Kawasaki Versys 1000 (2015-2019) long-term test

After nigh-on a year and more than 13,000 miles, it’s time to say goodbye to the Kawasaki Versys 1000.

• Related: full expert 2015 Kawasaki Versys 1000 review

I’d like to tell you it’s been emotional, but it hasn’t and that’s because it’s been the most competent, hassle-free, easy-to-use bike I’ve ever done such big miles on. No, it’s not the fastest or most exciting – but I’ve grown to like it, and more significantly I depend 100% on its no-fuss approach to motorcycling.

Versys life in numbers…  

120 (bhp)

It may not sound a lot, especially on a bike that weighs 250kg, but I haven’t found the motor wanting. Kawasaki have a well-deserved reputation for building strong engines and the proven inline four-cylinder 1043cc Versys motor is no exception. Due to good fuelling and what feels like low gearing, it’s responsive throughout the range and pulls with satisfying urgency at anything over 6500rpm. While there isn’t a glut of power it’s easy to access every bit of bhp it has, which makes it brisk and useable.

51 (average mpg)

My commute is a round trip of just under 140 miles, most of it on fast dual carriageway or motorway. On average my cruising speed hovers around an indicated 85mph, yet the Versys has delivered a more-than-acceptable mpg of just over 50mpg.

13,125 (miles ridden)

When the average annual mileage for a UK biker is under 3000, completing over 13,000 in less than 12 months equals four-plus years of biking in one hit. During this time it’s had no problems, no breakdowns and no drama. The only niggle was when the neutral light started staying on, but the problem which arrived without warning has disappeared just as fast.

0 (a year of zero-ego biking)

I’ve enjoyed the Versys’ functionality and anonymity. It’s capable of being ridden fast, but I don’t feel compelled to do so. It’s also not trying to be a BMW GS clone, so even when loaded up with kit it doesn’t give the impression that you’ve just left your family and are about to start an epic round-the-world adventure!

18 or 66 (miles to empty)

My biggest gripe is the fact the fuel gauge and miles-to-empty tripmeter don’t tally. I’ve had three bars showing on the gauge with the miles-to-empty reading 28, yet on another day three bars on the gauge will give a range of 120. While I’ve never actually run out, I’ve had a few twitchy moments.

1 to 6 (which gear?)

About the only thing missing is a gear indicator. While in reality it’s no big deal, in my opinion it’s the type of bike that should have one and it’s a bike where owners would expect one.

9749 (price in £)

Just shy of £10k is a lot of money but on balance I think it’s a fair price, and represents good value for money, largely down to its complete competence as a do-it-all motorcycle. It has good presence, it’s very comfortable, has a balanced chassis, more-than-adequate brakes and a lively and surprisingly fast motor. I’m going to miss it!

Long term update: Green gremlin strikes

First published 18 February 2016

It’s taken 12,000 miles and seven months of riding, but I’ve finally found a fault with Kawasaki’s brilliant all-rounder. Well when I say ‘fault’, what I really mean is ‘minor glitch’.

2000 miles ago I was sat in the fast lane of the A1 happily cruising along in top gear when I noticed that the neutral light was glowing green. It started as an intermittent issue, but over time it became more regular. At its peak last week when I began my journey at the start of the day I selected first gear but the neutral light stayed on, shining bright. This lasted for the first 20 miles despite me going up and down the gearbox as you do in the normal course of riding on the road.

Although there are no other symptoms related to the light staying on, I contacted Kawasaki to see if they could comment on the situation. After discussions with the workshop they believe they know what the problem might be, but want to get the bike in for an inspection. Clearly it’s nothing to worry about and Kawasaki’s attitude is the right one, they don’t wish to speculate, but they do want to see the fault with their own eyes and you can be sure anything they do find will be fed back to factory engineers so it won’t happen again.

The recent cold snap, which resulted in heavily salted roads has taken its toll on some of the small components on the Versys. There’s furring on a number of bolts and on the underside of the foot rests, but I guess this is inevitable unless you’re an obsessive bike cleaner – which I certainly am not.

Winter is also a time where you appreciate good rubber. The Pirelli Angel GT tyres I fitted over 5000 miles continue to perform brilliantly. They somehow seem to find grip on seriously cold, wet and slimy roads making them the single best change I’ve made to the bike so far.

Long term update: Can sensible be fun?

Published: 28 January 2016

The digital display on my Kawasaki Versys 1000 clicked past 11,000 miles on my way to work last week and it occurred to me just how much my biking habits have changed over the years.

Eleven years ago I was doing the same journey on a Honda CBR600RR that had been fettled by the Ten Kate Honda World Superbike team in Holland. I would have been wearing one-piece leathers and lost hours of my life drooling over aftermarket exhausts, Power Commanders and which trackdays to go on. Fast forward to 2016 and I’ve spent more time evaluating the internal capacity of different top-boxes.

