Kawasaki Versys (2006-2009)

Done 52319 miles in 2 and a half years and so far been one of the most reliable bikes I have ever owned (much better than my BMW R1200GS. Would love to know if anyone else has done more miles?

First motor bike I ever owned. Passed my test and bought one. Got a great deal with all the touring kit did 8k miles in the first year. Found the vibrations in the foot pegs, but other than that great bike.... chopped it in for a Cb1300 as I wanted more power. But would recommend this bike to anyone as a commuter or just a weekend blast.

I got my Versys brand new, fitted with Kawasaki panniers and the flip top touring screen. It is a pre facelift 2009 model. I have had it for just over a year now and put 2000 miles on the clock. I suppose the obvious thing to start with is the looks, and I think it is fair to say that there are more visually appealing bikes in the Kawasaki range. However I think it looks distinctive and striking, especially in the orange colour I have. Looks are always subjective and lets be honest this bike is all about the riding experience and not the pose factor. Let me get this straight from the start this is a very good bike and it really can do pretty much any thing, the name of the bike fits well with the reality of the bike. However there are a few irritations so lets deal with those first. The back brake is poor and has the kind of power that you might think is acceptable on a 150KG 125, used in isolation it is not good however when used in conjunction with the front brake it is ok and is easy to live with when you have got used to it. The mirrors do not hold position and I find that I am constantly adjusting them at motorway speeds. Lots of reveiws talk about the vibes on this bike but I have to say I have not noticed any excessive vibration on my bike, however the fairing did start to make a hell of a rattle at about 5000 RPM when it had done about 1100 miles, this was easily sorted by inserting a couple of bits of inner tube in a couple of places. Not the end of the world but something you don't expect to have to do on a modern brand new bike. These are not serious faults but they are disappointing and not what you would expect to encounter on a well developed and well engineered machine. Over all the faults listed above do not detract too much from the riding experince. The engine is a peach and is very torquey and responsive, but when you are giving it some don't be tempted to hold a gear for too long as it is a little breathless above 9500 RPM, you can make quicker progress by grabbing the next raio at 9000 RPM and riding the torque rather than trying to wring it to the red line. I have seen an indicated 122 on the clock so I think the perfromace is very acceptable. The economy is great, at touring speeds on a trip to Wales last year I averaged 68 MPG for the whole trip and I was enjoying the ride not riding for economy, not bad considering my size and weight (6 ft and 19 stone). The handling is light and easy and I don't know why but I find it very nice and confidence inspiring to ride in the rain compared to some bikes I have had. It will take a very good rider to get the better of you on twisty roads on a sports bike as it is easy throw about and gives great feel and confidence to the rider. The seating position and position of the pegs and bars are just right for me and I find the bike is very comfortable to ride. apert from the niggles mentioned earlier the bike seems to be well put together and cleans up very nicely and still looks like new but I have to admit that while I am not averse to riding in the rain in the summer I do not subject my bikes to winter riding so it hasn't had a coating of road salt to deal with. So there you go' overall a very good bike and it is only the little niggles that I have mentioned that stop me from saying it is a great bike. If you are in the market for a genuine do any thing bike that won't cripple you financially then the Versys really should be on your short list.

Recently sold my 800 VFR,great bike, now own an 09 Versys,early indications are this is a fantastic bike,being vertically challenged i thought i might struggle with the hight but i find it really works for me, no problems at all, i get i little nervous when pulling up alongside other riders because i have to fully adjust myself to put a leg on the floor, but i manage it non the less. i still needed the luggage capabilty and the panniers are good looking and carry decent loads, i am still getting used to the engine, but even so i am getting fantastic MPG, i aint a geek so i dont know exactly what it is but i know when i am riding quicker than normal i still get a good distance between fill ups. I find that i can turn it in quite tight and fast wich suits me fine and the almost lack of any wieght is ideal for the twisties. The back brake lacks any real feel though, so i am having a look at what i can do, overall i am delighted with the bike, i will more than likely buy another sports bike,but hopefully i may just keep this along side so i can have the best of both, just dont tell the wife!!!

