#Versys650Lt

We’ve loved the Kawasaki Versys 650 for a long time. Maybe too long? For 2022, the midsized Versatile System gets a bunch of upgrades to boost it into the modern era – electronic cruise control being not one of them. Perfect for all you who eschew modern comforts.

The big news from Kawasaki last week was the return of the KLX250 dual sport, now available with fuel injection. Along with the KLX250, Kawasaki announced several returning 2018 models with new colors.

The category-straddling Kawasaki Versys 650 enters its third iteration and first major update of Kawasaki’s VERsatile SYStem. In 2015, the sporty yet friendly Versys 650 arrives in two forms, both of which feature a new, chiseled appearance that is much more handsome than previous versions. Its new nose also includes a larger windshield that is tool-lessly adjustable, and revised footpeg locations supply additional legroom. The LT version adds hardshell saddlebags and hand guards that expand its sport-touring capabilities.

First introduced to the U.S. in 2008 as a non-California compliant 49-state model, Kawasaki’s Versys 650 immediately earned praise from journalists, experienced riders, and commuters who could appreciate its practical blending of a nimble sporting motorcycle – and – a truly comfortable chassis. Motorcycle.com’s loudest complaint about the original Versys was merely that it wasn’t legal in California, and even that fact couldn’t stop it from earning 2008 Motorcycle of the Year honors from one of the largest U.S. print mags.

Kawasaki’s Versys 650 is one of motorcycledom’s great unsung heroes, delivering incredible versatility at a reasonable price. But, let’s be honest, its homely appearance may have handicapped its sales success in spite of its all-around excellence.