So my biking needs have evolved over the years. Now I get my kicks competing off-road in the All Terrain Rally Challenge and riding trials, both of which I’ve been able to loosely combine with my last two long-term test bikes – the BMW R1200GS Adventure and KTM 1190 Adventure R. But this year with the Versys it’s been different because the Kawasaki has no off-road pedigree and is strictly designed for road use.

Further analysis of the long-term test bikes I’ve been fortunate enough to run over the past decade-and-a-bit shows the Versys is very much the odd one out. Every other bike could be easily pigeon-holed. From the glut of sportsbikes including the 600RR, Yamaha R6, Aprilia RSV Mille, Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Yamaha R1 to big adventure bikes including the GS and 1190 through to a BMW F800GS, Yamaha Super Tenere and KTM 990 Adventure, they’ve all been easy to categorise.

The Versys is just a bike, and a very good bike at that. From day one it’s put a wry smile on my face. It may not be the bike to smash personal-best lap times around a track or be able to take me over the Italian Alps off road, but what it is trying to be is an excellent road bike – and it succeeds.

With 120bhp on tap it’s fast when you want it to be. It’s spacious, comfortable and gives good weather protection. It has good road presence and having been sat onboard for each and every one of the bike’s 11,000 miles, it’s been a good place to be.

I’d be lying if I said the Versys sets my heart racing when it comes to its looks and performance, but I’m enjoying my year of ego-free biking and have grown to like and unconditionally trust the big Kawasaki.

Long term update: 10,000 miles and counting

Published: 15 January 2016

You learn a lot about a bike riding it through winter. Cold, wet rides give you plenty of chance to get serious about your evaluation of a bike. In the  summer months rides go past in a blur of enjoyment, life is good and as result any analysis is far less critical.

But in the winter the miles tick past slowly, you become acutely aware of factors effecting your confidence, comfort and general mindset. Now 10,319 miles in and I’ve had plenty of time to evaluate the nitty gritty of life with the big Versys. While I’ve been fortunate to run faster and more exotic long term test bikes during my 13 years at MCN, the Versys has shown me the joys of having a completely competent all-round motorcycle. As a bike it doesn’t pigeon hole you in anyway. It’s a not a sports bike, commuter, adventure bike or tourer, yet it remains capable of filling the criteria of them all… to a point.

As a commuter and tourer it puts a big tick in permanent pen in those boxes thanks to its slow speed manoeuvrability and long distance comfort. As a sports bike it obviously can’t cut it with an ZX-10R on track but on a typically bumpy, poorly-surfaced British B-road it would happily hold its own thanks to its strong motor, useable power and solid handling. As an Adventure bike, I wouldn’t fancy taking it off-road on anything other than a smooth fire track, but not many GS’s ever see serious off road – so that’s another tick in that box.

As far as niggles, I only have two. The first is the wind noise I get no matter where I put the adjustable Powerbronze screen. From a buffeting point of view it performs well, but the level of wind noise is high. I’m coming round to thinking it’s purely down to the combination of my height, helmet and screen angle – so I’m planning to try a different helmet. My only other issue is the fuel gauge and miles-to-empty readout. They don’t concur making the moment I hit reserve and the fuel display begin to flash a bit of a lottery!

Long term update: ‘I laugh at winter’

Published: 30 November 2015

With a 140-mile commute to the office and back, it’s fair to say I’m going to be racking up the miles this winter. I know it hasn’t turned really cold just yet, but right now I’m feeling optimistic about the slippery roads, wind, rain and no doubt snow.

The reason is that I’ll be riding the unflappable Kawasaki Versys 1000. Having already covered over 9000 miles, it’s yet to disappoint me, and I don’t think months of winter riding are going to change that.

As standard it’s a bike with good road presence. It stands tall and proud and puts me in a very neutral position which makes it easy to handle and provides good visibility – a vital attribute for staying safe on a wet, cold, night.

I’m still in the process of getting the bike fully sorted for winter, but the mods so far include an adjustable Powerbronze screen (£75), which is now at its highest setting. Its size and height mean its top edge is in my line of sight but the benefit from the much- wider-than-standard screen is far better protection and significantly less wind chill to the upper body.

I’ve also fitted Kawasaki hand guards (£138.85), which offer reassuring protection and also reduce the direct wind chill dramatically. The new Kawasaki top box (£248.80) has great carrying capacity and keep my bag and laptop safe and dry.

Having progressively wound up the rear shock’s compression damping during the summer months to exploit the grip on dry roads, I’ve now backed it off to just below standard. With significantly less grip available I won’t be pushing the bike’s handling limits, and the softer suspension gives me more feel, grip and confidence at a time when I need it most.

