Topic: Versys?

[triuman]

Does anyone on the site here have anytime on a Kawa Versys? I'm considering either a Versys or a Wee Strom for my ride this year. I'm not a big rider, nor that small (5'11", 190 lbs).........I want an affordable duel sport w/more emphasis for the on-road. I've also considered a KLR 650 and the DL 650......

[kicker]

Quotes from "What Bike" winter 2010 , article "Britains Best Uesd Bikes"
* recommended by you ,   might help you .
 
2005 Suzuki SV 650
Decade-defining blend of practicality, fun,ease of use and value .Aging now, but great value .Plenty to choose from .

2008 Kawasaki 650 Versys
Funkily styled, modern and versatile twin, but too tall and left-field for some .Cheap to run 50mpg possible

I considered the DL 650 V strom a very good bike when it first came out

I know shorter riders fit the Suzuki better , taller riders the Kaw
I've ridden the 650 svs and didn't like the power delivery , being a v twin its too linear for my liking . Also v twins are deceptive in that you often are going faster than you think you are , so not my cup of tea .
Suzuki's don't appear to hold up as well after a few winters as other bikes . I would not purchase the brand because of this .

I've driven the EX 500 Kaw , sort of ancestor to the Versys and found it a blast . So I would pick the Versys over the other 2 . 

[kicker]

Just noticed your KLR 650 question . This bike has an incredible loyal following , people go all over the world on them . The newer model , improves on the older one which stayed the same for many years yet still sold tons . THAT says ALOT in itself .
This would be an excellent choice .
Too bad its a Kaw , You mind think I have a bias . This is not the case .
Google KLR touring or something . You will see the legion of loyal fans , look for their web site .

Let your fingers do the walking . There is tons of info on the net on this bike . Do your own research and decide for youself . Take one for a test drive . you are tall enough for this and the other Kaw . I assume your inseam 32 inches .

[Blue01]

Here's an excellant site to check out any dual-sport bike that you are interested in.  Sign on and ask the same question there.  A lot will depend on what type of dual-sport you want: emphasis on on-road, or emphasis on off-road.
This is monster site, with about 150,000 "inmates", worldwide.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/index.php

But be careful, it is addictive and will end up costing you your marriage, your job and you'll spend most of your life riding, on- and off-road.  But you will be happy.

[rrocket]

I've been a member there for quite some time.  I used to race hare scrambles and roll chart rides/races. Plus dual sporting anytime and anywhere it was possible. Great site.  Of interest (IMO) is most people there are fanatical about gear.  Suits, protection, gadgets, you name it.  Overall a great site...and yes, dual sporting/off-road riding is among the most fun you can have.  Period.


Here's one of my old bikes.  This was the DR-Z400E, the off-road model that I made barely street legal.

[5 Wheel Drive]

Go for the Versys!  I've got an '07, and I absolutely love it!

I also cross shopped the Wee Strom and the Versys.  With 17" rims, the Versys tends to lean more towards the sporting side in its handling.  The Wee strom has a little more space for a passenger and luggage.  The 650 cc inline twin is fuel injected, no choke to fart around with.  Power is nice and smooth, I think it's about 68hp.  It's plenty quick, I've never wished it had more oomph.  The engine is based on the Ninja 650, but with different cams.  It has less hp than the Ninja, but more useable mid-range torque.

We seem to be roughly the same size.  The Versys is tall.  Shorter riders will have a bit of trouble flat footing it when stopped.  I have no problem, my heel is just barely off the ground.  I installed a set of blocks that lower the foot pegs 1 inch straight down.  If you have long legs, they made a huge difference in leg room comfort.

The only common complaints about the bike seems to be about the seat.  Stock, it slopes forward a bit, squishing "the boys" when stopping.  There's plenty of fixes for it depending on how you find it in its stock form.  I have my seat installed with the front tab sittting on top of the tab that it's supposed to slide into.  It's just enough to take some of the slope out of the seat.  I may still look at an aftermarket seat in the future.

There is no shortage of aftermarket goodies for the Versys.  There's a great forum out there too.  http://www.kawasakiversys.com/

Another thing I really liked about the Versys is that they're not very common.  You see a lot more Wee Strom's out there than Versys'.  Mine only has Kawasaki and Versys stickers on 1 side.  When people look at it from the other side, most of the time time they have no idea what it is.

If you have any more questions, please feel free...

[moontune]

I am an older geezer and last time I rode a bike was in England 40 years ago.I decided to get back into biking last year and did the same research. It comes down to what you feel comfortable on, budget, and maintenance etc.
 I was very close to buying a BMW but the maintenance put me off. I ended up buying a Suzuki V Strom DL650 bought it with 15,000k and could not get off it this last summer. It now has 27,000kms with very little maintenance.
Check out www.stromtrooper.com and ask lots of questions?
 Hope that helps a little.

[triuman]

Thanks all for the replies 

[5 Wheel Drive]

Apparently, it's no too hard to find Kawi dealers that still have leftover '09 Versys in stock.  You should be able to pick one of those up for a really good price.  Keep us posted, let us know what you end up buying.

Happy shopping!