Motorcycle.com

Kawasaki Versys Equals Great Fun

I have been waiting a long long time for someone to build the perfect bike. A bike that can be rode to work. A bike that can blast through the corners. A bike that you can take trips on. A bike that you can ride on most USFS roads on. The Versys can do all of that stuff and you will be grinning fro...m ear to ear the whole time. It has been thirty nine years since I started riding and have owned so many great bikes but nothing like the Versys. When I bought the Versys I had a 2004 SV650 and a Honda 650R motard. Both fun bikes but they were limited on what they could do. Now I only have one bike ,the Versys. It handles like a motard so I really did not need the motard anymore. It beats the the SV in about every way possible. So there goes the SV. Are you begining to see a trend?
Some of you might not think it is perfect but lets see. It has inverted forks that has a lot of travel. This is the first stock bike I have ever owned that I had to back off on the preload. At a lite 225 lbs it really suprised me. It has a massive gull wing swingarm and a firm feeling rear shock. Really high tech for such a cheap bike. Reminds me of my Buell all the way to the underneath exhaust. Add all of this together and this bike handles.
The engine is a different animal. It makes great mid range power. Pulls hard all the way up to redline. The good thing is that you will have no need to get it anywhere near redline to have fun or enjoy riding it from point a to point b. You do not have to bother with changing gears a lot, unless you are playing around. There are very few places it will not go in 6th gear. It is the greatest little 650 ever.
To some people the brakes fell a little weak but for me I like them just fine. When you clamp down on them they bring you to a good steady stop. Almost as good as ABS but without all the computer crap. You will not have to worry about locking the rear wheel up when trail braking and believe me that is a good feeling. It has all the brakes you will ever need.
The handlebars are near perfect and are nice and wide. Again like a motard. Very comfortable for all day riding and really great when playing in the mountains. One place where the Versys does come up short is the seat. It pretty much sucks but when you compare it to the higher priced BMWs of equal size it matches up pretty good. A lot better then the new 800s from BMW.
In summary the Versys is the best bike you can buy for less then 7000 dollars. It is even better then bikes costing twice as much. After 10,000 miles the grin is still there. It is a bike made for everyday riders. A bike that can do anything. A bike that just makes you happy to be on and to me the best bike ever built. What else are there to say? Except thank you Kawasaki!!!!!!!!!!!!!

William Dailey
Suches ,Ga. Read Full Review

Best of 4

I have been riding for approximately 50 years, am a certifed MSF Rider Coach and until very recently a licensed CCS, WERA and AHRMA racer. My garage currently shelters a Honda Hawk an EX 500 (both modified for race/track use only), a Yamaha FJ 1200 and a 2008 Kawasaki Versys. I enjoy them all, but ...the Versys is the most reliable, versatile and hence the most all around fun bike I have or ever have had. Read Full Review