Naked Motorcycles

1999Yamaha XJ 600 N Diversion

19 fields on record

The 1999 Yamaha XJ 600 N Diversion is an unfaired middleweight roadster for riders who want a smooth, forgiving inline-four. Its 599cc air-cooled engine makes 61 hp, with a low 770 mm seat and a 190 km/h top speed.

Capacity: 599.0 ccm
Engine: In-line four
Gearbox: 6-speed
Dry weight: 187.0 kg
Seat height: 770 mm
Power: 61.0 HP (44.9 kW)

⇄ Compare with another bike ＋ Add to garage All model years

Other years 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

How it rides

Editorial estimate from the spec sheet - not lab tested

Off-road & trail15%

Cornering65%

City riding75%

Daily riding78%

Touring55%

Two-up55%

Track35%

Best for: It's designed as an all-round commuter and light tourer, capable of weekend rides without demanding a specialist riding style.
Built for: The in-line four DOHC engine delivers smooth, linear power delivery with a classic naked-bike feel rather than aggressive thrills.
Not ideal for: It's not the right choice for riders chasing track-level performance or serious off-road adventure capability.

Scores are derived from the spec sheet using the same model across every bike, so they compare like for like.

Will it fit you?

Worked out in your browser - nothing is sent to us

Your height

Inseam (optional)

Units

At 770mm, a rider of 68.9" with a 31" (estimated) inseam will reach the ground with both feet flat on the 1999 Yamaha XJ 600 N Diversion, with a moderate knee angle of around 105 degrees and a forward-leaning riding position.

Assumes about 30mm of suspension sag once seated. This is an approximation from category-typical geometry, not a measurement of this bike or of you - sit on one before you buy.

More bikes at 751-820 mm — Middle Ground →

Find bikes that fit your height →

Reliability & safety

Bike Reliability score, safety recalls and owner complaints

Bike Reliability

How the score works →

out of 100Average

The Yamaha XJ 600 N Diversion passed its annual roadworthiness test first time 80.5% of the time, 0.4 points below expected for bikes of the same age and mileage. That beats 46% of models.

This covers every year of the model.

Test records don't say which version a bike is, so this covers Yamaha XJ 600 N / Yamaha XJ 600 N Diversion / Yamaha XJ 600 S Diversion together.

80.5%Passed first time

12.7%Failed outright

6.8%Fixed during test

18,000Typical miles

10,126Tests

Pass rate by miles ridden

0-10k

87.3%

10-20k

82.1%

20-30k

78.1%

30-40k

75.8%

40-50k

71%

50k+

73.2%

All years of this model.

Against its rivals · ranks 3 of 6

#	Model (all years)	Score	Tests
1	Honda VFR 750 F	62 Good	73,432
2	Honda NT 650V Revere	50 Average	412
3	Yamaha XJ 600 N Diversion	46 Average	10,126
4	Kawasaki ZZ-R 600	41 Average	55,962
5	Yamaha XJ 600 Seca II	31 Below average	6,685
6	Kawasaki GPX 600 R	29 Below average	3,592

Rivals are the most-viewed bikes on MotorcycleDB in the same category and engine size, from within three years of this model.

From British annual roadworthiness tests, 2005-2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA MOT test data, Great Britain). How Bike Reliability works.

Full specifications

Engine

Capacity: 599.0 ccm
Power: 61.0 HP (44.9 kW)
Torque: 53.0 Nm (5.4 kgf-m)
Engine type: In-line four
Power/weight ratio: 0.3262 HP/kg (dry)
Cooling system: Air
Starting: Electric
Valves per cylinder: 2

Transmission

Gearbox: 6-speed
Transmission type: Manual
Final drive: Chain

Performance

Top speed: 190.0 km/h (118.1 mph)

Dimensions & weight

Wheelbase: 1445 mm
Seat height: 770 mm
Dry weight: 187.0 kg
Fuel capacity: 17.00 litres

Brakes & wheels

Front brakes: Dual disc
Rear brakes: Single disc

Compiled from manufacturer documentation and user contributions, corrected on an ongoing basis. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.

What changed, year to year

Differences highlighted

Specification	1998	1999	2001	2002	2003
Capacity	599 cc	599 cc	598 cc	598 cc	599 cc
Dry weight	187 kg	187 kg	191 kg	191 kg	195 kg
Seat height	770 mm	770 mm	770 mm	770 mm	775 mm
Fuel capacity	17 L	17 L	17 L	17 L	17 L