I sold my Harley and got the 300X. 2017 with 7600 miles for 4 grand. Not sure if I want to get a 15T front sprocket, but 1st will get you 25 mph at 12,000 rpm. It needs an LED light and center stand. So far I'm very pleased and it's just right for a 74 y.o. person.
For me (72) it would be ok light fast enough and good mpg. If it had the 400 engine in would by one tomorrow my days of heavyweight monstrositys is over. Will watch long-distance reviews for the 300 and then decide.
The sound of that little Ninja engine at 9,000 rpm is sooo intoxicating. Even with stock exhaust. Like that Formula 1 sound. She's definately a keeper !! 🤩
I just purchased my almost new 2017 Kawasaki X300 Versys on Monday of this week. It had 1540 miles on the odometer and looks absolutely brand new! It was delivered to me by the original owner on Tuesday April 13, 2022 which is the first day that I rode my new motorcycle. The previous owner rode it to my state so that he could rest assured that I would register and title his motorcycle before he turned it over to me. First let me say that I am 68 years old. I am 5-10" tall, weigh 269 pounds and I have a 29/30" pants inseam. I looked all over for specifics on whether this motorcycle would be a good fit for me. I knew it was tall with the seat height at 30.9". But would I fit this motorcycle well. I already had a bad experience owning a 2002 BMW R1150GS that was a huge machine, a real monster. That BMW proved much too tall and heavy for me to safely handle so I sold it right away. I replaced that BMW with a 2001 R1200C Pheonix which proved much more manageable with it's seat height of a mere 29.9". But it is a 1200cc machine which means it is VERY heavy! So I bought a little Honda Grom which proved to be so much fun that I thought to myself, "wow, look at what I have been missing." Then I discovered a Blog online where a girl named Noraly is riding her 2022 Honda CRF300L from South America to Alaska. She calls her site "Itchy Boots" where she posts 3 videos per week on average. After watching her great adventures for a couple of months I decided that I must have a motorcycle just like hers. But then I discovered that the Honda CRF300L is nearly impossible to acquire right now unless you are willing to pay $2,000 over MSRP. Yikes. That is when I discovered the 310 BMW and the X300 Kawasaki Versys. I went with the Versys for several reasons. First, it was availability. Next was value and finally after watching many reviews on CZcams I liked the twin cylinder water cooled engine making 40hp. So I bought one! I have ridden it 60 miles so far. This is what I can report. First, it IS TALL. We lowered the rear shocks to the lowest factory settings and now I can almost flat foot the motorcycle. It actually seems manageable although I almost dropped it going up the ramp into my shop today. Scared me a bit. The motorcycle is whisper quiet. I like this because my Honda Grom snarls like a mad dog with it's aftermarket Vance & Hines pipe. Really it is too loud. But the X300 has a very nice exhaust note. I do not plan to change this. Next, This motorcycle handles beautifully. The ride height seems tall but the bike is so friendly in every situation. I just love my new X300. Finally, this motorcycle is geared very low. Extremely low. But I guess Kawasaki wanted it this way. I go through the gears to find that I am in 5th at 37mph lol. I hit 6th at about 43 mph and that is the last gear. It seems like it should have a 7th & 8th gear lol. The bike redlines at 12,000 rpm. Whoa, that makes it a screaming machine. When you ride 65mph the engine turns 7,500 rpm. This is very alien to me and seems insane. But there is tons more throttle left after that, all the way to 12,000rpm. Amazing! This bike gets 51mpg so the high rpm must be efficient. I researched re-gearing the bike but you cannot alter it very much without disturbing the engine's code(s). For this reason I plan to leave mine all stock. Finally, the seat is very hard, most uncomfortable. I rode 40 miles today and my Fanny wanted off of this torture device. I guess I am spoiled by the Corbin Seat on my BMW R1200C. Finally, my biggest concern was, "will this motorcycle have enough power to haul my fat butt around lol". Yes it does! The low gearing is so powerful that this little Kawasaki doesn't even know that I am onboard. I get the impression that the X300 could carry a circus elephant if one was so inclined. I hope this little report will help others decide to buy a X300 Versys. I sure am happy with mine. So lite and easy to handle. That is where the fun is!!!
