Tanshanomi's Snap Judgments

Cagiva River 600

Wed, July 13th, 2011


NOTE: The Cagiva River was never imported to North America.


1995–99 Cagiva River 600
Performancewww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
It's basically a Yamaha XT/SRX600 motor, with all its usual faults and features. It's a bit coarse and rather slow compared to other bikes of similar displacement and physical size.
Handlingwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
It's no track bike, but light weight, a stiff aluminum spar frame and big, modern brakes make the River handle as well as any other midsize commuter and better than any vintage thumper.
Lookswww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The overall appearance is fairly mundane. The best thing I can say it that it is mostly unobjectionable, except for the way the tank looks as if it's melting over the frame spar.
Reliabilitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The large oil cooler remedies the Yamaha engine's one weak point. Beware of the later 500cc version, which has an inferior Cagiva-assembled engine.
Practicalitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The River would be very capable for running errands in town, but there are a plethora of Japanese bikes that are just as capable and much, much less hassle to own. Parts and service support are sketchy, even in Europe. (My standard two-point hit in this category for foreign-market bikes has been deducted.)
Desirabilitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
A total snoozer, even for someone like me who enjoys single-cylinder bikes. I'd rather have the Hawk GT's better engine in a similar spar frame, or the same engine with SRX-6's sexier looks. Even Asiawing's Chinese knock-off has more intriguing bodywork.
Overallwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
It's designed to be a great utilitarian commuter, but that's not what people buy Italian motorcycles for.