Kawasaki Versys Tourer 2013 — Specifications

So, you've set your sights on a Versys 650, this faithful twin that runs on pragmatism? It’s an excellent choice of heart… and of reason. But here’s the thing, your mind is already wandering towards distant mountain passes and entire days in the saddle, and the standard version seems a little too bare for the big journey. Kawasaki, in its great wisdom, had anticipated this case of conscience. Forget the City version, too urban. What you need is the Tourer version.

This designation doesn't lie: it transforms this versatile trail bike into a true road companion, without touching its mechanical DNA. Under the 19-liter tank, the 649 cm³ twin engine remains the same, delivering its 64 horsepower and 60.8 Nm of torque with the flexibility and reliability that have made its reputation. The steel frame and 41 mm telescopic fork provide the base, robust and reassuring. But it’s on the equipment panel that the transformation takes place.

The equipment is designed for miles to be covered without compromise. The pair of side cases offers 35 liters of capacity on each side, enough to accommodate gear for a weekend or more, without having to play Tetris. Against the elements, a tall screen and an adjustable deflector on three settings protect you from wind and rain assaults, while handguards and a tank protector complete the kit. This is a long way from a basic trail bike: here, we have a machine ready to cross borders.

Is it perfect? At 206 kg fully fueled and with a 84.5 cm seat height, it remains accessible without being a featherweight, a good compromise for a mid-sized traveler. The braking, with its petal discs and optional ABS, does the job without being sharp. That's the whole spirit of the Versys Tourer: it doesn't claim to be the sportiest, the lightest or the most luxurious in its category. Faced with a V-Strom 650 perhaps more adventurous or a Ténéré 700 more radical, it stands on its ground: road and touring efficiency without complication.

At a price of around 8400 euros at the time, it represented a solid argument. It is aimed at the rider who is looking above all for a reliable, comfortable and equipped tool for long journeys on the road, a travel companion that just wants to turn miles without fuss. It’s not a motorcycle that makes you fantasize over a catalog, it’s a motorcycle that makes you want to take the key and disappear on the horizon. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.