I had use this bike for almost 2 years now and the odometer has shown up to 114K km. So far the bike was excelent in all area. Easy to handle and fule economic for long distance ride. It is value for money to get VERSYS as your bike.

I had an ER-6n for almost two years and I loved it! Unfortunately, due to its naked nature,it wasn't too easy to take long trips. So, I decided to go for Versys, since I had already tested it and I was amazed by its sporty character! It is by far the sportiest bike of its category! Its engine delivers more power than you 'd expect but that doesn't follow up to high revs as with the ER. I 've adjusted the Mivv Oval Carbon exhaust and a PiperCross air filter and these modifications magnitude the lower and mid rpm range. Versys shows its best, when it's ridden fast on mountain country roads! Totally deserves every single penny!

I have a 56 plate Versys in Black which has now done 15000 miles. My other bike is a 56 plate Fireblade. Apart from Sunday morning blasts, I seem to take the Versys out more than the Blade, possibley because it is just so versitile. Recently did 1400 mile trip around Scotland all on A & B roads. Thew bike was faultless ( see below only concern) and returned 60mpg fully laden. It does polish up well but some of the welds are very poor quality, especially on the frame with 'splatter' eveident in places. Certainly not up to Honda standards. Great handling, no, really great handling, cant be faulted for ride either. My only grip is that the fuel injection suffers 'jerking' at aroung 4500 rpm which causes a hesitancy. Only does it when riding at a constant speed, ie not accelerating or de accelerating. My Street Triple did it, only much worse so I got rid of it. All in all, great bike and well worth the pennies. Streetsahead

Time for an honest long term review of the Versys I think. Started riding Feb. 08 with an 02 Reg. BMW F650Gs, hand a few problems and lost my confidence with it so traded it in for a new 08 Reg. Versys. Absolutely loved it. Loads of storage space in the panniers, good power, comfortable riding position always responsive even with the girlfriend on the back, good for a little blast on the country lanes and you can push 200+miles on a tank. I have had it 14 months and been on long trips to France and Scotland on it, fantastic. So far I have done over 12,400 miles on it as I ride it to work every day (apart from when there is snow and ice). The only thing its missing as standard is heated hand grips (bigger screen to for long motorway miles but that’s the same for most bikes). In summary I love it... However in the past 4 months I have had nothing but problems. 1st clutch cable fraying - replaced under warranty. 2nd electrical problems - wiring loom replaced - replaced under warranty (but I think they had to mine the ore for it the parts took that long) 3rd exhaust failure - don’t know its only just happened I am really disappointed as it’s a lovely bike but my patience has finally failed now. I am going back to the dealers tomorrow to see what they can do for me. I love the bike and would recommend it to anyone but the reliability has recently been shocking I am hoping this is just a one off from them as I am really really disappointed. (Also had some annoying vibrations from the screen around the 3500-4500 revs mark I could never get rid of entirely) I don't want to put you off a fantastic bike but thought people might like a good & bad review in one.

I bought the Versys 7 months ago and have done about 2000 miles so far with it. It was far too tall for me to start with (I am 5'4'' on a good day!) but with the help of a lowering link and getting the seat scooped out at customseats.co.uk I managed to touch the ground with my feet! I love it, it rides superb, great fun on twisty roads... after my BMW F650GS that rode like a tractor (and broke down everywhere!) it is a breath of fresh air! It has plenty of power and acceleration, fairly fast for a 650cc, easy to ride and very forgiving. And I haven't even dropped it yet which normally occurs doing tight U-turns!

I got done for speeding on my Zx6R last year. From the moment I got stopped it took all of the enjoyment out of riding the ZX for me. It was a great bike but only really provided any enjoyment when giving it big licks! In my opinion it’s just not practical to own a sports bike on today’s roads anymore - with the technology around you can easily get caught for speeding without even knowing it. This is where the Versys comes in - it's a great bike and has made biking enjoyable again for me. In the twisties it can keep up with the best of them. The motor is really flexible and the handling is superb. OK on the straights it’s going to struggle against the sports bikes but that not such a bad thing “your honour!”. It's even enjoyable to ride around town. I can't recommend this bike highly enough. Have fun.