Medium-displacement off-road touring motorcycle, Kawasaki Versys 650 LT, two-cylinder water-cooled 60 horsepower

In the world of mid-displacement off-road touring motorcycles, Kawasaki's Versys series is one that cannot be ignored. Although it is not as well-known as the Suzuki Vstorm and Yamaha Tenere700 which are at the same level, thanks to the overall performance of Kawasaki, the whole model has been one of the recommended models of major motorcycle magazines for a long time. Today let's take a look at the changes in the LT version of the Versys650 launched this year.

In terms of power, the Kawasaki Versys650 uses a parallel twin-cylinder engine and uses a 180-degree crank connection, so the sound is good at low and medium speeds. As the speed increases to 5000 rpm, there will be a strong sound. The transmission of the entire power during acceleration is very linear, with a maximum of 59.6 horsepower. Thanks to the overall tuning, this motorcycle is enough to use three or four gears on a daily basis, even at high speeds, you rarely use sixth gear.

The shortcoming in terms of power and gearbox is that the sudden oil withdrawal and oil supply in the steering will feel a little sluggish, and the shift lever will be jerky at this time, requiring you to step on it with greater force. But that's less common when you're in high gear.

As a motorcycle positioned for adventure/travel, although it follows its own soft line route in appearance, the performance of the whole bike cannot be ignored. The weight of the full-fuel motorcycle is 226kg, which is better than some 250cc models. Thanks to the angle and height of the fuel tank design, the fixing effect during riding is obvious. Whether it is standing or sitting, it can be well balanced. The wide handlebars and more than 5 inches of suspension travel front and rear make the bike not only excellent in handling, but also more calm in the face of different road conditions.

The front fork uses a 41mm inverted structure, which supports preload adjustment and rebound adjustment. The rear shock also supports preload adjustment, and it is specially stated that the preload adjustment of the rear shock does not require tools, which is very useful for going out. Traveling with people is more friendly. In terms of braking, the front dual 300mm discs are equipped with Nissin's dual-piston calipers, and the brake feel is equally linear, while the rear brakes are single-piston calipers with 250mm discs.

As a touring motorcycle, the Kawasaki Versys650LT uses 17-inch cast wheels and Dunlop Sportmax D222 tires suitable for pavement. As long as it is not a very bad road, this tire is basically competent. The standard windshield supports adjustable settings, and the LT version has special handguards that not only protect against splashes of sand but also guide the wind away from your hands. The height of the whole motorcycle is 843mm, which is basically the same height as the common ADV, so if you are not tall enough, this motorcycle has higher technical requirements.

At this point, the introduction of this motorcycle is all completed. The last thing to say is that although it is already 2022, it is hard to believe that the models launched in this time period will only have an ABS electronic control system, no riding mode, no cruise control, or even handle heating. The instrument is still the driving of the LCD screen + analog pointer, and even the headlights are halogen. It may be that Kawasaki is too confident in the brand's appeal, or it may be that Kawasaki thinks it is not important. But in any case, apart from the stability of the three major pieces and quality control, it is difficult for you to have a better reason to convince yourself to start it. What do you think about this?

Note: reproduced