Sidecar Musings Part 2 - Diversion vs Kawasaki

It was mentioned in passing "had I thought about putting a chair on the
Diversion instead" and I went hmmmm.

*thoughts (or what I choose to call thoughts at least) so far*

The Diversion could be fitted with a chair too, although it would (of
course) be less grunty than the Kwaka.

92ps at the rear wheel is similar to what Alan Pennykids K100RS had
(they are rated at 94ps from memory) and similar to my mates old CB900
outfit (90ps) and current GTR1000 outfit (94ps) so it would do the job
(particuarly given that if I'm riding the outfit I'll have at least Jodz
and probably Jodz and Molly so I'm unlikely to be hooning).

Not sure how the Diversion would go if I put a trailer on the back
though (which Jodz mentioned as a possibility for later), the Kawa OTOH
shouldn't have a problem even with the trailer.

The Divvy OTOH has shaft drive (no chains to replace), can run _much_
cheaper tyres, has a more protective fairing, is fitted with panniers
and has a long distance better riding position. The Divvy is already
short geared compared to the earlier XJ900's so probably the shaft drive
gearing would be ok (probably). Also the Divvy has a larger 24 litre
fuel tank and uses less fuel so I'd probably get away without a long
range tank, which would save several hundred dollars minimum. The
longevity of the XJ series of motors is not in question, yah can't kill
the buggers with a stick.

What do you think people... Diversion or ZRX for the chair hauler?


G-S

 

ZRX.

The divvy does the job of a tourer much better than the Z so why lose
the bike you're more likely to go away on ? While I'm sure the side car
solution gives you a good family option, there will be times you'll want
to go to a rally by yourself or two up

JL
(but I wouldn't listen to me 'cos I couldn't ever see myself doing the
sidecar thing - if I wanted a 3 wheeler I'd trike a Rocket 3)

 

Hmmm there is that isn't there... if I toured solo it'd be on the Z if I
chaired the Divvy. You know... sometimes I miss the most obvious things

G-S

I wouldn't knock back a ride on that if you ever get around to it ;-)


G-S

 

That's what weber kettle BBQs are for, to weigh down the sidecar.

-----sharks

 

My preference would be for a water cooled bike, a tug gets a hard life.

Boxer

 

<shakes head in bemusement> You and I live in very different worlds Mr
Sharkey !

JL
(but then the last rally I went to was in the eighties, never really
"got them" to be honest)

 

Why not buy another bike and sidecar it?

 

McArgle turned up to Dargo a couple of years ago sans Sally, who'd
decided to take her own bike somewhere else ... unfortunately, he'd
already packed everything assuming he was coming so he filled the car
with weber BBQ, coal, collapsible table, etc. just to weigh it down ...

Well, I'm more of a minimalist traveller myself (pretty much everything
fits in my Andy Strapz panniers) but sidecar freaks are mighty handy to
know when you discover you need a cast iron work / chainsaw / side of beef.

-----sharks (and trikes carry firewood just fine!)

 

Heh... I don't have enought money to do that without selling one of the ones
I've got now and still pay for the chair

G-S

 

Yeah... there's that too... looking more like the original idea of the ZRX
is the go


G-S

 

Bloody hell Geoff, you are wearing her down

Def the zrx mate - mere fact it has more grunt overall, easier to
lower the gearing for the chair.

johno


Beer?

 

I'd definitely go the Divvy but then I'd never have bought the Kwakka in
the FIRST place!!
(And I dunno if 92ps at the back wheel is really true either. I thouth it
was 87 at the crank!)
http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/yamaha_xj_900_s_diversion_2002.php
Are ANY Jap power figures to be believed though?)

 

Hmmm it may have been 92ps at the crank come to think of it in the test I
read. That'd be more like 75 to 80 at the rear wheel. It is fairly common
for power outputs to go down as noise and or pollution regs get stricter
(same thing happened to the GTR1000's). Possibly the test I read (of the
first divvy 900S) quoted the power then and the other one you mentioned
being of a 2002 model is accurate for that one.

Honestly the only real problem with the divvy is they should have put the
shaft drive on the XJR1300 motor.

