The Versys Thread

[fireman]

How is the Versys two-up? I'm not going to ride cross country with my wife, but she likes to ride from time to time, and we do try to trailer up to the North Georgia mountains each year as well. I had a 2009, but she was pregnant at the time, so she never got to ride with me.

[Giaka]

 Did read in a recent magazine long-term wrap-up there have been probs with fried stators but haven't seen anyone else mention it.  

Yes there have been a few and with no help from Kawasaki its an expensive burn.

[Mark Jags]

Nice pictures. I like the man cave  

I'm just posting pics of my Versys for no other reason except I want to.  

[JTM]

I haven't found it lacking in power. You just have to learn how to ride it, compared to larger-displacement bikes. I mean, it's a 650, so more down-shifting is required than with a liter-bike. I'll happily downshift two gears to pass in order to get 50+mpg and lighter weight. I'm sure by the end of this summer, I'll wonder why I ever needed 100hp before.

Unless you're touring two-up, packing the kitchen sink, or taking on Ricky Gadson, the Versys has plenty of power.

2 gears? sounds like I'm really going to miss my 636 and my XB if I make the swap to either a Ninja 650 or a Versys.

[AzItLies]

2 gears? sounds like I'm really going to miss my 636 and my XB if I make the swap to either a Ninja 650 or a Versys.

Just to clarify, if possible, I don't think he meant you have to downshift 2 gears every time you want to pass. That's silly and untrue. I have a versys and even dropped 2 teeth in the back, and don't have to downshift 2 gears every time I want to pass.

It has plenty of torque and power to pass usually in the gear you're in. But one will probably find themselves shifting a little more to be in the proper gear for road speed.

4th gear (with the 44t rear) is pretty much 4k is 40 mph, 5k is 50 mph etc etc. It red lines at 10.5k So I could be up to about 105 in 4th or down to 30 at 3k. At 3k or 4k on the low side, I'm probably downshifting to 3rd.

And it's a 6 speed. There's plenty of usable power range there without excessive shifting.

[Bravo12]

I was exaggerating with the two-gear downshift. My last bike was (still is) a '99 VFR, but my bike before that was a bored-out Bandit 1200 (1216 Wiseco's) with stage-2 jetting. Compared to the Bandit, anything under 1000cc feels lethargic; I never downshifted to pass anything at any speed with that bike.

My point was just that if you're used to a literbike, there is a period of adjustment in relearning how to ride a smaller lower-powered bike. It's not slow at all, but it takes a little more effort to be in the right gear for maximum effectiveness. With that being said, it has plenty of torque to pull you through even if you're a gear too high.

The old adage still applies: It's more fun to ride a slow bike quickly, than to ride a fast bike slowly. The Bandit was fun but it tempted me into wheelies way too often. The VFR is a great bike, and I wish I could keep it, but I need the money and I'm probably not going to ride it much since I have the new Versys. The VFR, compared to the V, just felt like it was in a hurry all the time. I couldn't ride anywhere slowly. If I got caught in traffic, it boiled my blood; it wasn't happy unless it was stretching its legs or leaned over in the twisties. The Versys feels right a home in a brisk touring pace, and is not at all uncomfortable at any speed I choose to ride.

I also had to relearn how to emergency-brake without LBS, but that's another story.

[JTM]

Thanks for the clarification, we really didn't pass anyone when I did the demo ride so I wasn't sure.

[AzItLies]

I was exaggerating with the two-gear downshift. My last bike was (still is) a '99 VFR, but my bike before that was a bored-out Bandit 1200 (1216 Wiseco's) with stage-2 jetting. Compared to the Bandit, anything under 1000cc feels lethargic; I never downshifted to pass anything at any speed with that bike.

My point was just that if you're used to a literbike, there is a period of adjustment in relearning how to ride a smaller lower-powered bike. It's not slow at all, but it takes a little more effort to be in the right gear for maximum effectiveness. With that being said, it has plenty of torque to pull you through even if you're a gear too high.

