This tiny touring bike hits a home run
A nifty, well-made beginner’s adventure motorcycle made for full-sized adults
My buddy Steve has been riding motorcycles for about 10 years. He’s a conservative rider, seldom venturing much past 130 kilometres an hour and not prone to rip-roaring past slow-moving taxis and tractor trailers. He rides an older Kawasaki Versys 650, a larger bike seeming unnecessary.
Here’s the thing, though: his pace is moderate enough that he could easily get away with Kawasaki’s new 300 version of its Versys, the inexplicably labelled X. During a long-weekend jaunt, he didn’t ride any slower or take off from lights with any less dispatch for riding the baby Versys. Oh, he had to rev the poor little 296cc twin to the moon, but his pace was not diminished in the least.
And here’s the kicker: Steve is 6-foot-6 and weighs about 105 kilograms, the kind of size that usually precludes even mid-displacement motorcycles, let alone the tiny tiddlers marketed as “beginner” bikes.
But not the Versys-X. Besides a willing — if screaming — motor, Kawasaki’s latest adventure touring bike is an all-but-full-size motorcycle, giving larger novices a new alternative and offering even some experienced riders a lighter, cheaper and easier handling choice of bike.
The formula is fairly simple. Take the proven, high-revving, 296-cc parallel twin that powers Kawasaki’s littlest Ninja and slap it into a quasi dirt bike-like platform. Gussy it up a bit with anti-lock brakes, throw in some (available) saddlebags/top case and you would have a fair rendition of a true adventure bike.
In retrospect, it’s not such a far-fetched concept, what with small-displacement bikes becoming popular and adventure tourers all the rage.
What truly sets the little Versys apart is it is extremely well executed. The engine, for instance, may not be much changed from the Ninja 300, but the minor alterations do make it a little more pleasant. Redlined at a modest (for a small-displacement twin) 12,000 rpm, the X even possesses some mid-range torque and a modicum of low-end grunt before peaking, according to Kawasaki, at 39 horsepower at 11,500 rpm.
Power may be modest, but it will be more than adequate for the novice riders Kawasaki intends as the 300’s primary clientele. It’s also, no surprise, frugal. Even constantly wringing it out had me averaging 4.2 L per 100 kilometres, which means the 17-L gas tank should be good for some 400 km.
If the engine hasn’t quite left its small-bike roots behind, the chassis makes a more valiant effort. Obviously, the Versys-X, at 175 kilograms, is a lot lighter than full-size bikes, but it never really feels small.
For one thing, the seat, as per adventure-bike norm, is significantly taller than that of a sport bike. At 815 millimetres off the ground, the seat is not that much different from other mid-size adventurers. Compared with other beginner bikes I’ve tested, the Versys feels almost full-size. That might not be ideal for novices of diminutive stature, but it gives taller beginners a choice beyond low-seat Rebels and CB300s.
The same outsized performance applies to the chassis. Handling, as one might suspect, is light, the steering lightning quick. On the other hand, the X is not nearly as dirty as one might expect from such a lightweight package. And the modest weight tasks the IRC (semi, kinda) off-road GP-210 Trail Winners (100/90-19 front and 130/80-17 rear) modestly, so you can attack hairpins and sweepers with a surprising degree of élan.
The light weight also makes the occasional jaunt off the beaten path a comparative doddle. Again, compared with some of the behemoth adventure tourers that dare claim off-road worthiness, the Versys 300 is a veritable motocrosser. And, if you do drop it, you won’t need the strength of Samson to get it upright again.
That said, the little Versys — despite the “X” moniker I think is supposed to denote off-road ability — isn’t going anywhere near the Dakar. The occasional gravel road and the lightest of trails are the 300’s limits, its primary off road ability being its relatively light weight.
The other notable feature of Kawasaki’s junior adventurer is the build quality visible throughout. The main components — the stainless steel exhaust, the spoked wheels, the well damped suspension — look top notch. None of the switchgear looks cheap and the panel gaps speak to a surprising attention to detail, considering the price.
Indeed, on a price-adjusted basis, this may be the best-built Kawasaki to date.
The little Versys is also surprisingly well equipped. Standard in Canada, at the $6,399 base price, are antilock brakes. Ditto, the Assist & Slipper clutch, which reduces the clutch lever effort and even slips during over-run, so ham-handed downshifting doesn’t result in a skidding rear wheel. Optional are some nifty adventure-style square saddlebags ($561.84 including mounting hardware) and a top case ($136.33 in black; $120.34 more if you want it colour matched).
Complaints are few. In fact, there are only two.
First is the seat. Broad and wellshaped it may be, but the foam feels stiff. In the long haul, it’s not as uncomfortable as it initially portends, but Kawasaki could easily get away with 20 per cent softer foam and the Versys would be better for it.
The other thing of note is the front brake. The combination of 290-mm disc and two-piston caliper provides adequate stopping power, but requires a pretty hefty grip.
Now, it’s actually sensible to make it at least a little difficult for novice riders to lock the front brake because panic, especially in new riders, is an easy way to take a tumble from overly aggressive application of front binder. But the Versys already has that covered with its standard anti-lock brake system and braking hard enough to activate the front ABS requires the strength of Charles Atlas.
That said, there is enough braking power available; you just need to exercise all four digits of your right hand strenuously to get at it.
That’s it. Otherwise, the Versys-X is a home run, a beginner’s bike that would not necessarily be out of place in an experienced rider’s garage, even if he’s as tall as the Jolly Green Giant.