Thanks for the amazing report. As for gearing, I considered adding a tooth to the front sprocket (15 in stread of 14) but everyone I spoke to about this modification said it wasn't worth it and some even changed back to the 14 as they missed the low gearing so I kept it stock.
If Kawasaki make this in a 400, they'd sell a million of them. Like you I bought it as a cheap second bike to learn mild off roading (didn't want to drop my 'good' bike. I quickly accepted it's few limitations for the many positives it offers. And 430km to a tank...insane. Good vid, man.
Fully agree, I have a bigger expensive bike now that I love and that makes me feel good, but the practicality with low weight, massive range and 'no worries it's a cheap tool' mindset often makes me miss this bike. Only thing I would have liked is a bit more power for highway miles on my commute. I really hope they eventually build the 400 with the same quality. I will definitely take a serious look at that.
Yes I wish they still made 400 and 450cc bikes like they did in the 90s like the Vulcan 454 and others. They seem to think that everyone only wants 600s and up. I prefer smaller bikes around 400s so you get a better balance of power and fuel economy, maneuverability, easier to handle etc
With the new 451cc engine, modular frame, and companies like CFmoto offering the Ibex 450 I think it’s likely that Kawasaki will finally retire the 300 and make a 400/500 Versys.
Own this bike for 3 year already and went on pavement, grunt, mixed terrain and once made 10 km uphill on a forest road filled with fist size rocks. Threw me once on that road (due to lack of experience on my side) but it got me to the top of the mountain. I love the bike. It's so nimble quick and just awesome ! The mileage is great on it other than the seat nothing else better for a beginner. Good review btw i agree with you in all the points !
I've had one of these just over a year and will be taking it for its 18000 km service tomorrow. I agree with your assessment. It's not brilliant at anything but it's very good at everything. I live in Chiang Mai, Thailand and while most of the roads are excellent I do have to cope with the odd buffalo trail and potholed road, so the x300 is great for that. I just did a 1700km trip across northern Thailand and had no discomfort at all doing about 300-350 km a day. I keep thinking of upgrading to the Versys 650 but not sure yet.
Just rode the z400 and will post the review somewhere this week. Definatly an interesting bike to look at as a comuter and a big upgrade from the z300.
Great video one of the best I have seen on the Versys 300 x and there are lots of good ones out there. As for the low first gear, I was watching a video where they were doing a steep down hill off road and loved the low first gear for that, so it does have its points from what I have seen. Hope to pick mine up on Friday, once I get it broke in will give it a try off road, but at 70 will be taking it easy, and that is what the bike is made for light off road. You should do a video doing some light off road, on it. again great video thank you.
Having owned my 300 for over a year and a half I still love it . It is my 88th bike and it is hands down the funnest bike I have owned . I do adventure ride mine so it has a skid plate and hand and engine guards . One of the first things I did was go up one tooth on countershaft sprocket . First is still plenty low for the off road rides . Oh yeah , worst seat ever . I peeled back the seat cover and added one inch of medium density foam . Not great , but 50% better than stock . Yes , it is fun to ride a small engine hard , that idle a giant engine . Oh , I am over 60 and the wore out old body likes the light weight and good handling on the pavement and off .
Nice review, but I honestly miss more :) footage of driving 80km/h - 110km/h, cause that´s the speed on German roads, I would drive. PS: very sympathic voice !
I went on a holiday to Greece (Kreta/Crete) and rented this little fellow for a couple of days. It’s a very fun and nimble bike and it’s capable of pretty much anything you throw at it. Most of the time I actually rode 2 up with my girlfriend and didn’t really notice a significant loss in grunt. I really feel what you were saying about 1st gear and personally I reallly disliked the brakes both front and rear. Lastly, I don’t really feel like the engine fits the platform that well. On an adventure bike I like to have good torque and revving it high just doesn’t feel right on this kind of bike. Overal I had blast on it. Very light and nimble but not perfect. Which is fine at this price.
100% agree. I bought this bike 4 months ago, only 150 miles on it because I don’t want to ride it. The engine is super stressed at 50 miles (I know it’s a ninja engine) but I really don’t like. I’m trading it soon.
@@dawudgt yeah there would be huge difference if they would put the ninja 400 engine in it. It’s still revvy but it pulls way more from low revs and feels a lote more mature than the 300 engine.