The old adage still applies: It's more fun to ride a slow bike quickly, than to ride a fast bike slowly. The Bandit was fun but it tempted me into wheelies way too often. The VFR is a great bike, and I wish I could keep it, but I need the money and I'm probably not going to ride it much since I have the new Versys. The VFR, compared to the V, just felt like it was in a hurry all the time. I couldn't ride anywhere slowly. If I got caught in traffic, it boiled my blood; it wasn't happy unless it was stretching its legs or leaned over in the twisties. The Versys feels right a home in a brisk touring pace, and is not at all uncomfortable at any speed I choose to ride.

I also had to relearn how to emergency-brake without LBS, but that's another story.

Very well put Bravo. I've owned 2 vfr's and yeah, they just have that "let's go faster" attitude, all the time, as do many other similar bikes.

You can actually be kind of casual, go along with traffic if needed, or quickly accelerate around with the Versys. And do it easily, no stress on the back etc.

One diff with the linked brakes on the vfr vs the Versys, a million times easier to bleed. That complicated convoluted LBS systems (my vfr, st1300, fjr) was a major pia.

I teach the MSF classes and just used my Versys in a BRC2 (ERC use to be) for the first time (it was great btw). When doing emer braking I'm all four fingers on the front and both brakes to their fullest extent without locking either wheel. So there's no diff for me in that regard. One improvement for me is to NOT have ABS, my fjr was problematic with the abs, well, on dry surfaces anyway.

cheers.

[Nodaclu]

Since this has been the main Versys thread on ST.n, I figured I'd bring this back up instead of starting a new thread.

As the Versys has been around now for a number of years, and through two generations (albeit mild changes from Gen I to Gen II), I'm strongly considering purchasing a V and wondered what the collective might think of new vs used.

In my area, it seems that I can find a decent '09 in good shape for around $4,000:



Or, I can purchase a brand new 2013 (in WHITE    ) for $7,995:



Are the minor changes in the post-2010 models worth going double the price for a new one? Or should I stick with finding a nice, clean '09?

[Davy F.]

Pays yer money, takes yer choice. Personally, I never really warmed to the Gen1 model until it was out a few years, but I finally took the plunge with the Gen2 as its looks were (IMO) much improved. As far as differences go, there's not a whole lot between them as I found out when I had t borrow a mates Gen1 for a trip to Scotland to pick up a set of panniers I bought. Gen1 is ever so slightly more vibey, but it goes, handles and brakes just the same. The best thing about the Gen1 for me was the screen (and it was an MRA Vario screen fitted to this particular bike) which is way better as it seems to have a better slope to aid the airflow over my lid. The oe Gen2 screen is quite small and more upright and so far, I've tried two different screens (MRA Vario and Powerbronze flip) with no improvement. Don't get me wrong, the screen does a reasonable job, especially as I wear an Arai TourX, but I'll be buying another one to try to help take some of the buffeting out on those really windy, blustery days.

[Davy F.]

A few more pics.  

[maddjack]

Mine hasn't been that clean since it left the showroom in 08  

[Mark Jags]

Love both colors!

[maddjack]

I bought a fender extenda from Pyramid to help prevent the fan from being destroyed by debris again, 403 for just thefan last time

[Davy F.]

I've seen a few Versys with different bellypans fitted (or exhaust covers, as Kawasaki call it) and quite fancied a change myself. I was never a big fan of the oe exhaust/engine shrouds and decided that probably the easiest (and cheapest) route was to buy the one fitted to the ER6n (naked) Kawasaki. So it arrived today and it is on, but I did have to take a little bit off with my Dremel as the gear change was fowling the top rear corner (now done, but not in these pics). Anyway, it's on and I like it and love the way the headers are more exposed in all their snakey lovliness !!   

[BlueRidgeKat]

I wonder if the new Versy 1000 is going to have ABS or a ABS option ??

[Oxman]

it does indeed have the Abs system  http://www.kawasaki.ca/model/STREET-TOURING/1515/Versys-1000-ABS

[motociclista]

To contribute to the Versys thread, how about the first Versys ever to compete in the Iron Butt Rally?

http://bit.ly/YdqPxd

[Davy F.]

Just a couple more pics of my latest farkles/mods.

Fitted a pair of DRL's. Only 5 watts each, but bright as a very bright thing.




And an MRA screen which after two other attempts to find a more effective screen than the oe one, seems to be 'The One' and works great.

[Oxman]

looking good ...love that solar yellow/ blk combo