The newXJ's release
was held in the wilds of
Europe's Tirolean Alps.
AMCN's Marton
Peffendy was
impressed.

really rapid overtaking,
particularly two-up.
With a protective but
not intrusive half fairing
and a good wide and
well-shaped saddle,
there's no need to shirk
longer days in the XJ's
saddle either, as I found
out after a day or two
exploring the wilds of Gippsland and the New South Wales south coast.
It's a part of ~the continent that has a wide variety of countryside and, by
definition, roads--from virtual logging tracks up on the Errinundra Plateau
to roads that put some of this country's racetracks to shame. And yes, the
new XJ coped with the cross-section easily--actually passed with flying
colours is a better description...
At around $12,000 plus ORCs, the new Yamaha is the least expensive big-
bore shaft-driven multi-cylinder bike on the Australian market and a worthy
holder of the XJ name. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that in this case Yamaha
may well have out-done the original.
Mlke Sinclair


Jilted by the l~ro~ ueen, you slunk
back toward the door stunned, in
pain, when your eye was caught
by--haven't we met?--last year's prom
queen: a brand-new, left-over '86 500
Interceptor, a beautiful, forlorn little
waif that needed you. You rode it home
cheap. The best part was, to carelessly
mix metaphors, you'd never ridden this
year's prom (7ueen and so didn't know

you were missing anything! The Inter-
ceptor was light years ahead of your old
bike. It was love's first bloom. You never
gave the Hurricane another thought,
though the l ittle I nterceptor sti l l appears
in the occasional nighttime reverie.
On a similar dreamscape, the Yamaha
FZR600, Kawasaki 600R Ninja and
Suzuki 600 Katana have all been up-
sta~ed by faster, better-handlin~,
younger models that command premi-
um prices--but they're still very compe-
tent motorcycles upon which you
should be able to drive a very hard bar-
gain. If your current ride dates from the
early-Reagan epoch, and if your self-
esteem doesn't totally hinge upon being
first with the latest, you could be very
happy with one of these motorcycles.
Kawasaki's 600 Ninja has the longest

Price: $6099
Engine type: Liquid-cooled, transverse,
four-stroke four
Valve arrangement: DOHC, 16 valves
Displacement: 599cc
Bore x stroke: 59.0mm x 54.8mm
Compression ratio: 1 2.0: 1
Carburetion: Four, 32mm Mikuni CV
Clutch: Wet, multiplate
Transmission: 6-speed
Front suspension: 38mm telescopic, 5.1 in .
travel
Rear suspension: Single Kayaba damper;
adjustment for preload
Front brake: 2, four-piston calipers, 298mm
discs
Rear brake: Double-action caliper, 245mm
disc
Front wheel: 3.00 x 17 in.; cast aluminum
Rear wheel: 4.00 x 17 in., cast aluminum
Front tire: 1 1 0/70ZR17 Dunlop Sportmax
radial
Rear tire: 1 40/60ZR17 Dunlop Sportmax
radial
Rake/trail: 25 degrees/3.7 in. l94mm)
Wheelbase: 55.9 in. (1420mm)
Seat height: 30.9 in. p85mm)
Fuel capacity: 4.8 gal (18L)
Wet weight: 452 Ibs (205kg)
Instruments: Speedometer, tachometer,
odometer, tripmeter, coolant temperature
gauge; lights for neutral, high beam, turn
signals, low oil pressure

Corrected best 1/4-mile acceleration: 11.62
sec.@ 118.2mph
Measured top speed: 141 mph

32 MOTORCYCLIST ù Janu~ry 1 995

Price: $5699
Engine type: Air/oil-cooled, transverse,
four-stroke four
Valve arrangement: DOHC, 16 valves
Displacement: 599cc
Bore x stroke: 62.6mm x 48.7mm
Compression ratio: 1 1 3: 1
Carburetion: Four, 33mm Mikuni CV
Clutch: Wet, multiplate
Transmission: 6-speed
Front suspension: 41 mm telescopic, 5.1 in.
travel; adjustment for rebound damping
Rear suspension: Single Showa damper, ad-
justments for preload and rebound damping
Front brake: 2, four-piston calipers, 290mm
discs
Rear brake: Double-action caliper, 250mm
disc
Front wheel: 3.00 x 17 in.; cast aluminum
Rear wheel: 3.50 x 17 in.; cast aluminum
Front tire: 1 1 0/80V17 Dunlop K655F
Rear tire: 1 40/90V17 Dunlop K655
Rake/trail: 24.3 degrees/3.9 in. (98mm)
Wheelbase: 56.3 in. (1430mm)
Seat height: 30.5 in. (775mm)
Fuel capacity: 4.8 gal (18L)
Wet weight: 493 Ibs (224kg)
Instruments: Speedometer, tachometer
odometer, tripmeter, fuel gauqe, liqhts for
neutral, high beam, sidestand depl~oyment,
turn signals, low oil pressure
Corrected best 1/4-mile acceleration: 11.95
sec. @ 112.7mph
Measured top speed: 134 mph

