or allowed.

Real Translation (Echte): "I removed a battery two weeks ago and since then I haven't been able to get it back in."

I think people will get the idea though, good job. (Außerdem eine gutte idee).

Sven

 

Unfortunately my XJ 600 S is in a little shack, ~220 km away from the place I work. She will be there until the 1st of April.

I have searched my pictures and found those. On some of them you can see how it is mounted onto the XJ 600 S.







I hope this will help you a little bit? Simply click on the pictures to get the larger version.
_____

The plate is held in the new german format for motorcycles. Comparison between the old one and new one:



The smaller letters have been illegal to »big bikes« with more than 125 ccm until 1st of April 2011. Only oldtimers and a few custom bikes got the small letters. Reason: »The smaller letters can not be seen by the police«. I think they gave a pair of glasses to every officer...

With one more digit in the second row it ist still smaller then the old one. The one I have on my XJ 600 S is the maximum width (by law).

That's the reson why I run my car with LPG since 2003. Was 0,52 € per liter in 2003, now it's 0,82 € per liter LPG.
_____

That's true. But at least it makes it easyier for those that can not read german. I have tried to translate pages of another website to english... Some parts have been worse than the google translator.

Greetings, Martin

 

Cool! THanks Martin.

These are high definition pictures! It looks like a very sturdy rack.

The only thing that is not particularly clear is how the top rear part of the rack attaches to both side parts.

Francois

 

Got a better idea:



The XJ 900 of a friend of mine. I will ask him to do you a favor...

Greetings, Martin

 

Maybe in this kind.
The yellow is already present...

 

@tumbleweed_biff:

Still no pictures from Berchtesgaden - but from the Grossglockner ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grossglockner ):



A few more pictures (text is still missing, will be able to write it in about 6 days... Have to go to Berlin tomorrow... Without my computer):

-> www.600ccm.info - Großglockner Hochalpenstraße und Katschbergtunnel

Greetings, Martin

 

I so wish I was there. Germany, in many ways, is more home to me than the US. Certainly fonder memories and gentler times ...

 

@tumbleweed:buff:

For the »Aaahs« and »Ooohs«:

http://vimeo.com/74036860

Not my video. It was posted in another forum in context to the Großglockner Hochalpenstraße. Keep watching, after 1 minutes the sun was rising again and you see some different views.
____

And another update: The XJ 600 S is still here - but it got company:



GSF 1200 (S). The fairing was broken so the first owner turned the S into a N. Runs great - except the howling gearbox (4th gear without pulling the trottle). ~80'000 km. I am the forth owner.

Needs some tlc but was cheap.

Greetings, Martin

 

I have a xj600 diversion of 1995 vintage. Have an issue with piping if anyone can help. I need a picture or explanation of the piping to the carburetors. I have not found this info in any books. There was some info in another thread but for an earlier model which was slightly different. Any help would be appreciated. I am an expat from the UK with a French Bike in France if that makes any difference.