I made 172 ( only 1 time :) ) . True about the brakes . My commute is 25-30 min. , no problems with the seat . Sundays ( when I can and the weather allow ) I make long trips ( 500 to 800 Km ) with 50 to 100 Km off-road , => 1st gear is OK ( sometimes I even wanted to be shorter ) ; after about 8 hours the seat is becoming the no.1 problem . Mine have also about 7500 Km ( I had another one exactly the same last year with which I made about 4300 Km . Also true about the lights , but I have projectors , so it is OK . The stock rubber is OK on asphalt , but off-road is so so ... ( I just bought same Mitas ( 09 rear / 07 front ) just can't wait to try it :) )
George Popescu hi , I suggest you watch PAK VENTURE video on CZcams . This is a Pakistani young rider , and on a 150 cc 11 HP regular motorcycle cycle he's done the worlds toughest off road mountain tracks within the worlds highest mountains. . Highly recommended . 🏍👍
Thank you for your thoughts on the bike. I have been eyeing one since they were first announced and might see if I can pick up a gently used one sometime next year. Ride safe!
I've been looking for my first adventure bike for some light duty off road riding, fire roads and the like, I'm an old fat man that likes to putt around. I'm pretty much sold on this bike, because its a parallel twin, like the CB500, contrasting these to the KLR 650 and the DRZ400 with the low torque, I wish someone would put the Versys 300 and CB500 in one column the KLR650 and DRZ400 in another column and compare the two columns contrasting their capabilities. Thumpers vs High Rev showdown. I test drove the BMW GS310 and didn't like it at all, to jittery on the throttle. I like that you mentioned sitting in the bike, I had a Rickman 125 in high school and you sat in them as well what a fabulous dirt bike well balanced, I think I only dropped it once, a little odd having the shift on the right and rear break on the left though.
Nice video. I'm from Malaysia and also use this bike to traveling and go work. I also agree on your explaining about Versys X. But in Malaysia we just have Versys-X 250. We lost 50cc on our bike. But we glad have this bike and ride in Malaysia city.
I like the way it is geared works great off road, but you do need better tires, than the ones it comes with. When going down a steep incline just put it in first gear, works great. The 300 X is not built for racing off road but for going down trails and taken it all in this is a great bike for that, and that is the kind of trail riding I like. It is also a great bike for touring, I put some trekker 33 Lt side bags on Some good hand guards, LED lights on the engine guard, center stand for easy chain maintenance, and of course heated grips, and power outlet. Just put the GIVE higher wind screen on. ( not really needed but a little extra rain protection.) I have had the bike 1 yr and got over 9,000 Km on it, and it is a keeper. Still looking for my dream bike and that is one that will bet 600 + Km per tank of gas. The Versys X I an getting just over 450 Km per tank so not bad , but a lot of my day rides are 500 Km + so always have to top up, and out in the middle of now where, gas can be hard to find. I remember back in the 60's and 70's there were all sorts of mum and pop gas stations you never had to worry, but no most people using major highways, most of them have closed up. So now more than ever we need lots of Km per tank of gas. if you like the back roads. Come on some one come out with a small ADV bike that can get 600 + Km per tank. Good for some easy going off road and great on the back roads, and highways. The Versys X is as close as it gets for now. Honda CB 500 X not too far behind,
Deze motor is echt een leuk speeltje, gebruikt hem geregeld om te gaan werken, maar ook om zomaar een ritje te maken, is gewoon een leuk ding, zoals jij al zei; je kan er echt flink met doorgassen zonder dat je direkt je rijbewijs kwijt bent, hij jankt als een grote😊 wat toch wel een hoge funfactor is, verbruik is inderdaad lekker laag, heb nog andere speeltjes en die hebben dan ook andere kwaliteiten/rijplezier , mijn rijregio is Antwerpen/Zeeland/Noord-Brabant
I own the gray 2017 model as well, it's the most beautiful color scheme so far, i use a mesh seat cover, and the stiffness is not a problem anymore, today I'll change the front sprocket to a 15t to see if 1-the bike doesn't lose much low end torque, and 2-if the engine smooths a little more at cruising speeds. I changed the windscreen and installed a PUIG touring windscreen, it's just perfect for the bike, and well, not too expensive, plus the original broke on a crash i had on nov 29th. I really love the bike as well, and i believe that most of the power complains could be addressed if Kawy actually makes a Versys X-400, with the same frame and similar rims, to add a lot more punch to the low end, and allowing it to cruise at lower revs. One thing holding back this bike, is the tyre market, dual purpose 50/50 or 60/40 tyres for a 19 inch front rim are scarce, i have troubles finding anything larger than 90/90/19 with a good thread patter for offroad use, and the TKC-80 aren't the solution for it, most manufacturers go from 90-90 all the way to 120-x-19 sizes, and those are too large for a middleweight bike like this one.