Price: S5599
Engine type: Liquid-cooled, transverse,
four-stroke four
Valve arrangement: DOHC, 16 valves
Displacement: 592cc
Bore x stroke: 60mm x 52.4mm
Compression ratio: 11 . 7: 1
Carburetion: Four, 32mm Keihin CV
Clutch: Wet, multiplate
Transmission: 6-speed
Front suspension: 38mm telescopic, 5.6 in.
travel
Rear suspension: Single Kayaba damper;
adjustments for air pressure and rebound
damping
Front brake: 2, single-action calipers,
260mm discs
Rear brake: Single-action caliper, 230mm
disc
Front wheel: 2.50 x 16 in., cast aluminum
Rear wheel: 3.00 x 16 in.; cast aluminum
Front tire: 1 1 0/80V16 Dunlop K205
Rear tire: 1 30/90V16 Dunlop K205
Rake/trail: 27.3 degrees/3.6 in. (91 mm)
Wheelbase: 56.1 in . (1425mm)

Seat height: 30.0 in. (762mm)
Fuel capacity: 4.7 gal (18L)
Wet weight: 457 Ibs (207kg)
Instruments: Speedometer, tachometer,
odometer, tripmeter, fuel gauge, coolant
temperature gauge; lights for neutral, high
beam, turn signals, low oil pressure
Corrected best 1/4-mile acceleration: 11.93
sec. @ 111.6mph
Measured top speed: 134 mph

ONDA

AGNA

~L~X~
Honda's own cruiser is still Honda's best cruiser

f Honda has a soul, it
flows not from the stag-

gered duals of anA.C.E. V-twin, but from
the quartet of bologna-cut
chrome pipes of the
Magna Deluxe. From the
first 1982 V45 Magna to
the cartoon cool of the
1987 700 to the tonecl-
down 1994 re-style, the
Magna has always been,
well, the Magna: quick,
singular, ancl unquestion-
ably Honda. From the be-
ginning, the Magna
proved that the same 16-
valve V-four that powered
its Interceptors could slip
into a little chrome
evening wear an~ swjpe the heart of Saturclay night just as
easily. On that front, very liHle has changed.
Except this year, the plain-wrap Magna is joinecl by our
Magna Deluxe, distinguished by a bar-mounted bikini fair-
ing and new duo-tone paint. Un~ler the paint, however, the
same 16-valve, liquid-cooled V-four compresses mixture
from a quartet of 34mm carbs at 10.8:1 Iversus the VFR's
slightly headier 1 1.0:1 figure), sending it forth throuqh a
five-speed ~ec rbox an~l more cost-effective chain final ~rive.
Less radical, chain-driven cams contribute to a power de-
livery that is smoother ana! more linear than even the emi-
nently tractable VFR's.
Power buil~s with the linearity of a motor running on elec-
tricity rather than internal combustion. The V-4 pulls from
2500 rpm past its 76.6-hp peak at 9000 rpm till the rev lim-
iter pulls the plug just past 10,000. ~nough power to tally
mid-1 2-second quarter miles near 1 10 mph and stomp the
life out of V-twins displacing hvice its 748cc.
That potent, flatline power lets the Magna pull fihh gear
from 25 to 130 mph without a shuclder: just the brand of
easy-access muscle you want for plying the boulevorcl. The
65-inch wheelbase and 32-degree rake favor stability over
agility. But the Magna carries its weight low enough in the
pipe-rack steel frame to allow
easy urban maneuvering.
Unlike most of its urban-bred
v-twin cousins, the Magna's
low center of mass and acres of
instant-on horsepower make it
Big Fun on the backroads, too.
Spirited progress fades the sin-


gle 316mm clisc in a hur-
ry, and then grinding
footpegs signal the onset
of Too Much Fun. Grind-
ing header pipes follow
shortly thereafter, signal-

