The Kawasaki Versys 1000, build your custom adventure bike

The successful Kawasaki Versus 1000 is a real allrounder. Most of us will immediately feel at home on this motorcycle. The Versys is agile and feels light, even though it’s a big bike and weighs over 250 kilos. The bike feels stable on higher speed, but also gives the confidence for lane splitting.

The 1043 cc engine provides a solid 120 bhp and 102 Nm torque. It provides a pleasant amount of performance, also in low revs. Want to ride economically and save fuel? The fuel consumption of 1 over 20 is very decent.

This year, Kawasaki introduces the ‘standard’ edition of the Versys 1000. The ‘standard’ Versys can be yours for the very friendly price tag of €13.899,-. From that friendly starting point, you can upgrade the bike to your own wishes. Think of adding a quick shifter or blipper, a higher wind shield, heated grips and multiple options for panniers and luggage.

The seating position and comfort on the bike was an aspect that got great attention when designing the Versys 1000. The high and in height adjustable wind screen protects you from the wind while riding. Riding for hours and hours are no problem, due to the comfortabel seating position. The hours won’t just fly by out of comfort, but also thanks to the great handling of the bike. The low centre of gravity and the wide steering bar ensure easy handling. You sit quite upright, your knees are bent comfortably and the seat provides the proper comfort for long rides. Combine that with the Electronic Cruise Control and no distance is too far.

The Kawasaki Versys 1000 also handles well on twisty roads. The long travel and the 17 inch rims are mainly road focused. Most adventure bikes are a compromis between off-road and on road use. The Versys 1000 isn’t. It’s focused on road riding and therefore offers lots of comfort while doing so. The intelligent anti-lock braking system named ‘KIBS’ with powerful radial-mount monoblock calipers provides extra safety.

There are plenty of options available for every motorcyclist who enjoys long motorcycle holidays or trips (with or without a passenger). Kawasaki offers three different accessories packages for the Kawasaki Versys 1000:

• Tourer: mono-key panniers with luxurious inner bags
• Tourer Plus: mono-key panniers with luxurious inner bags, LED fog lights, a GPS mount and frame sliders
• Grand Tourer: mono-key panniers with luxurious inner bags, LED fog lights, a GPS mount, frame sliders and a top box also with a luxurious inner bag

Our colleague Ron Betist rode over 500 kilometers in one day through the Spanish Pyrenees on the Kawasaki Versys 1000S. While Ron is a real ‘retro rider’ and mostly rides retro bikes or vintage motorcycles, he had a great time riding the Versys. He believes it to be a perfect allround motorcycle and a very friendly companion for every rider who enjoys long rides.

Try a Kawasaki of your choosing via MotoShare. Check out the wide range of Kawasaki models from both private owners as well as from certified Kawasaki dealers. Or check out Kawasaki Rent. Kawasaki and MotoShare work together trough the Kawasaki Rent platform to let you meet the brand and her wide range of motorcycles.