I took a Yamaha SRX600 of 1986 vintage out for a blast today thanks to a friend. To start with a positive note, I quite liked the ‘rorty’ exhaust note and the slimline, ‘flickable’ and agile handling. However I have got to say, overall, it reminded me of a Honda CB100N on steroids!
Simple, pure and basic
Well, I guess that was a harsh comparison to start with, and I can see why these have become such a sought after classic bike. They really are quite unique. When a bike requires a different riding style, the challenge becomes the reward. That said, I jumped on a 1993 Kawasaki ZR550 Zephyr afterwards, and it was so easy to ride after the Yam it was almost riding itself. Well, you know what I mean ;)
Perhaps an hour in the saddle of the Yam would give me a bit more of an idea of how to get the best from that engine. Redline at 7k takes some getting used to when you’re used to a high revving four cylinder engine that often spins to 10k and beyond.
The SRX600 with stablemates TDR250 and FZ6
It was definitely a back-to-basics approach, there’s even a kickstart (remember those?).
Economy over power
While the SRX400 was adored in Japan for its nimbleness and style, other countries seemed to want more grunt as they replaced the engine with a 600cc unit from its XT600 stablemate. The bike I tested had the 600cc engine but was far from powerful. The owner told me that it regularly got 60 to 90 mpg which is astonishing though. It has dual carbs which is quite strange for a single cylinder bike, so I think it was probably done for reasons of maximum economy, with the option to deliver enough fuel on those sporty moments. Don’t quote me on that though, I’m not a carburation specialist. If you know why then please do get in touch!
This thing is narrow
My first impression of the bike, even before the test ride, was “where is the girth?”. I nearly gave my review this title after this slightly dodgy phrase, but thought better of it. Its popularity with female riders was another reason I dropped that title too. Seriously though, if you are smaller framed then this lightweight and narrow bike would probably tick many boxes for you.
Getting hold of an SRX600 now
There are still a few SRXs out there. I remember the market being flooded with ‘grey imports’ for quite a while, but prices seem to be in an upward trend because of the rarity now. The ones that remain are now (mostly) in decent condition and fetching much better money, so if you have one, I’d suggest that you hold on to it. For a daily rider it doesn’t make sense any more, but I can see the appeal they held over the years.
Words: Rusty Sills
Pictures: Tony Donnelly