ing the onset of Big Trou-
ble, segueing into the
Emergency Ward if you
don't slow down and
play nice.
Once everything calms
down, that long, low pro-
flle allows a pavement-
skimming 28-inch seat
height that accommodates
both creatures bi~ and
small in equal comfort. A
soft, well-shapecl seat
wears into the gluteus
maximus after about hvo hours or 150 miles, whichever
comes first. Relatively short gearing lets the V-4 get a bit
buzzy past 65 mph. Still, the cute li~le fairing turns enough
wind around your upper torso to make the Magna a good
light-duty tourer. The only problem ~here is a 3.6-gallon fuel
tank ~hat enforces fuel stops every 1 66-odd miles.
The Magna Deluxe
has qreat power and
goo~ handling man-
ners given its mission
in life. Unlike its V-hvin
brethren, the M~gna is
an original--not an
adaptation. Most im-
portant, the Magna
is a motorcycle First
and a fashion plate
second, which makes it
Honda's best cruiser in
our book.
--Tim CcJrrithers

ù A surprisingly effective bikini fairing and two-tone paint bump
the Deluxe's price to $7399, $400 above the standard Maana.

ù The V-4 has long been Hon-
da's signature engine. The
Magna uses a torque-tuned ver-
sion of the 748cc VFR engine,
cranking out 76.6 rear wheel
horsepower at 9000 rpm.

Honda Magna Deluxe
Suggested retail price: $7399
Warranty: 12 months, unlimited mileage
Engine type: Liquid-cooled, transverse, 90-clegree, 4-stroke v-4
Displacement: 748cc
Carburetion: 4, 34mm Keihin clownclrah cv
Front suspension: 41 mm Showa, 5 9 in travel
Rear suspen~ion: Dual Showa dampers, 4.0 in. travel; acljust-
ment for spring preloacl
Wheelbase: 65.0 in. ( 1 652mm
Seat height: 28.0 in. p1 0mm~
Fuel capacity: 3.6 gal ( 1 3.5L)
Wet weight: 540.5 Ibs
Fuel consumption: 36 to 49 mpg; 46.1 mpg avg.
Avg. touring range: 166 miles
Corrected best 1/4-mile acceleration*: 12.55 sec. @ 108 mph
lanuary 1995 ù MOTORCYCLISl

4~

BMW K755

Price: $10,790 (w/ABS)
Engine type: Liquid-cooled, longitudinal, in-
line, four-stroke triple
Valve arrangement: DOHC, 8 valves
Displacement 740cc
Bore x stroke: 67 0 x 70.0mm
Compression ratio: 10 5:1
Carburetion: Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection
Clutch: Dry, single plate
Transmission: 5-speed
Front suspension: 41 mm Showa, 5.3 in.
travel
Rear suspension: Single damper, 4.3 in. trav-
el; adjustable for sprin~ preload
Front brake: 2, two-piston calipers, 284mm
discs
Rear brake: Two-piston caliper, 284mm disc
Front wheel: 2.50 x 18 in., cast aluminum
Rear wheel: 3.00 x 17 in., cast aluminum
Front tire: 100/90V18 Metzeler ME33 Laser
Rear tire: 130/90V17 Metzeler ME99
Metronic
Rake/trail: 27.5 degrees/3.98 in. (lOlmm)
Wheelbase: 59.7 in. (1516mm)
Seatheight: 31.9 in. (810mm)
Fuel capacity: 5.2 gal (20L)
Wet weight 548 Ibs (249kg)
Instruments: Speedometer, tachometer,
odometer, tripmeter, digital clock, digital
gear indicator; warning lights for low fuel,
low oil pressure, coolant temperature, low
batter,v charge, ABS malfunction; lights for
neutral, high beam, turn siqnals
Corrected best 1/4-mile acceleration: 13.25
sec. @ 100.8 mph
Average 200-yard top-gear acceleration
from 50 mph: 74.4 mph
Measured top speed: 122 mph

Price: $8599
Engine type: Liquid-cooled, transverse, 90-de
qree, tour-stroke V-four
Valve arrangement: DOHC,16 valves, adjust-
ing shims under buckets
Displacement 748cc
Bore x stroke: 70.0 x 48.6mm
Compression ratio: 11.0:1
Carburetion: 4, 34mm Keihin downdrah CV
Clutch: Wet, multiplate
Transmission: 6-speed
Front suspension: 41 mm Showa, 5.5 in. travel
adjustment for spring preload
Rear suspension: One Showa damper, 5.1 in.
wheel travel; adjustments for spring preload,
rebound damping
Front brake: 2, single-action calipers, 296mm

cliscs
Rear brake: Single-action caliper, 256mm disc
Front wheel: 3.50 x 17 in.; cast aluminum
Rear wheel: 5.00 x 17 in.; cast aluminum
Front tire: 120/70ZR17 Dunlop D202 radial
Rear tire: 170/60ZR17 Dunlop D202 radial
Rake/trail: 26 degrees/4.0 in. (102mm)

