If versatility were a sport, the Kawasaki Versys® sportbike would be its champion.
Gifted with calm manners and a comfortable riding position while commuting, a serious sporty attitude while carving in the canyons and the ability to urge you farther during a backroads tour, the Versys is a fitting companion for just about any adventure.
It accomplishes it all thanks to superb engineering and a compact and efficient 649cc parallel-twin engine.
Aggressive styling complements the Versys' dynamic flexibility and strengths, and an adjustable windscreen helps it to accommodate a wide variety of riders.
To enhance its comfort during long days in the saddle, rubber bushings on the rear engine mounts and hollow rubber inserts atop the footpegs help to isolate the rider’s feet from engine vibration, resulting in a smoother, more relaxed ride.
The Versys’ compact, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, 649cc, parallel-twin engine was the perfect powerplant for this light and nimble do-anything bike right from the start: it’s lively enough for advanced riders and predictable enough to inspire confidence in rank novices.
The torquey twin delivers a deep ribbon of power in the lower and middle parts of its rev range, making the Versys a great commuter and relaxed traveling companion.
Its surprising genius becomes readily apparent once the roads turn twisty, because despite its comfort and civility, the fun-to-ride Versys also offers genuine sportbike handling and excellent fuel economy.
With its big, 5-gallon fuel tank, you can go a long way between fill-ups.
Long-travel high-tech suspension is critical to the Versys’ multi-role mission.
A Showa rear shock with two-stage damping firms up progressively as the wheel moves through its stroke, providing an initially plush ride that firms to near-sportbike levels as suspension loads escalate.
The bike’s short, compact engine makes it possible to use a longer than average gull-wing swingarm to reduce throttle-induced suspension movement and excellent handling.
An adjustable, long-travel 41mm tapered-tube inverted fork soaks up bumps big and small, and like the rear end, firms up nicely as the pace increases.
Absolutely key to the Versys’ success is a comfortable, carefully designed cockpit that provides a mostly upright, natural seating position and features a stepped seat constructed to provide optimum comfort for both rider and passenger.
The comfort theme is further enhanced by the adjustable windscreen, which offers three different positions.
An easy-to-read and informative instrument panel allows riders to quickly scan the gauges and keep their eyes on the road.
Possibly the most versatile motorcycle out there, the Versys excels at almost any task it’s given, from gridlock traffic jams to canyon carving to long-distance touring.
