Kawasaki VERSYS 650 Special Edition TOURER Plus 2017 — Specifications

Who hasn't dreamed of hitting the road on a whim, on a Friday evening, without worrying whether the bike can handle the journey? That's exactly the promise Kawasaki makes with this 2017 Versys 650 Special Edition Tourer Plus. A tempting promise on paper, but one that deserves a closer look beneath the green paint to see what it's really made of.

On the mechanical side, we're on familiar ground. The 649 cc parallel twin produces 69 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 63.7 Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm. Not enough to tear up the tarmac, but that's precisely what makes this machine so appealing: enough power to devour main roads without stress, restrictable to A2 for newer licence holders, and lively enough to keep things interesting through the twisties. Against a Suzuki V-Strom 650 or a Honda CB500X, the Kawasaki plays the smart compromise card. It weighs 217 kg wet, which remains reasonable for a fully equipped tourer, and its 21-litre tank allows comfortable stretches between fuel stops.

The Tourer Plus version sets itself apart from the standard Versys with touring-oriented equipment. Two 28-litre hard panniers each, locked by a single-key system, hand guards, a tank protector, auxiliary lights, and a gear position indicator on the dashboard. All for €9,399. That's a fair price when you add up the cost of accessories purchased separately, and Kawasaki deserves credit for offering a coherent package rather than leaving the customer to hunt down aftermarket parts. On the other hand, the absence of a tall screen in this pack remains a baffling oversight. For a bike that bills itself as a tourer, it's a bit like selling a tent without the pegs.

The tubular steel diamond-type frame houses a 41 mm inverted fork with 150 mm of travel at the front and a mono-shock offering 145 mm at the rear. Enough to properly smooth out rough roads without turning every pothole into a rodeo session. Braking, handled by twin 300 mm discs at the front and a 250 mm disc at the rear, gets the job done without claiming to rival radial-mount callipers. The seat, perched at 840 mm, may intimidate shorter riders — a point worth checking before signing the purchase order. The 120/70-17 and 160/60-17 tyres confirm this Versys's road-going vocation rather than off-road capability; it won't venture onto dirt tracks with the same ease as a true adventure bike.

This Kawasaki Versys 650 Tourer Plus is aimed at those who want a versatile machine, ready for weekend getaways without draining the bank account. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, it doesn't claim to compete with the big adventure bikes, but it fulfils its brief with commendable mechanical honesty. The engine is smooth, the riding position natural, and the standard equipment sufficient to start the adventure. You'll just need to add that tall screen and, why not, a top case for more ambitious trips. It's a bike of reason more than passion, and sometimes, that's exactly what you need.