Wheelbase: 57.9 in. (1471 mm)
Seat height: 31.5 in. (800mm)
Fuel capacity: 5.5 gal (21 L)
Wet weight: 525 Ibs (236kg)
Instruments: Speedometer, tachometer, odome-
ter, tripmeter, fuel gauqe, coolant tempera-
ture gauge, digital clock; lights for neutral,
high beam, turn signals, low fuel level, low oil
pressure
Corrected best 1/4-mile acceleration: 11.67
sec.@115.2mph
Average 200-yard top gear acceleration from
50 mph: 75.3 mph
Measured top speed: 145 mph

SUZlJlCI GS)~F7513 IC~NA

Price: $6799
Engine type: Air/oil-cooled, transverse, in-
line, four-stroke four
Valve arrangement: DOHC, 16 valves
threaded adjusters
Displacement: 748cc
Bore x stroke: 73.0 x 44.7mm
Compression ratio: 10.9: 1
Carburetion: 4, 36mm Mikuni flat-slide CV
Clutch: Wet, multiplate
Transmission: 6-speed
Front suspension: 41 mm Showa, 4.9 in.
travel; adjustment for rebound damping
Rear suspension: One Showa damper, 5.2
in. wheel travel; a~justments for spring
preload, rebound amping
Front brake: 2, four-piston calipers, 290mm
discs
Rear brake: Two-piston caliper, 250mm disc
Front wheel: 3.00 x 17 in., cast aluminum
Rear wheel: 3.50 x 17 in., cast aluminum
Front tire: 110/80V17 Metzeler ME33 Laser
Rear tire: 150/70VB Metzeler ME55A
Metronic
Rake/trail: 25 degrees/4.0 in. (102mm)
Wheelbase: 57.9 in. (1470mm)
Seat height: 31.7 in. (805mm)
Fuel capacity: 5.3 gal (20L)
Wet weight: 517 Ibs (235kg)
Instruments: Speedometer tachometer
odometer, tripmeter, fue~gauge; lights for
neutral, high beam, turn signals, low oil
pressure
Corrected best 1/4-mile acceleration: 11.95
sec.@ 112.7mph
Average 200-yd. top gear acceleration
from 50 mph: 75.3 mph
Measured top speed: 142 mph

BMW's K75S triple immigrated to the
U.S. market in 1987, a well-bred, emi-
nently civilized and smooth-running
motorcycle that happened also to be
one of the sharpest-handling and sporti-
est ever to come from Munich. Since
then, not a lot has changed on the S. In
'93, the bike got an upgraded Showa
fork. A year later, the 700-watt alterna-
tor from the new R259 motor replaced

the old 480-watter, allowing use of a
smaller, 19 amp-hour battery.
The Katana enters '95--its seventh
year--with the same rambunctious
GSX-R-derived engine and comfy-
sporty chassis that won our hearts way
back then. Shame Suzuki didn't also
stick with the original paint scheme.
Honda's VFR, of course, is the spring
chicken of the group, first tested in our
February '94 issue. Powered by a
torquey, third-generation Honda V-four
powerplant, the VFR might be the most
competent do-all streetbike you can al-
most afford. (According to Honda, 1995
models will be identical to our 12,000-
mile '94 test unit pictured here.)
Character? Each of these bikes has its
own, with none of the me-too or fastest-
in-class hype to detract from overall per-
formance and balance. BMW's 740cc
liquid-cooled triple was created by sub-


36 MoT()RCYCLIST ù Fe~ruary 1 995

tracting one cylinder from the originalK-bike motor. Though not particularly
powerful, it provides plenty of torque
and enough urge on top to propel the S
past 120 mph. How much more do you
need in the real world?
The torquey, sensuous VFR engine
traces its roots back to the original
V-four Interceptor of 1983, and the
Katana's rev-happy in-line four carries
on the grand tradition of the venerable
Universal Japanese 750cc Motorcycle, a
niche largely abandoned by the Big
Four in the rabid quest for Superbike
dom i nation .
Flexibility? Five hundred miles of su-