Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1125433
2019 KAWAS AKI VERS Y S 1000 SE LT+ F I R S T R E V I E W P108 you're a cyclist, you've no doubt heard of Strava, and this Rideology app is pretty similar in application. Anyway, back to the bike. Straight up, the 1043cc inline four-cylinder motor, derived from the now-defunct Z1000, can't hold a candle to class competitors like the BMW S 1000 XR or the Super Duke GT. It's got plenty of power to get you out of any situation, all metered by a delightfully smooth throttle response, but if it's outright power you want, look elsewhere. Hard acceleration can feel la- bored, the motor instead preferring a smooth, cruisy application of the throttle (see a theme developing here?). Midrange torque is very good, and if you keep the motor spinning between 4500 rpm to 7000 rpm in the twisties, you'll hardly need to shift gears. Also, the new quickshifter isn't the smoothest in operation below 4000 rpm. The Kawasaki system has a longer ignition cut-out than I'd have liked, insisting on a wide open throttle with the revs surging for the ultimate performance. It is opera- tional in the both up and down shift, mind you, so that's a good thing to have in the Versys arsenal. In all, the 2019 Kawasaki Ver- sys 1000 SE LT+ is an excellently executed machine, with pretty much every bell and whistle the touring rider could want, but lacks the kind of pizzazz some of its competitors offer. Having not put 200,000 miles on one, I cannot comment on the 2019 edition's reliability, but if past versions are anything to go by, long distance riders will be fine in that regard. Unlike the Kawasaki H2 and H2 SX that overflow with it, the Versys 1000 lacks engaging personality. It doesn't scream at you to get on and ride, even though it's undoubt- edly one of the best bikes under $19,000 with which to cover mas- sive miles, especially considering the excellent new electronics suite. However, if that stuff doesn't matter to you, and all you want to do is get on and ride till the sun dips under the horizon, the new Versys is your bike. CN 2019 KAWASAKI VERSYS 1000 ($17,999) ENGINE: ..............DOHC, 4-valve, inline, 4-cylinder DISPLACEMENT: .........................1043cc BORE X STROKE: ............... 77 x 56 mm COMPRESSION RATIO: ................. 10.3:1 FUEL SYSTEM: ...................................EFI TORQUE: ............75.2 lb-ft at 7500 rpm EXHAUST: ........................................ 4-2-1 CLUTCH: ........................ Wet multi-plate TRANSMISSION: ....................... 6 speed CHASSIS: ..........Cast aluminum double cradle FRONT SUSPENSION: .................. 43mm Inverted Fork with KECS-controlled compression and Rebound Damping and Manually-Adjustable Preload REAR SUSPENSION: ..............Horizontal Back-link, KECS-controlled compres- sion, and Rebound Damping and Electronically-Controlled Preload Adjustment FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL: ............... 5.9 in. REAR WHEEL TRAVEL: ................. 5.9 in. FRONT BRAKE: .......Dual 310mm discs, dual 4-piston Monobloc calipers, Bosch Cornering ABS REAR BRAKE: .... 250mm disc, 2-piston caliper with Bosch Cornering ABS FRONT TIRE: ........................120/70 R17 REAR TIRE: .......................... 180/55 R17 WHEELBASE: ..............................59.8 in. SEAT HEIGHT: .............................33.1 in. FUEL CAPACITY: ........................ 5.5 gal. WEIGHT (CLAIMED, WET): ....566.7 lbs. S P E C I F I C A T I O N S