But the single biggest change I’ve made to make the winter riding experience more palatable is new tyres. The original Bridgestone T30s did the job, but with hindsight they never gave great feedback, especially on the front. These have been replaced with Pirelli Angel GTs (approx £230 mail order), which impressed from the moment they were fitted. Dry grip, feel and handling is improved and their wet weather performance continues to inspire confidence, with their ability to warm up and get into their operating temperature quickly a key feature.

While I feel I’m nearly ready for winter there are still some other modifications I intend to do. I’m yet to fit heated grips – a must for winter riding – and am weighing up whether to use original Kawasaki grips or an aftermarket item such as Oxford Hot Grips, which I’ve used and been impressed with in the past.

I’m also looking to improve my chances to be seen and heard. While I’m not a fan of overly loud aftermarket exhausts they are a great way to inform distracted drivers of your whereabouts. The current silencer on the Versys clearly does its job efficiently and the engine note remains incredibly quiet at anything under 6000rpm. The plan is to fit a Scorpion silencer, which should improve acoustics without giving the neighbours reason to complain. It should also release a few extra bhp, which I probably won’t need this winter, but I’m always happy to have!

I’m also looking at the possibility of fitting spotlights to the front of the bike. They are available as an extra from Kawasaki or aftermarket suppliers.Getting the bike fully ready for winter remains a work in progress but while I know it won’t always be plain sailing, I’m feeling pretty confident about the Versys’ ongoing performance throughout the months ahead.

Long term update: Versys versus Versys

Published: 17 October 2015

The 2015 Versys 1000 has been receiving rave reviews since its launch at the end of last year and in 6000 miles I’ve been seriously impressed. The previous 1000 never managed to generate the same love. The single overwhelming factor for this was the styling which to put it politely, split opinion. The old bike’s industrial-looking design has now gone, replaced with a much slicker, sportier fairing.

But while the styling is radically different, I was staggered by how similar the two bikes are to ride. First of all, sat on the bike the cockpit view and switchgear is identical apart from a slight type change on the rev counter.

Swapping from bike to bike you notice a minimal difference in the riding position. On the old bike the rider is sat slightly more on top rather than the in-it position of the softer-seated new bike. The handlebar position is also slightly different. On the old bike the angle of the bars feels straighter, giving a more off-road/adventure feel.

Engine-wise they were again hard to split despite the new bike gaining an extra 2bhp. My bike felt freer but I think this is down to the fact that it’s covered over 6000 miles compared to the old model we tested, which had less than 500 miles showing on the digital display.

On the chassis and suspension front, the new bike won out largely due to the fresh Pirelli Angel GT tyres fitted. In contrast the old Versys was fitted with a pair of Pirelli Scorpion Trail which were barely scrubbed in. The new bike also feels slightly plusher, which is a combination of more compliant tyres and the softer seat.

So the question of which one is best is easily answered by the fact that once on the move they are virtually identical. If you’re not offended by the challenging looks of the old bike then there are great deals to be had.

Long term update: Racing the sun

Published: 05 August 2015

 There is something satisfying about watching the sunrise. The sense of tranquillity from being the only person awake at 4.30am has a lot to do with it. So with a full 16 hours of daylight ahead of me it was time for a ride and to see exactly how capable my Kawasaki Versys really is.

The plan was simple. Start the day by watching the sun rise over the North Sea on the east coast of England and then watch the sun set over the Bristol Channel at the west of the country.

The Versys 1000 is billed as a true do-it-all motorcycle, capable of big distances in comfort. So far my longest single journey had been 100 miles so this 350-mile jaunt across the UK was a true test of the bike’s credentials. With time on my hands thanks to the brutally early start I decide not to use motorways, meaning the entire ride would be conducted on A and B-roads. 

With sunrise enjoyed on the beach at Aldeburgh, I head back to the B&B I stayed in last night to make the most of the breakfast part of the deal. A few coffees later I’m back in the land of the living. Dawn feels like a long time ago and by 9am I’m on the go, scything through twisty Suffolk B-roads. I’ve done most of my 3856 miles on the Versys commuting up and down the A1 so being on twisty undulating roads is a joy.

The Versys is a big bike, but its wide bars mean you get plenty of leverage. Add in a dose of peg pressure and it turns into corners well and changes direction accurately. And while the engine is silky-smooth and relaxing at low revs, there’s a definite change of temperament and exhaust note the moment the rev counter reaches 6000rpm. And it runs all the way to the 10,000rpm redline.

The B-roads are swapped for fast sweeping A-roads before I’m forced to endure a stint on the A14. It’s not the nicest road but it does an excellent job of dissecting the country from east to west and it enables me to clear the over-populated Midlands and get into the historic town of Warwick for lunch. With seven hours of daylight still to play with I elect to hop into Wales in search of more great roads. Riding for the sake of it and with no immediate destination in mind is rewarding.

