All Duels – ER-6f Vs XJ6F: the Japanese-style convertible – Reheated, it’s cooked faster!

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ER-6f Vs XJ6F: the Japanese-style convertible

All Duels - ER-6f Vs XJ6F: the Japanese-style convertible - Reheated, it's cooked faster!

Like a convertible sofa bed, the ER-6f and the XJ6 Diversion F attempt a large gap between different uses for a reasonable cost. An ambitious positioning for these two little routsters who want to be both playful and practical. Duel !

Reheated, it cooks faster !

Enticed by the success of roadsters, motorcycle manufacturers now offer real ranges around this much-loved concept: in addition to basic, sporty, medium or large-displacement models, roadsters also receive more or less enveloping fairings in order to to overshadow more expensive and less "fun" roads.

Relevant, the maneuver also has the advantage of not involving long cogitations to the R&D departments: a simple graft of plastics, a different denomination and voila! Renamed "routster" by the editorial staff of Site and its readers, this half-roadster, half-road segment counts among its ranks two variations from bestsellers: the Yamaha XJ6 Diversion F, the latest addition to the XJ6 series (read our and our) and the Kawasaki ER-6f, the streamlined version of the essential ER-6n (read our).

"New" 2010, the XJ6 Diversion F comes to support the XJ6 roadster and the semi-faired model, the XJ6 Diversion: a tad ambiguous as the aesthetic, nominative and economic differences between the latter and the "Full faired" version are tiny (from around 200 euros with ABS), this almost bloated offer around the same model aims to meet all needs … at the risk of confusing motorcyclists !

Especially since technically speaking, the Div ‘F is a "copy and paste" of the other XJ6s: with its 78.1 hp and 59.7 Nm of torque, the 600 cc in-line four-cylinder from the Supersport R6 is reappointed as is. Just like the efficient steel frame type Diamond, the telescopic fork and the shock absorber Monocross, as well as 298mm dual disc brakes at the front and 245mm single disc brakes at the rear.

The same goes for the electronic injection and the geometric values ​​of the chassis (1440 mm of wheelbase and 26 ° of caster angle): in detail, except for its pretty GT mutation which weighs it down by 12 kg compared to the roadster (217 and 222 kg with ABS for the Diversion F against 205 and 210 kg with ABS for the XJ6), the XJ6 Diversion F comes from exactly the same mold as its two little sisters !

A direct rival of the Yamaha in the medium-displacement segment, the Kawasaki ER-6f cultivates the same compromise made of versatility, simplicity and economies of scale: no need to lift its angular dress to guess that its underside is directly borrowed to the second best French sales of more than 125 (5,426 units in 2009): the sparkling ER-6n (read our) !

Under its false air of ZX-6R (read our), the ER-6f is propelled by the pleasant parallel twin of 649 cc which develops exactly the same values ​​of power and torque (72.1 hp at 8,500 rpm and 66 Nm at 7,000 rpm) than those discovered on Akashi’s current second goose that lays golden eggs.

Despite some changes in chassis values ​​(+5 mm wheelbase, ground clearance and saddle height) and suspensions set more firm in order to cushion the additional 4 kg (204 and 208 kg with ABS for the ‘ER-6f and 200 and 204 kg with ABS for the ER-6n), the Green is also based on the tubular steel frame and the peripherals common to the ER-6n and the Versys: a telescopic fork of 41 mm, a deported mono-shock absorber and aesthetic petal discs of 300 mm at the front and 220 mm at the rear.

On paper therefore, it is difficult to cry genius at the approach of the two Japanese manufacturers: obviously, it is not one (or even several) pieces of plastic that would transform two entry-level roadsters into ultra-comfortable roads, sufficiently punchy and lively to play "jumpers" in town and rot the friends in the small virolos with weapons, luggage and mom hanging on the back !

But Site readers know: a long essay is better than a short summary of preconceived ideas! It is therefore handlebars in hand, during a two-day trip on an itinerary as varied as it is watered (thank you for the spring showers …) that we decided to confront the claims, the qualities and the faults of these two little "routsters" … On the way !

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