This Kawasaki Versys Is Surprisingly Nimble In The City

We love adventure bikes and they are all the rage right now. But if you want to travel on a motorcycle, and don’t expressly need to take every dirt road shortcut, a touring bike might well be the better option. Today, there is a wide selection of touring bikes to choose from, ranging from affordable middleweights to extravagant full dressers. The bigger, more expensive touring bikes are certainly appealing from a comfort standpoint, but are not usually the most practical options thanks to their sheer size.

If you want something more practical and affordable, then you are going to be looking at a middleweight tourer. Most of the middleweight touring bikes currently on offer are able to double up as great commuter bikes. One of these middleweight bikes stands out from this crowd, though, and has become a default choice thanks to its impressive versatility.

All the information you see here has been sourced directly from Kawasaki. Whereas, the opinions are our own.

The Kawasaki Versys 650 LT ABS Is Surprisingly Nimble In The City

MSRP: $10,099

Few motorcycles are as versatile as the latest Versys 650 LT, but we can’t help but feel that Kawasaki is being just a little ambitious with the pricing. With so many middleweight adventure bikes competing in this space now, it will be very easy to choose one of the many sub-$10k adventure bikes over the venerable Versys. As far as direct touring competition is concerned, it is fair to say there isn’t really much to choose from.

Honda has the recently updated NC750X, which is in many ways a little different, but no less practical. With a very comfortable seat, loads of storage options (it has a pretty big frunk), and good wind protection, it is a more than useful tourer. Its automatic transmission certainly takes some of the stress out of riding within the city limits, but is fairly heavy and not quite as nimble as the Versys.

Triumph offers the Tiger Sport 660 at a very reasonable price, and now that it comes with cruise control it is even harder to ignore. It is just as nimble in a city environment and just as capable on the open road, and its triple is arguably a little more interesting. It only really loses marks in terms of luggage, with Triumph electing to keep it on the options list in an effort to keep the price down.

Although not exactly a like-for-like alternative, Moto Morini has the Calibro 700 Bagger. It might be a bit of a reach to compare a bagger to a more sporty middleweight tourer, but they do have a suspiciously similar engine. CFMoto (heard of them?) produce the old Kawasaki 650 engine under license and supplies Moto Morini – which you will find in several other Moto Morini bikes. The 650 for the Calibro has been stroked out to 693cc. It is also actually lighter than the Versys, and is worth considering if you prefer cruiser style/ergonomics.

Rivals

• Honda NC750X
• Triumph Tiger Sport 660
• Moto Morini Calibro 700 Bagger

The Versys 650 Has A Versatile Parallel-Twin

Power: 69 Horsepower

At this end of the market it isn’t really about overall horsepower, but rather mid-range grunt, and there is plenty of that on offer. The Versys has an impressively linear torque curve, with almost all of it available from 3,500 RPM. This is the defining feature of just about any parallel-twin, and you could make a pretty good argument that this was one of the very first modern engines to display this characteristic. Suffice to say, the entire industry followed suit.

The versatility of this engine is there for everyone to see. Kawasaki literally put it in everything, from the Vulcan S cruiser to the Ninja 650 sports bike. It is an engine that simply works in any application. Like any good Jack of all trades, it is far from perfect. Cruiser enthusiasts will insist that the Vulcan S is too sporty and those that love sports bikes will insist that the Ninja 650 is muted. But, here in the Versys, it is borderline perfect.

Engine Specifications

The Versys 650 Lives Up To Its Name

It Really Can Do Almost Anything

In terms of performance and capability, the Versys is the middle ground of the middle ground. It offers everything in moderation, including fun. The biggest criticism leveled at the Versys is that it is just a little too vanilla, and lacks that special something most enthusiasts crave. It is almost too good at being practical, too reliable, too average. If you are able to get past that fact, and look at it objectively, you have an objectively brilliant motorcycle.

The average Versys rider usually won’t buy this purely for touring, but just to have a genuinely practical motorcycle so the “fun bike” can live safely in the garage until it runs again. That might be a half-meant joke, but in all seriousness, the Versys is one of the very best commuters on the market. It is a relatively light motorcycle (compared to other tourers), has more than enough punch out on the open road and offers nimble, light handling.

The suspension isn’t from any of the fancy brands, but it is adjustable, so it is easy to set it up right for whatever kind of riding you plan on doing. The wind protection is great, so no matter if you are touring or weaving your way through city traffic, the bike remains very comfortable, and it isn’t exactly short on features either. The latest LT version has ABS, traction control, and integrated saddlebags, which only adds to its immense practicality.

Chassis, Suspension, And Weight Specifications