I stumble across the beautiful Symonds Yat, before finding myself on the entertaining A466. Just when I think it can’t get any better I ride past the stunning ruins of Tintern Abbey. But I now need to get a wriggle on to get to Weston Super Mare in time for sunset. My original plan to go via Gloucester rather than use the Severn Bridge has to be scrapped and I cruise across the bridge, admiring its scale and architecture along with the significant time saving it provides. I roll into Weston at 8pm, following brown tourist signs for the beach.

According to the BBC website the sun sets at 21.01 but it looks pretty low in the sky already. I search the seafront for the prime spot to take in the end of the day, before parking up on the North Beach with the Grand Pier in sight.

It dawns on me that I’ve gone all day without the ice cream I’d promised myself and when I convince the lady in the kiosk next to me, who’s closing up shop, to give me a 99 I’m made up. The east to west odyssey is complete.

But that’s not where the day ends. With nowhere local to stay tonight it’s time to head home. Hertfordshire is a cool 130 miles away so I decide to use the motorway. After a stop for a bite to eat at the services I arrive home at 11.40pm with 479.7 miles on the clock.

Putting in big miles and big hours takes you out of your comfort zone and from experience this is when you learn the most about your bike. By the time I arrive home, my arse is aching and so are my wrists. I’m also a little tired of the buffeting I’ve endured at high speeds, but still smiling. To ride 14 hours in one day is a lot by anyone’s standards, but the Versys made it easy. It looks like I’m going to have to ride a lot further if I want to find the limits of the big Kawasaki.

MCN Fleet: Is Versys a match for GS?

Published: 24 June 2015

MCN Sports Editor Michael Guy compares Kwak’s comfort to the iconic BMW.

Last year I covered 16,000 miles on a BMW R1200GS Adventure, the epic round-the-world mile-muncher. In eight months of ownership it never once disappointed, and that included a few 600-mile days across the Alps. When I took delivery of the Versys 1000 this year I was expecting it to feel a poor relation to the GS, but after 1200 miles that simply isn’t the case.

The GS was a luxurious place to be – wide seat, great wind protection, an overwhelming sense of mass and stability, plus enough creature comforts to keep you occupied on the longest journey. But even putting the Versys up against this revered benchmark, it doesn’t disappoint.

The ergonomics of the Kawasaki are mightily impressive, plenty of legroom means knees aren’t too bent and the footpeg, seat and handlebar relationship appears spot on for my 5ft 10in frame. The stock screen, like the GS, is adjustable, but even on its highest setting it doesn’t give the level of wind protection you’d expect.

The characters of BMW’s 1200 boxer twin and the Kawasaki’s 1000cc inline four are worlds apart, but in reality they both offer the same easy and relaxed cruising at fast motorway speeds. The Versys engine is ultra-smooth, there are no vibes which means tingle-free hands even after hours on the bike. It also delivers near-identical MPG to the BMW – it’s currently just over 44mpg – but it lacks the huge range of the GS with its 30-litre fuel tank. 

My gut feeling is that the Versys would handle a long day in the saddle with ease. The addition of a higher screen and hand guards would make the experience easier still, but even in bog-standard trim I would be unfazed if I was told I had to ride to the south of France in the morning. So to answer the question – it’s a yes. The Versys is capable of munching big miles to same degree as the BMW. It will deliver near-identical MPG and will leave you feeling fresh when you disembark at the other end. It may lack that last few per cent of refinement, luxury and long leggedness, but it’s also £3251 cheaper.

Long term update: Move over BMW and KTM

Published: 05 June 2015

Since the day our Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves came back from the launch of the Kawasaki Versys singing its praises I’ve had my eye on the big Kawasaki. Our Mr Neeves loves his sportsbikes so initially I was slightly perplexed as to exactly why he liked it so much. But after just over a week of ownership and 720 miles on the clock I now know exactly what all the fuss is about.

First up is the seating and riding position. Plush suspension, wide seat and enough wind protection from the adjustable screen keep me ache-free for hours. The switchgear and dash feel classy and unlike so many bikes on the market the display doesn’t try to do too much. Instead the menu system is intuitive and simple, so I can work it out without having to make the manual my bedtime story.

For the last two years I’ve been riding around on big twin-cylinder adventure bikes – KTM 1190 Adventure R and BMW R1200GS Adventure and I’d forgotten just how smooth four-cylinder engines can be. The 1000cc inline four is a configuration Kawasaki do so well, and this one is no exception. The only niggles so far are a lack of ground clearance. Being light I don’t normally load the suspension up too much so I was surprised to feel the hero blobs touch down on my first photoshoot with the bike.

But that aside I’m extremely impressed. It puts a smile on my face every time I ride it and it’s annihilating my 130-mile commute.