Instead they built a new liquid cooled motor... and can charge more $ for
the bike...


G-S

 

But really; if you move back from GS-2006 mode to Clem-living-in-the-70s
mode the Divvy has HEAPs of power to tug a boat.
Shit; XS650s and 750/4s used to be the tugs-of-choice and a Divvy has at
least 15 horses more than a Z1 (no matter which test you read).
Sure you'd have quicker quarter-mile times on the Kwak and you'd had a
top-speed of 220 instead of 195 [make sure you post Jodie's opinion tof
this] but the Divvy will handle the chair without any problems at all!
I really doubt that cooling would ever be a problem either.

 

Yes it does. But you have to consider that living in the 70's chairs *like
the ratty 650 twin outfit I was most used to* had a single width car and a
light bike to pull around with no heavy accessories.

Ummm no way is the Divvy faster than my Z1 was... seriously. I know they
quote about 80ps for the Z1, but my Z1 would have blasted the Divvy into
the weeds without trying. I know lots of guys with Z's and honestly _none_
of them were stock, regrettably those sorts of hot up bits aren't an option
for the Divvy

I'd suspect that the top speed would be more like 195 for the kwak and maybe
170 for the Divvy. Having said that, I agree the Divvy has 'enough' power
to haul a 1.5 chair around fine.

I sat down and worked out some power to weight ratios.

With me, Jodz, molly and me the Kawa outfit would have about the same power
to weight ratio as an SV650 (solo with me on it, full fuel). With a loaded
trailer on the back and camping gear the Kawa outfit would drop to power to
the power to weight ratio of a BMW 650 single (like Jo's scarver). Still
plenty for general riding around

Whereas the Divvy outfit with Jodz, Me and Molly would have about the same
power to weight ratio as a BMW 650 single (again solo with me on it, full
fuel). Add a trailer and the power to weight ratio is about the same as a
GPX250 (solo, full fuel, me again). That's getting a tad marginal (BTH may
enjoy riding 250's around OZ but I wouldn't ;-)

The power to weight ratios aren't perfect indicators but they give an idea
at least.

For a comparison the 650 twin outfit I used to trundle around in rally mode
normally had one 80kg guy and 1 70kg guy, 2 slabs of beer, 2 sleeping bags
and 2 2 man A frame tents. It made about 50ps. The power to weight ratio
of this outfit loaded would be about the same as my estimated loaded weight
for a Divvy outfit (without trailer), and off the mark I suspect if would
perform the same (less top end I suspect). It was fine for cruising along
at 60 to 70mph (hills slowed it down a bit though, and it didn't like
summer days). I wouldn't have wanted to hang a loaded trailer behind this
outfit either.

I suspect thought that I'd actually prefer the riding position of the Divvy
in outfit mode to the Kawa, which is more what's holding me off deciding.

I'm getting soft in my middle age, and the _much_ better fairing and seat of
the Divvy are more appealing than the ZRX seat and no fairing is most time.

I still love doing distances, but I prefer to do it in a modicum of comfort
theses days

The Divvy does have some advantages Clem, it really does.


G-S

 

snip factual analysis

G-S you're answering an emotional argument with facts. Knobdoodle wants
to argue for the Divvy based on a deepseated emotional attachment (which
he will undoubtably deny now).

Seat comfort is a good point though - I suspect with a pillion and a
chair you'll move around less on the bike too, so in either case you
might want to budget a grand or whatever the going rate is for a plush
seat. Jodz will like that too

JL

 

I'm probably not minimalist myself but I can't envisage taking a weber
with me to improve the weight distribution !

JL

 

Why bother with a trailer? There's a vast amount of room in and around
an outfit already ... just work out how to lash gear to the boat. Ditto
the extra fuel ... just plumb the thing up so you can tuck a marine fuel
tank[1] in the nose of the car when you need it (eg: to refuel Clem's bike)

-----sharks
[1] http://www.biasboating.com.au/fueltanks.html

 

I agree. A spit roast would have been tres-elegant.

-----sharks

 

Geez...

You have your first kid and group sex suddenly becomes an important topic!

Hammo