The steering geometry has been refined from the Ninja 650R, allowing the
bike to effortlessly transition from one corner to the next and the mid-range
power of the engine allows generous throttle application out of corners. You can
ride aggressively and not have to worry about overpowering the road. The
close-ratio 6-speed transmission makes gear selection less critical, but I did
find false neutral several times at high revs. Can you get your knee pucks
dirty? Probably, but if that is your goal, hit a track day.
Picking up the groceries, the Versys makes a fun streetfighter.
Everything that makes this bike an enjoyable canyon machine also gives you the
confidence to tackle the streets. The wide handlebars give you the leverage to
tuck the bike through traffic and the ubiquitous petal disk breaks effectively
scrub off speed. Kawasaki even increased the size of the
radiator from the Ninja 650R to give better cooling for waiting at those
annoying stop lights.
Getting out of town, the Versys is comfortable when you have to hit the
highway. With  the optional hard panniers, top case, and tank bag you can pack
enough to put a couple of weeks between you and home. The seat is comfortable
for both you and passenger with the pillion high enough to provide excellent
forward visibility for everyone involved. The one-piece seat is upholstered to
give the appearance that the pillion is a separate unit and under the seat is a
compartment designed to hold a U-lock in addition to the standard tool kit. If
you really need to put a few miles under you, there is an optional gel seat that
is two inches lower than stock.
If you can only find room in your garage for one bike, the Versys is an
attractive option. It is versatile, attractive, and best of all, fun. The Versys
is available this year in all states except California, where the lack of a vapor recovery
system, (charcoal canister), will delay its arrival by a year.
Riding Style
Helmet: Dainese Airstream Course
Eyewear: Oakley M Frame
Jacket: Firstgear Denali
Gloves: Firstgear Mesh Sport
Pants: Firstgear Meshtech
Boots: Sidi On-Road
Gore-Tex www.kawasaki.com
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