The Kawasaki Versys 650 is a genuinely all-round adventure tourer, styled in the image of its bigger Versys 1000 sibling and just as happy on a short office commute as it is loaded up for a weekend away. It sits as the accessible, middleweight heart of Kawasaki’s adventure touring range, measuring 840mm across at its widest point.
A 649cc liquid-cooled parallel twin, DOHC 8-valve with a compact 83 x 60mm bore and stroke and a 10.8:1 compression ratio, produces 67PS at 8,500rpm and 61Nm of torque at 7,000rpm through twin 38mm Keihin throttle bodies. Drive runs through a smooth six-speed gearbox and wet multi-disc clutch to a sealed chain, with digital ignition, electric start and forced lubrication through a semi-dry sump, giving easy going, gratifying response that never feels like it’s working hard.
A tubular diamond, high-tensile steel frame carries a 41mm inverted telescopic fork with stepless rebound damping adjustment on the right leg and preload adjustment on the left, matched to an offset laydown single shock with remote preload adjustment for quick changes when riding two up. Dual semi-floating 300mm petal front discs with dual-piston calipers and a single 250mm rear petal disc handle braking, gripping 120/70 front and 160/60 rear tyres, with 150mm of front and 145mm of rear wheel travel. At 217kg with an 845mm seat, a 1,415mm wheelbase and 170mm of ground clearance, it steers with real lightness in traffic and copes with rougher lanes with ease.
An adjustable windscreen and colour TFT meter with Bluetooth connectivity keep long journeys comfortable and connected, while LED lighting throughout and Kawasaki’s KTRC traction control add genuine peace of mind when the weather turns. At a compact 2,165mm long and 1,360mm tall, it slots into a parking space as easily as it slots through traffic, and a 21-litre tank backs up the touring intent, giving strong range between fill-ups on the way to Cornwall or back, with the light clutch pull making stop-start traffic no chore either. It’s a practical, easy to live with machine for new and experienced riders alike. Available now at GT Motorcycles, your Kawasaki dealer in Plymouth, with finance and test rides available across Devon and Cornwall.
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