Kawasaki Versys 1000GT

On the front, the Kawasaki Versys 1000 looks like an adventure version of the popular Ninja sports bike. While it has the typical adventure motorcycle stance, the sporty and aggressive design, especially at the front, gives it a much purposeful and mean stance.

The Versys 1000 comes adorned with a set of dual headlamps, which are encased in a sloping fairing below a tall and transparent windscreen. Below the headlamps are two fake air intakes, which make the front fascia look sharper.

The tall stance of the Versys 1000 is further accentuated by the beefy but high mounted fuel tank with wide extensions and low seat height. The non-existent side body cowls, exposed tubular frame, and large and very functional pillion grab rail give it a go-anywhere personality reminiscent of this category of motorcycles.

At the rear, the Versys 1000 comes with a small LED tail lamp nestled within a wide rear tailpiece, with a short fender below it. The single piece 4-into-1 exhaust pipe looks beefy, however, the design for the alloy wheels could have been better.

The part-digital instrument console is pretty informative with an analog tachometer and an LCD screen showcasing speedometer, odometer, trip meters, fuel gauge, temperature gauge, clock and small other bits. The rear view mirrors have a sharp angular design, however, they could have been bigger and more functional in terms of usage. Also, the motorcycle lacks panniers and handlebar guards, though they are available as optional equipment.

The Kawasaki Versys 1000 sits on a twin-tube aluminium frame. It has got a pair of 43 mm inverted fork with rebound damping (right-side) and spring preload adjustability at the front. With Horizontal back-link, gas-charged monoshock with rebound damping, and remote spring preload adjustability at the rear.

The suspension, as compared to other motorcycles in this class is set on a slightly stiffer side, which gives it an edge in terms of handling. In terms of stopping power, the Versys 1000 is armed with dual 310 mm disc brakes at the front and a single 250 mm disc brake at the rear.

At the heart of the Kawasaki Versys 1000 is a four stroke inline four liquid-cooled, fuel injected, 1043 cc engine, which has been straightly lifted off from the Kawasaki Ninja 1000. However, for the Versys 1000, the engine has been specifically retuned for a better bottom end performance and meatier mid-ranger.

Thanks to this rework done to the engine, it produces 120 PS of power and 102 Nm of torque. The engine is coupled with a smooth and slick 6-speed gearbox, which too has been retained from the Ninja 1000. However, it is reworked with taller ratios for extracting more performance in the midrange.

The Kawasaki Versys 1000 is currently the least equipped motorcycle in its category in terms of electronic riding aids on offer. However, the motorcycle still comes with a commendable 3-mode traction control and two power modes, apart from dual channel ABS.

The Kawasaki Versys 1000 might not be as hardcore as some of the brilliant serious adventure motorcycles from Europe. However, it is a perfect companion for long weekend getaway rides, owing to its comfortable ergonomics, sweet power delivery, and fantastic chassis. While the styling is more in sports bike territory owing to its Ninja-specific genes, the muted performance for better torque down the rev range makes it a very practical big bike to ride in all conditions. And being one of the most affordable litre class adventure motorcycles in the market right now, the Kawasaki Versys 1000 is one terrific value for money proposition.