Interested to hear how the sprocket works out. For tires have a look at MotoZ Tractionator Adventure tires, they are street legal with an real good tread pattern for offroad riding.
thx for the vid.. when I get my x300, the first two items that will be ordered ahead of time are a bash plate and a set of mitas mc24 invader tires.... i think those will be perfect for the x300.
0:35 - "...never thought I'd like it as much as I do." Around 2002, I bought a '94 Ninja 250 with the same expectation. It was SO much fun, though. "Good, clean fun!" as they say. The engine was super-smooth, and revving to 14k while still going legal speeds was just SO much fun! Now, I ride a Versys 1000 SE, and I still think about that Baby Ninja. I want another one, but I sure do like the Versys riding position. Maybe I'll sell my scooter and get one. 7:33 - Re. first gear being short. I don't know about in the UK, but in the US, the KLR650 has been discontinued; replaced by the Versys 300 and 650. (since the KLR650 was too heavy for offroad anyway, they may as well make ts replacement useless offroad too...) Since the engine makes no torque until 7k or so, it has to have a short first gear in order to be at all useful on trails. Did you keep it?
Great review! I drive a BMW G310GS and it has exactly the same lighting problem. Almost dangerous to use in the dark when there aren't any street lights. Baffling. I nearly bought the versys but the BMW sold me on its looks.
Agreed, the Kawasaki seems just a little bit better in every way from everything I've read about it but I've never ridden it. I haven't fixed the light on it because I live in the city and rarely go elsewhere at night. I had a bike with an aftermarket light on it before and had a bad experience with it so I'm a little skittish to take the plunge!
My wife is enjoying her Versys 300. We have pretty much done all the “needed” mods, sprocket, lights, grips etc. it’s a great big little bike. I occasionally sneak it to commute to work on now and then. ;-)
@@Vested_Investor No the sprocket is a direct swap not other changes needed other than adjust the chain. It seems to have dropped about 400 rpm at 65 mph if I remember correctly.
Great review! I own a Versys x300 & I too am very surprised with it performance for the price. I use it to commute & on weekends it’s my Adventure Touring bike. It’s a great bike for what it is, lite weight, easy to ride, fun bike. 👍
When my KLR650 got stolen I was sorely tempted to get the Versys X 300 but after a quick run around the block I knew it was not for me. I'm not saying it is a bad bike, because it is not, but just not for me. I think I am spoiled by the grunt of the KLR, you don't have rev the crap out of it to cruise along at high speeds off 100 km/h or higher, I swapped out the front 15 tooth front sprocket for a 16 tooth one on my KLR and @ 100 km/h it is doing only 4,000RPM. My guesstimate is that the x 300 is going to be revving at approx 7,000 RPM for 100-110 kmh, a little bit buzzy for me. The other bit that did not suit me was the seat, I'm 185cm tall and found that the seat was too restrictive for me even if it was nice and low compared to the KLR but the X 300 seat restricts my butt movement fore and aft. Long story short; I bought another new KLR650.
Wow! And I thought we had beautiful scenery and Country roadways in America. That's incredible, you've got me wanting to live in the Netherlands. Do they have restrictions on noisy Harley-Davidson bikes there? I do have a new Kawasaki ZX14R SE if not. I love you motorcycle, it's really the perfect machine. It can do a little bit of everything while looking good, I would really like to own one myself. Thank you for posting a great video! Greetings from Sons of Confederate Veterans Mechanized Cavalry! Ride Safe Brother...
The restrictions on Harleys -- or anything else American -- usually takes the form of tariffs. Many countries charge 100%, effectively doubling the price on what you pay in the US. Many people are erroneously calling what's happening now "Trump's trade war". Pure BS -- Trump is just the first POTUS to fire back in a decades-old war.
