All Tests – 2015 Versys 650 Test: Kawasaki pulls out the big guns – Kawasaki goes all out on its little trail

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2015 Versys 650 test: Kawasaki pulls out the big guns

All Tests - 2015 Versys 650 Test: Kawasaki pulls out the big guns - Kawasaki goes all out on its little trail

The third version of the Versys 650 presented in Cologne will enter service at the beginning of 2015. Five years after correcting its shooting, Kawasaki this time leaves the heavy artillery … Site reviewed the road trail Kawa: guard to him !

Kawasaki puts the package on its little trail

Even relieved of its suitcases, the Versys 650 is not easy to get on for motorcyclists under 1.70m. When the saddlebags are attached, mastering the "Mawashi-Geri" becomes imperative for all those – small or large – who do not want to leave traces of boots. !

Once installed, the rider enjoys an extremely pleasant driving position. As on the previous version, the arms are neither too far apart nor too far apart, the back is straight and both feet simultaneously access the ground thanks to the thinness of the front part of the saddle.

With the footrests lowered by 15mm and advanced by 20, the legs are now more relaxed when driving, but the calves are not hampered when stationary. Likewise, the tank gains 2 liters of capacity but the thighs and knees are still very welcome.

Site cannot comment on the 7 kg increase (for the ABS version) in the full weight of the Kawa trail: our model is an "almost fully equipped" version heavier than the basic 2015 version, and even more than the one from 2010.

Despite everything, the "six-and-a-half" remains easy to move, whether in the parking lot of our hotel on an incline or on the edges of gravel roads. The saddle being a little high (840 mm), riders of less than 1.70m should get off the bike to push it … or order the low saddle !

A pressure on the starter and the twin snorts gently. Stalled at 180 °, the engine then runs smoothly and discreetly, the new silencer with a sportier look not being more expressive than the old one, maybe even a little less.

The agile character of the Versys is preserved: for bikers accustomed to the roadster, the "small" 17-inch wheel of this Kawasaki is easier to grasp than the 19-inch – even 21 – wheels mounted on competing midsize trails (or , for example).

Once launched, the machine responds to the finger and the eye. Despite all the gear mounted on it, our "Versys Tourer +" is doing perfectly well in the city test. The steering is particularly light, which allows you to twirl from one lane to another without any effort.

The new 41mm Showa fork scores big points while driving through the small town of Acireale. Compared to the old model, the front axle absorbs much better cobbles, holes or bumps: a treat for "commuters".

Likewise, the new silent-blocks installed on the (top) engine, handlebars and footrests isolate the rider from vibrations. While the previous Versys 650 scratched their buttocks, then their hands and legs, the new 2015 model barely tickled them..

We can feel some nano-vibrations appear in the crotch between 3500 and 4000 rpm, but they have absolutely nothing penalizing. Ditto for the perceptible crackling in the lumbar region past 6000 rpm: you only feel them when you hold yourself against the small bead of the passenger seat, to counter heavy braking in particular.

By pounding several times in front of locals – the rules of the road in Sicily are quite hard to assimilate! -, Site notices that the motorcycle sinks more generously than before. However, the rear brake (new 250 mm disc, Nissin master cylinder and caliper) is still not a great help to seat the Kawa…

The right pedal has too long a stroke and too spongy feel to effectively support the work of the front brakes. The right dosage is far from easy to find at the rear and at first, on streets with poor grip, ABS often intervenes.

We note on occasion that the reactions of the new system – which replaces the 8.0M – remain sensitive: the pedal shakes the foot then becomes hard. In the lever, we feel weaker jerks, so that the feeling of control is greater.

Still in town, we appreciate the readability of the tachometer because we must be careful not to let the needle drop below 2000 rpm, otherwise the engine will hiccup seriously … and the rest of the bike with it. The fourth gear is therefore rarely engaged in urban areas..

The presence of the gear engaged indicator light (available as an accessory) also makes the pilot’s job easier. Its integration into the dashboard is not the most aesthetic, but its basic display in red makes it readable at a glance.

The small digital keypad indicates the speed of course, the fuel level, the total mileage and two trips (231 km ultimately traveled by MNC). This year, it also provides instantaneous and average consumption (4.8 l / 100 km during this test) as well as the remaining range..

On the practical side also, we must congratulate Kawasaki with regard to luggage since the small Akashi trail can now be equipped simultaneously with the top-case (47 liters for two full-face) and suitcases (28 liters for one full-length each) which can each support 5 kg of load.

For this, the rear loop had to be reinforced – and therefore heavier -, but fans of romantic weekends or holidays with friends will not be offended by the full weight of the machine: 216 kg with ABS (214 kg without).

Also good: the cases are fixed directly on the passenger handles delivered as standard and no longer via ugly fixing tubes as on the old model. Much cleaner, the new system of cases also allows to reduce the width of the motorcycle in this place by 10 cm according to the manufacturer..

The storage space under the saddle does not change: a specific U or a disc lock can be accommodated there and therefore do not have to jerk around in the top case. Just below, a new thumbwheel appears and greatly simplifies the adjustment of the shock preload..

The clutch and brake lever spacings are still both adjustable to five positions, but today they adapt to both small and large hands. The old model rather corresponded to the big.

Our Versys being equipped with heated grips, they seemed a bit thick for the small handcuffs and the control a little too far from the thumb. Efficiency, however, is there: the first of the six settings is bearable in the long run. !

The protection of the hand guards is also appreciable as we tackle the small roads of the Etna regional park … More comfortable in town and better equipped for long excursions, the Versys 650 of 2015 remains as nice to be carried on small, winding roads? Answer on following pages !

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