Kawasaki Versys 1000 first ride

The new Kawasaki Versys 1000 is currently being tested by MCN out in Tenerife. Here is Senior Road Tester Adam Child’s first impressions:

“Putting its looks to one side for a moment – beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all – my immediate first impression of the new Versys 1000 is that it’s engine is a peach.”

“The four-cylinder motor is derived from that of the Z1000SX but retuned for more bottom end and midrange and it sure is smooth. In addition, the Versys’s three-way adjustable traction control system, which is derived from those of both the ZX-10R and ZZ-R1400, is working really well on these cold mountain roads.”

“So far we’ve done a combination of motorway cruising and some mountain switchbacks with 200km more to do later and the other thing that’s so far impressed has been how comfortable it is. There’s loads of power, too.”

“Being a four and with no off-road ability it’s not really a BMW GS rival and Kawasaki themselves consider its competition more bikes like Triumph’s Tiger 1050. Read my full report in next week’s Motorcycle News.”