Versys 1000 (2011 - 2014) review
Sharing the same engine as the Z1000 and Z1000SX the Versys 1000 is Kawasaki's four-cylinder do-it-all motorcycle
Enter Kawasaki's new Versys 1000, the younger but slightly bigger and uglier brother to the Z1000 and Z1000SX. It’s a 240kg, 1043cc, four-cylinder motorcycle with 'adventure' styling. However, Kawasaki were keen to tell us 'it’s not aimed at the GS', the bike that’s been at the top of the Adventure Sport category almost since the day it was launched.
Gone are the days where you could confidently stick a new motorcycle into an established class and weigh it up against the others. Like everything else in the world; motorcycling has become increasingly complicated over the last few years and the boundaries between categories have been blurred; the Versys 1000 joins the Versys 650 in Kawasaki’s ‘Dual Purpose’ category. The other Kawasaki’s in this category include the KLX250 and D-Tracker 125, which both look like off-roaders with a numberplate.
So how do you make a Versys 1000? First take the frame and engine from the Z1000, add long-travel suspension, a 21-litre tank, a plush seat and voila, you’re pretty much there.
Read the full Kawasaki Versys 1000 review.
Enter Kawasaki's new Versys 1000, the younger but slightly bigger and uglier brother to the Z1000 and Z1000SX. It’s a 240kg, 1043cc, four-cylinder motorcycle with 'adventure' styling. However, Kawasaki were keen to tell us 'it’s not aimed at the GS', the bike that’s been at the top of the Adventure Sport category almost since the day it was launched.
Gone are the days where you could confidently stick a new motorcycle into an established class and weigh it up against the others. Like everything else in the world; motorcycling has become increasingly complicated over the last few years and the boundaries between categories have been blurred; the Versys 1000 joins the Versys 650 in Kawasaki’s ‘Dual Purpose’ category. The other Kawasaki’s in this category include the KLX250 and D-Tracker 125, which both look like off-roaders with a numberplate.
So how do you make a Versys 1000? First take the frame and engine from the Z1000, add long-travel suspension, a 21-litre tank, a plush seat and voila, you’re pretty much there.
Read the full Kawasaki Versys 1000 review.
Enter Kawasaki's new Versys 1000, the younger but slightly bigger and uglier brother to the Z1000 and Z1000SX. It’s a 240kg, 1043cc, four-cylinder motorcycle with 'adventure' styling. However, Kawasaki were keen to tell us 'it’s not aimed at the GS', the bike that’s been at the top of the Adventure Sport category almost since the day it was launched.
Gone are the days where you could confidently stick a new motorcycle into an established class and weigh it up against the others. Like everything else in the world; motorcycling has become increasingly complicated over the last few years and the boundaries between categories have been blurred; the Versys 1000 joins the Versys 650 in Kawasaki’s ‘Dual Purpose’ category. The other Kawasaki’s in this category include the KLX250 and D-Tracker 125, which both look like off-roaders with a numberplate.
So how do you make a Versys 1000? First take the frame and engine from the Z1000, add long-travel suspension, a 21-litre tank, a plush seat and voila, you’re pretty much there.
Read the full Kawasaki Versys 1000 review.
