We take two midrange cruisers – out for a cruise…
“Hey guys! We are also QJ dealers and we have the SRV 600V Cruiser sitting on the floor begging to be ridden. Won’t you guys take it out and tell people what you think”
That was Simon Edwards, the DP from TRD Motorcycles in Boksburg. We featured that bike when it was first launched and to say that we like it is a serious understatement…
By Deon VDL
For this feature, we needed to run out to Randfontein of all places to meet up with a bunch who are building electric bikes locally. This was a great opportunity to grab the QJ and a really fine Kawasaki 650 Vulcan off the TRD used bikes floor and spend a day in the saddle.
The Vulcan was in perfect nick, with just 16000 on the clock and a boatload of extra’s – and we were keen to see how the bikes compared.
It turns out that, bar a similar engine capacity and styling, these are really different bikes.
The QJ has a V4 engine that makes – shall we say, unique, revvy power, while the Vulcan with its parallel Twin engine is happiest sort of thundering along fairly sedately.
Our route took us in the sweltering Highveld heat from the Boksburg shop, onto the freeway, all around JHB. We hooked 14th Avenue, headed up the hill to Roodepoort and then wound our way through the suburban traffic through to Krugersdorp.
From there it was a run out to Randfontein.
Coming home, we stopped off at the famous Uncle Harries roadhouse for a milkshake before heading down Krugersdorp hill to the freeway back to home base. Roughly 300 seriously fun kilometres for the day.
The QJMOTOR SRV 600 V (We know! It’s quite mouthful!) is definitely pretty unique.
Think of it as a mid-sized sports bike dressed up in cruiser clothing. I mean, how often do you come across a V4 engine squeezed into a cruiser frame?
That’s part of what makes this bike so much fun. Sitting astride it at idle, you don’t get shaken about or have the car alarms in the vicinity going off. No, this cruiser is surprisingly civilised and smooth when you’re just chilling.
Then you twist the throttle and that sports bike personality starts making itself known. Everything feels smooth, the acceleration is nicely linear, and the gear changes are buttery smooth and the clutch is soft. It delivers its power without fuss, making the whole experience feel – well effortless.
There’s enough of that sporty character to remind you that this isn’t your typical big, heavy cruiser. The SRV 600 V never feels overly cumbersome or heavy, particularly once you’re moving. It feels manageable on the go, without that bulky, intimidating sensation you sometimes expect from a cruiser.
When it’s time to scrub off some speed, the brakes certainly don’t mess about. They pull the bike up quickly and confidently when you need to stop in a hurry, with the ABS doing its bit to help keep things under control. It’s reassuring to know that this cruiser can get a move on and still bring you back down to earth when required.
Then there’s the Comfort…
The SRV’s ergonomics get the thumbs-up from all of us. You’re not slung low over the bike or stretched out like you’re trying to reach the horizon. Instead, you sit fairly upright, with your feet positioned forward without being excessively stretched out. The low handlebars give it that unmistakable cruiser look without forcing you to sacrifice comfort for style.
The suspension also deserves a mention. The ride feels nicely plush, with the suspension helping to keep things comfortable along the way. Once again – all of this is complimented by the exceptionally smooth gear and clutch actuation
Glenn did the first ride on this model a few months back – and he came away gushing. We all share his opinion – QJ has done a fantastic job on this little runabout.
The unusual combination of cruiser styling, sports bike character and everyday comfort, just works surprisingly well. If you get the opportunity, we do recommend taking one for a test ride.
We guarantee that you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
At R119,995, you’re getting a whole lot of motorcycle for your money. And a V4 cruiser? Now that’s something a little different!
2016 Kawasaki EN650 Vulcan R94 900
This was all of our first time riding a Vulcan 650, and we weren’t quite sure what to expect. The old girl soon won us over, and we had a great time on this journey.
We mentioned earlier that this Vulcan is outfitted with a healthy collection of extras and one of the most noticeable is its custom two-into-one underslung exhaust. Not only does it look the part, but it also makes sure people know you’re coming without being overly obnoxious.
On our way home, we stopped at a traffic light, and a vendor wandered over and asked us to give the throttle a little twist. Naturally, we obliged. He walked away with a big smile on his face, and I reckon that says something about the impression this bike makes! I wish that we had the camera out, it’s so easy to make people smile.
Don’t let the year model of the bike fool you, Kawasaki knows how to build bikes! That parallel twin has plenty of go, making it easy to nip ahead of traffic and have a bit of fun when the opportunity presents itself. While the very nature of this bike dictates that you’ll be cruising around, there’s enough punch to put a grin on your face without needing to make a big song and dance about it.
The aftermarket screen is a welcome addition, taking some of the wind pressure out of the equation and making those longer stints in the saddle more pleasant.
There are a few more extras worth mentioning, including the hand guards, an aftermarket gear indicator and Oxford heated grips.
We quietly turned those onto full on our way home when Pete wasn’t looking and spent about an hour laughing at him while he tried to figure out what was going on…
We think that this bike used to belong to someone with short legs because this bike is outfitted with a neat set of crash bars. They are not the usual kind that you can rest your feet on on the long roads, they are purely there in case the bike falls over. They sit right in front of the gear lever, which meant that, initially, we found ourselves catching the bar instead of the lever when changing gear. You do adapt quickly though and pretty soon we did not notice them any more.
Comfort-wise, the Vulcan S gets things pretty right. Much like the QJMOTOR, you’re not stretched out like you’re trying to reach the next province. The handlebars give you that more traditional cruiser riding position, but without compromising comfort. The only downside we noticed was that, after about 50km in one stint, the custom cut seat started to make its presence felt on the backside. It’s not a deal-breaker, we’d look for something like an airhawk cushion were we to buy this bike, but we did find lots of opportunities for a quick stop to stretch the legs.
All in all, it was a good day in the saddle on both bikes.
The Vulcan is still a great motorcycle to take out for a ride, with plenty of character and enough go to keep things interesting. And this one is in great condition – whoever owned her before really looked after her.
Fancy giving the old girl a go? Fancy riding the new QJ?
You’ll find both of these bikes at TRD Motorcycles
The Pre-loved Vulcan is up for grabs at R94,900.00.
The QJ, brand new with a full factory warranty goes for just on 120K .
