KAWASAKI VERSYS 650 (2015 - 2021) Review

Compared to other bikes I’ve ridden the brakes are good, but not sharp, so always a bit wary of ever I needed to slam on.That said when I have the ABS has done good to control and keep on the straight The BIG problem with this bike is when stood still. It is very too heavy and it’s caught me out twice now and been over on its side. It’s great in the move, nibble but not a sportsbike, but the risk comes when at a stop on a hill or slope!!

Needed a plug in unit as quite lumpy at low gear and low revs. Still good but guessing the emissions settings hindered what could have been better factory settings

I’ve had a recurring fault that keep fixing itself and the garage can’t figure it out, but credit to the bike it still fully works and the engine light keep resetting

Do my own servicing so easy to do oil and filter

Misses out on cruise control which in hindsight I think is needed if you are going to be doing long miles; the newer version as this available

Chain broke wrapped around sprocket and cracked the block

Heated grips Touring package

Fantastic all round bike , does everything you want, don’t need 240kg weight or 150bhp

Enough power, throttle response awful, engine braking very aggressive feels like youv chucked an anchor around a tree.

No corrosion anywhere. Never let me down.

Owner servicing. Easy.

Best feature is it’s looks . Equipment has everything you need.

Excellent all round bike for average rider .

Euro 5 emissions makes throttle response very jittery , difficult to maintain smooth throttle.

Large fuel tank. Fitted gear selector.

Suspension is set soft as standard, but is fully adjustable to make it right to your preference.

Nice smooth engine with good performance, can be a bit snatchy on initial throttle opening.

Reliable so far.

Service myself.

The riding position is OK. Can tour two up no worries. Brakes aren't really impressive given it's a double front disk.

I really like this motor. And I like it even more since I fitted a quick shifter.

Faultless so far

Fuel economy is unimpressive at about 20km/l. This with standard exhaust, new sparkplug and air filter. Others claim 10% better and I have no idea how they get it, I'm not caning this bike.

Mine is black (bought second hand) so I think spotlights are compulsory. I've added a rear hugger and another rear wheel guard as well but still gets crap everywhere on wet roads. Factory panniers are awesome and I'd recommend them to anyone. I bought them second hand, separate from the bike. Added a quick shifter for more fun. Binned the original tires for more safety. They are terrible and not good enough for two up. Shame on you Kawasaki for this.

Very comfortable to ride

Dislike the throttle response, not smooth.

Been perfect

Oil and filter

Riding position.

All fine but would not want to ride it anywhere other than proper roads

Fine for what I use it for. Could do with a little more power when two up

Never let me down, starts first time every time and after six years of being kept outdoors all year hardly a spot of rust

Fairly expensive to service for a relatively simple bike. I am not a fast rider and am a little disappointed with the fuel economy at around 50 mpg

Luggage is great and easy to remove. When removed it is nice not to have pannier frames

as it is a venture style bike it would be drastically improved by having centre stand as that would make mounting the bike easier with all the luggage on it

The ride quality is great. The wind protection is fine. The bike handles superbly.

The engine is reliable. It is quick enough, but don't expect a super bike. In my opinion the bike could use a bit more horsepower. On the other hand, above 7000 rpm the bike has a lot of torque.

So far I had no problems with the bike.

Fuel consumption is great.

I replaced the Dunlop Sportmax d222 tyres almost inmediately. I did not like them at all. I replaced them with the Metzelder roadtec 01 se, which is a big improvement. Furthermore I installed heated grips, an Osco oiler and a SW Moto tech GPS holder. Simple and cheap adjustments, which result in a more comfortable bike. The motorcycle seat is a little bit on the soft side, but is still ok.

Breaks good, holds the road very nicely on standard tyres

get it to 3000 revs and the engine is great, lacks a bit of low end torgue but that's not what it's about. Economical.

Only had 6 months but ridden all winter and no issues so far.

I have full tourer kit (got as a free extra end of season), top box holds full helmet. I added hand warmers too for winter commuting

Best all of the time, excellent all round bike . Minimum 3hours riding.

On/off throttle, engine braking. Both terrible.

No problems so far with correct maintenance.

Owner maintained.

Gear selection indicator.

Best all the time, exceptional brakes . Must be one of the best all round bikes .

Throttle very twitchy in 1st and 2nd gear but the rest excellent.

Good build quality, no problems , excellent finish.

Chain lube, oil and filter.

Favourite thing is the riding position.

3hours

Smooth ride

Build quality is good.

Lightweight bike to ride. Larger screen required.

Can’t fault. I can ride 300 miles and go for another 3 ! No pillion ever carried, gets in the way of my luggage.

Engine is more than capable however you need to be around 3000rpm for lower speeds and not much after 7000 rpm going on. Very smooth for a twin extra 10 horses would make this perfect.

No problems at all.

This also includes MOT.

Panniers are good, great system. Tyres, Bridgestone’s work well.

Bike is good anytime, excellent all round bike, 3 hours between breaks.

Good in any gear, power delivery not smooth, power is on or off very erratic on the move.

Totally reliable.

Owner servicing.

Excellent Turn signal switch, best feature. ( Ex BMW rider) Recommend gear indicator selector .

i have fitted a comfort gel seat so all day riding no problem

overall finish is very good

standard luggage is the big bonus ideal for european touring

tear shock not the best but sufficient

plenty of poke for motorways and good low end torq for a 650

Very comfortable and stable under harsh braking. Instills confidence. Main use is for 40 minute commute and now seat is broken in there are no issues with numb rear.

No issues with build quality. After a winter of riding, everything still shines up like new.

So far only 600 mile and annual service which were cheap enough

Fog lights are excellent and greatly improve your visibility to other drivers. Luggage set is perfect for commute or for weekend getaway. Panniers easy to mount in seconds.

Suspension a bit on the soft side, good on Motorways poor feel on choppy A roads

Slightly underpowered in the full GT model

Great for round town, open her up and it turns into a different bike. 650cc?

The GT pack was a bit of an extravagance at the time but it's really proved its worth. I need to carry stuff and the luggage is good quality and very practical. Love the riding lights. I've added a rad guard and hugger, as the rear did get splashed up quite a bit.

In this bike you never know exactly how many cards it has on it's sleeves (in this case in her engine). it has the power delivery of a smooth tourer in the range of 3000- 5000rpm but when you turn your right wrist a little bit harder you'll find it has twice the power it had before..!

Nothing faulty to report whatsoever. The build quality is excellent.