2019 KAWAS AKI VERS Y S 1000 SE LT+
F I R S T R E V I E W
P104
clothes shopping and come back with a
whole new look.
It's clearly been taking styling lessons
from the little Ninja 400 and the recently
released ZX-6R in that it's got the sharp
nose and LED light setup, indicating (in
my mind, at least) that almost every road-going
Kawasaki will look this way in the next few years.
What the Ninja 400 and ZX-6R don't have is the
Versys' cornering lights incorporated into the side
of the fairings next to the radiator, giving the rider
a far greater illumination of the roadside when
leaned over. We didn't get to test this function thor-
oughly, so we'll have to take Kawasaki's word for it.
On the bodywork side, you get an adjustable
windscreen that isn't very practical, considering
you can't change it on the fly. Unlike something
like the Yamaha Tracer 900, the Versys screen
has two securing nuts either side instead
of a handle in the center that you could
modulate while riding. However, unlike
the Yamaha, the Versys' screen does
have a hole about two-thirds of the way
down to alleviate low pressure from the
oncoming wind, something that works surprisingly
well at speed.
Another area that works well is how nicely
Kawasaki has integrated the 28-liter saddlebags
you get as standard into the design of the back of
the bike. Similar to those found on the big touring
daddy Concours 14 and rated to store 11 pounds
of stuff, they lock with the ignition key, can fit a
full-face helmet and a few odds and ends like
gloves and scarfs.
At first ride, the Kawasaki feels rather portly.
Kawasaki claims this new Versys has gained a
For the average
six-foot-tall human,
the Versys' ergos
are spot on for
big days in the
saddle.
