Kawasaki Versys Tourer 2012

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Bought August 2012. No trade in, £6500 including various extras ontop of the Touring Pack.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7123/7718854004_a46bf23b94_c.jpg

Extras with the Tourer pack are the MRA Vario screen, a tank pad, hand guards and panniers. Extra extras are engine guards, hugger, Fender Extender, flat foot side stand base, mirror extenders, Datatag. They are either now fitted or are on order.

Initial impressions.

Compare and contrast to my other bike, a KLE500 and this is a KLE650 aka Versys. They have very similar upright seating positions and wide handlebars. Both are twins and the vibrations are there on the Versys despite MCN praising Kawasaki for making the Mk II less viby. It does not feel that different from the much older KLE500. Indeed the main complaint is the fairing buzz that apparently plagues many of these bikes. Most annoying are the panels at my knees buzzing away. Actually that is the only complaint. The seat is comfy, the combination of a dial rev counter and digital speedo clear. It has a fuel gauge and clock, but no gear indicator.

Unless you start modding the bike, you can have either panniers or top box, not both. The panniers are Givi Monokey. I have gone with my tail bag, which is secured under the seat with a strap, the bungees fit round the pannier bars and I have a clever lock on a wire (http://www.lifeventure.co.uk/htm/securi ... -lock.html) ordered to keep it as secure as I can.

I am going to run it in as per Kawasaki's recommendations. So 4000 revs max till the 600 mile service. The brand new tyres also mean I am just pottering about at the moment. But slow speed maneuvering is a doddle with the low down weight considering its over all height.

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Touring mode. The panniers are 35 litres each, the tail bag is 40 and I have a 10 litre tank bag. The Vario screen is excellent.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8446/7753380530_18ec3da393_b.jpg

[Fast Eddie]

One day! that'll be the bike run in then?!

Tried getting hold of you today for a run. drop me a line when you're free.

[polecat]

Touring mode. The panniers are 35 litres each, the tail bag is 40 and I have a 10 litre tank bag. The Vario screen is excellent.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8446/7753380530_18ec3da393_b.jpg

You kept this quiet ! I didn't know you were getting a new bike

Great tourer, My friend bought one last year and has done nearly 8000 miles already ! only 1000 less than my 9 year old bike

[Fast Eddie]

PC, you're not a good enough stalker!

http://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/view ... =3&t=45204

[polecat]

PC, you're not a good enough stalker!

http://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/view ... =3&t=45204

Doh

I think its me age

Yeah I forgot / get excited when people get new bikes

[Throttled]

Did 180 miles today, mixed roads, lots of traffic so easy running. There are still two bars on the fuel gauge, so that bodes well for a 200 mile + range.

I am going to invest in a gel pad and lower footpegs to give more leg room. Other than that even keeping it below 5000 revs it feels as fast as the KLE500, so much to look forward to.

PS - Ed, PM sent, Polecat, I am surprised as you at getting a new bike. Thanks to the wife for saying to the salesman, is that new?!

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May as well update my thread about the Versys as well, eighteen months on.....

Faults - blew an indicator bulb.

Annoying - fairing buzz, cured by taking the whole off and putting it back on again

Crash - came off on some mud. The Kawasaki bung did its job and damage was easily fixed with a new screen, new handguards, polishing and some paint. I have not yet renewed the bung, which sanded back to a finish which means you have to really look at it to to realise it is scraped. The pannier has some vinyl cover over the scratches, but it still works fine.

Upgrades - (helped by winning a competition for extras) flatfoot for the side stand, mirror extenders, peg lowering, bar riser, fender extender, bumbag4bikers padded seat, tool tubes fitted to inside the pannier frame, hugger, bobbins, top box and rack. Much of that was bought second hand via the excellent UK Versys website.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2862/10191477205_57d72bfa65_z.jpg

Riding - very comfy, easy 200 mile range, great for touring and then going for a blast and then commuting. Fine two up with a small lad and a huge fellow who made the suspension sag but the bike felt fine on the move.

Servicing - easy, I can do it myself. The fairings come off easily, the spark plugs are tucked away and crud gets into where they sit, the rest is just bog standard stuff.

Tyres - Metzeler Z6 feel more secure than the originals in wet weather.

Happiness - very!

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Update after five years of ownership and 23k on the clock.

The bikes finish has held up well to five years all year round use and being kept outside. Keeping corrosion at bay was limited to the pannier racks.

Faults - metal rims inside the coils corroded and the coils needed replacing. The exhaust cracked where it joins the silencer and was replaced. The reset button for the trip failed. All are known faults reported by a number of Versys owners. The clutch cable was replaced after it had virtually seized.

Annoyances - three different screens and none were particularly good at keeping the wind blast at bay. Motorways were 60-70mph before it got intolerable with my head like it was in a tumble drier. The fairing buzzed occasionally.

Good bits - very comfortable (below 70mph), mechanically it never failed to start or let me down. It is versatile and was fun on the twisties, but would also tour with a pillion. fat midrange torque meant it could keep up with bigger bikes.