News & Reviews

A mid-sized power cruiser with the looks of a street brawler, but not with the traditional V-Twin motor, but rather QJ’s very own V4. And what a brilliant mill it is! A liquid-cooled, DOHC, 16-Valve 90-degree V4, displacing 561 cc. 68 hp @ 10,500 rpm and 54 Nm of torque @ 8,000 rpm. In true cruiser fashion, it is a belt as opposed to a chain drive. Score one for lower maintenance.

The SRV totally looks the part. Sporting a 720 mm seat height and four pipes, which underscore its low-slung brawler looks. The overall fit and finish are good, and you will be forgiven if you think that the switchgear is straight off a Harley-Davidson, because it certainly looks that way.

Old-School Feel, Modern Features

More than just visually familiar, the controls have an old-school tactile quality that’s becoming increasingly rare. Every button press delivers a satisfying mechanical click, providing clear feedback through your gloves and making the bike intuitive to operate on the move. The switches are also backlit, adding a touch of premium appeal while improving visibility during night rides.

The TFT display follows suit in both design and functionality. A round 4-inch TFT sits proudly ahead of the rider and looks as though it belongs there, complementing the cruiser styling rather than detracting from it. The screen is clear and easy to navigate, with brightness adjusting automatically to suit the prevailing conditions. Beyond the usual speed, revs, fuel and trip information, the system also provides tyre pressure monitoring, traction control status and Bluetooth connectivity. It is modern enough to satisfy the tech-minded rider without overwhelming those of us who simply want to climb aboard and ride. A well-thought-out package that suits the SRV’s retro-modern cruiser aesthetic.

Surprisingly Good Ride and Handling

Tubular steel chassis mounts Marzocchi USD forks and twin rear shocks. Cruisers typically struggle over rough patches with overly firm, short-travel suspension, exacerbated by the foot-forward riding position, which makes lifting yourself from the saddle difficult. I was immediately impressed by the SRV. This carries through to the handling as well. The SRV is stable and confidence-inspiring through corners and sweepers. What adds to the fun is that, by cruiser standards, it has reasonable ground clearance.

QJ have managed a great compromise between comfort and control. The fat sixteen-inch wheels at each end no doubt help with bump absorption, but the end result is impressive. The riding position is typically cruiser, which is not really to my taste, but part of the cruiser genre. Ride comfort is impressive for what it is. You feel a bit like the “King of the Castle” as you cruise down the road on what is a striking-looking motorcycle, which also announces its presence with a four-pipe V4 aural assault. It sounds particularly sweet on the overrun. I found myself gearing down through the sweet shifting gearbox to amplify the magnificent sound from the V4, which brings us to the motor.

The Star of the Show: That V4

What a motor! Fuelling on this QJ is absolutely spot on. The engine is uncannily smooth throughout the rev range, with a strong linear shove. It transforms the whole riding experience into immense fun. The V4 motor, combined with decent suspension, makes the SRV an absolute blast.

A 16.5-litre tank gives decent fuel range with the V4 delivering better than 22 km/L. I found myself looking for faults as I was starting to gush over the SRV’s attributes. All I could come up with was grumbling that QJ don’t use that brilliant motor in a Roadster-meets-Café Racer style bike.

Big Value, Backed by Local Support

So, all round this is a really good motorcycle which delivers in every way in which you could expect. The fact that all that “goodness” is to be had for a mere R119,995 is simply mind-boggling! There is categorically no cooler way to cruise the suburbs and, if the fancy takes you, do a weekend trip.

If cruisers are your thing, get over to the closest QJMOTOR dealer and take an SRV 600 for a trundle. I’m sure you will be as impressed as I was.