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Dark horse - Kawasaki Versys 1000

We’re still getting used to the fact the Japanese are no longer coming up with
new engines as readily as everyone else changes colour schemes.

So while we had an idea there might be a big capacity Versys on the way, plenty of people were expecting a twin to complement the existing 650.

Instead what we’ve got looks on paper at least like something of a ‘bitza’, in essence a Z1000 with longer travel suspension and new bodywork. But Kawasaki has been more thorough than that.

What’s new?

Yes, the engine is the same 1043cc unit that powers the Z1000 and the Z1000SX, but it’s had a package of changes to help it better suit its new role. The aim has been to increase the spread of torque in the lower reaches of the rev range, the sacrifice in maximum horsepower being considered worth it. So the combustion chambers have been reworked to reduce the compression ratio from 11.8:1 to 10.3:1, a move made necessary by the less radical valve timing: lift, duration and
overlap are all reduced, and the throttle bodies are a smaller diameter to improve response at gentler speeds. Peak power as a result is down to 116bhp at 9000rpm.

The engine management has two modes – normal and a low power one for wet conditions which limits output to 75% of the maximum with a softer throttle response.

The gearbox has been altered to match the new power and torque curves, with lower first and second gears but taller rations from third to sixth. The more long legged transmission, along with the engine changes, improves economy according to Kawasaki, by 16% compared with the Z1000 – which is welcome as that does have something of a thirst for unleaded.

The frame is the same basic unit as the Z1000’s but features additional bracing tubes each side of the engine, a less steep steering angle and a stronger subframe. That’s worth noting as the Z1000SX is not rated to be fitted with panniers and a topbox together, where the Versys 1000 can be loaded up with the full set and a lardy passenger too.

The rear suspension has more travel than the Z1000’s, as you’d expect, while the front forks are a new design from KYB (formerly Kayaba). They have a conventional separate inner damper cartridge but this is mounted differently so it can have thinner walls, which in turn means a bigger damper piston can be used. There are also secondary damping valves to control the oil flow at the points where the suspension movement is changing direction from compressing to extending, and vice versa, offering in theory better wheel control. We’ll come to that...

The electronics are taken from Kawasaki’s existing box of tricks, so you get the excellent Bosch ABS 9 system and probably the best traction control available, a three-mode version of the predictive KTRC used on the ZX-10R Ninja. Modes one and two are performance oriented and allow a degree of tyre slippage for maximum drive out of turns while level three is a safety option which prevents any slip.

Despite the Z1000 underpinnings, the Versys 1000 ergonomics are very different, with an upright and spacious riding position, broad and roomy seat, manually height-adjustable screen and an emphasis on passenger comfort. The dash functions includes remaining range, current and average fuel economy and an ‘eco’ indicator which lets you know when you’re riding gently – alternatively, look at how quickly the scenery’s moving.

How does it perform?

It’s often the case that when an engine is detuned for more torque, it feels like it’s lost power for little gain.

But those engine changes are much more successful in the Versys. It’s one of those motors that’s just fun to use, with an eager response and little need to stir the gearbox as the bike pulls well enough in the higher gears, despite them being taller.

When you do drop a ratio or two you discover this is a fast motorcycle, or more importantly, it’s a fast motorcycle at everyday road speeds.

Even climbing 2300m up the El Teide volcano in Tenerife, with the engine becoming increasingly starved of oxygen because of the altitude and faced with some steep climbs, the sensation of muscle and willingness was never diluted.

This is ideal for heavily loaded touring, and immediately sets the Versys 1000 up as a class leader. The fuel economy is on your side too – the pace for much of my ride was very fast indeed, with the traction control chiming in now and then, lots of heavy braking and high speed runs, and still the dash was displaying 39mpg. In more normal use, even without trying too hard I’d expect 45mpg to be the norm, while gentle riding should be rewarded with figures close to 50mpg. In turn, that will mean a range of at least 210 miles, with 250 miles a possibility, one of the best in the class.

The power unit’s only real negative is vibration, the bane of many Z1000 and Z1000SX owners. It’s not as serious on the Versys partly because of additional rubber on the footrests, while the wider bars seem to damp out some of it, but as you hit 6000rpm the buzzing starts, and it could be irritating at steady high speeds. I wouldn’t let it put me off the bike though.

A bigger concern is the front suspension, which is a real surprise considering the forks are KYB’s latest technology. I was uncomfortable with them initially for their high speed vagueness, as if they’re not torsionally stiff enough, then on the sinuous back roads the lack of feedback or any sensation of how the tyre was coping was, at best, disconcerting.

The bike is exceptionally agile with an eager response to the bars, and this sharp handling only emphasises how the forks let it down – ironically if the rest of the bike didn’t handle so well you’d probably not be so bothered about the performance of the forks when you’re flinging it about.

But then you hit a bumpy or poorly surfaced road, and the forks now give you a poor ride quality and the feeling that the front wheel is bouncing around too much. I tried increasing the damping settings and this did help to some extent, and possibly with more time you could dial out the issues, but I wouldn’t bank on it (as it were...) as the bikes we rode had already had the suspension firmed up from standard, in the expectation that we’d be using the bike hard.

Despite that, you’d still be quicker on a challenging road than any direct rivals because of the rightness of the rest of the chassis, but if it’s tactility and reward you’re after rather than outright speed, then the Versys doesn’t quite deliver.

It’s worth noting at this point just what those rivals might be, as Kawasaki is at pains to point out this the big Versys not a BMW R1200GS pretender as it has no claimed off-road ability, nor is it set against the ultra-high performance Ducati Multistrada.

Instead this should be seen as an adventure-styled sports tourer, very much up against the Triumph Tiger 1050 rather than Explorer, or even the Honda Crossrunner, which comes close in price.

If you’re not the sort to push a bike especially hard then the Kawasaki is a much brighter prospect, as the touring aspect of its portfolio is very strong. As mentioned, the range is exceptionally good, and the comfort is a match for that. The seat is plush and all-day welcoming, and your arms and legs are stretched out enough to avoid cramping. Shorter riders will find the bike a little tall, a generic problem with this class, otherwise the fit is good for a wide range of riders.

The screen does a good job too, directing the air smoothly and quietly at your helmet while keeping pressure off you lower down, and being able to scroll through the dash from the left handlebar is an improvement on the Z1000SX where you need to reach forward to the dash. A shame you need to break out the toolkit to adjust the headlight beam angle though – on a bike like this where loads vary a lot and the suspension travel is long, this ought to be an easy job to do by hand from the saddle.

Ah, and then there’s the looks. I got used to it after a day’s exposure to what looks like a two-wheeled Red Dwarf’s Kryten, and could even see a rugged sort of handsome in the chiselled lines. But it’s not going to make the Guggenheim.

I really enjoyed this bike despite the flaws, and more than that, I’d have one long term for its impressive all-rounder ability. So to answer that main question: yes, a four most certainly can work in this class. Those forks and the vibration are annoying, but the fundamentals are so good they do compensate.

Then there’s the sub-£10,000 tag, which, as it includes ABS, is less even than the keenly priced Tiger 1050, and you get an excellent traction control system too.

Words: Kevin Ash
Pics: Paul Barshon, Double Red