We had a blast with our Versys X. I concur that it is a very well rounded machine. In our studies we found that a big factor for the Versys is rider weight. My wife at 110 and son who at the time was 120.... they could sincerely smoke that thing. I at 150 could also have quite the run on it. My friend at 200 lb. really did not have the same fun performance. Anyhoo ... all in all we too LOVED it. We did several fun reviews and mods too. I think we did the first high fender mod ever done on it. At least the first one filmed anyway. haha. Loved the video. Thanks for sharing.
You've always got to factor in what you're used to when riding a different bike - my Moto Guzzi V7 felt like a little trail bike after I'd been riding my ST1100 Pan European. But only because I was used to the Pan...
@@KF1 now 8 months with the Versys 300. I’m happy with it, it’s a great platform for me into motorcycling and adventure riding. Done about 7000km on it already. I’ve also tried a few CB500Xs, if the budget reaches, I would get that though honestly. The torque difference alone would be worth it. Having said that, end of the day both are good bikes for what they’re designed to do and it just comes down to preference and adapting a bit to the bikes strengths and weaknesses. Happy anyway and enjoyed many Alpine passes on it and will keep it for at least another 12-18 months before I will likely move on to something a little bigger. Doing an Offroad course on it next week 👍🏻
Well look at that, a Dutch guy doing motovlogs whose accent ISN'T grating to listen to. I'm Dutch myself (Nederlands jeweetog!) and if there's one thing that consistently grinds my gears it's other Dutchies vlogging with 0 attention to pronunciation, proper enunciation, or even vocabulary. Sure, one doesn't have to mask one's accent, but at least an attempt at sounding vaguely localized is much appreciated. Related, keep up the good work, sir. I'm very interested in buying a Versys 300X. Currently riding an CBF500 and a Leonardo 250, and I'm looking for a physically bigger bike to fit me a little better without losing the nimbleness and (relative) low weight of a small bike.
Great review. I've downsized myself and mostly ride smaller dual sports. I like the low-end grunt of a single. Is that missing in this small engine? And do you get tired of the high revving nature of it?
11:30 The best part of the video ahahaha. Great and honest review my friend. Thanks for the info. I'm thinking of purchase this little adv bike. Not sure yet about the engine size. I mean i have the 310R (now i think i made a mistake). It's a great bike but we (my wife and i) need something more comfy and wind protection. Not sure if a should change style or wait longer for go up on the cc.
Thanks for your reply. I tried the 310 before buying the versys. In my opinion the versys is a much more capable bike and way more value for money. I do believe the 310 is a more capable offroader but that is not my main use. On the road the versys is my preferred bike.
I just got the 2022 ABS version of it. Happy with it so far. Is it easy to change out the grips for heated ones? And the cost to purchase the heated grips? Did you have the dealership install the grips?
I was able to get a ride on one and it’s very surprising I am looking at replacing my Harley 883 Iron 2017 and at the moment I have the BMW 310GS in one corner (my gf has one) the KTM 390 Adv and this is somewhat the wild card choice. I would be like putting on the pannier and the lights and all that, I did test the new Enfield 450 Himalayan nice but it wasn’t my thing. So I am looking at 2024 models
2 years later and still no Versys 400 x 😭. Apparently the new engine fits differently with the frame and would require a bit more of a redesign than just slapping it in there. Man, I really think I’d buy one right now if they had that 400. I do a lot of freeway driving in my commute and want to do some longer road trips. I’ve done both reasonably well with my old R3 so I know this could do it too. But after owning an MT07, I’ve grown accustomed to a bit more power. But I still love the sheer versatility of this thing.
Was thinking of swapping my old Versys 650 for one of these, but... tubes? What if you get a flat? Unless you're an experienced offroad rider you are just stranded... Great vid, anyway; thanks!
Very informative video. Thank you. Advice: Don't go "ahhhh" so much. Sounds like you keep beeping the malfunctioning horn. If you are indeed honking the horn to warn pedestrians or small animals, that we can't see, I apologize.
finally apart from one american guy someone who says what its really like :) think about buying one of these after discounting v strom 250 - would be coming off a honda cb500f - would you think versys would sit at 135 kmh and not complain?? ive had 650 versys previously and am looking at those also (secoind hand) dank u voor video) mark en engeland
It will do 135 kmh but on high revs. I used to ride those speeds on a 40 minutes commute and that was okay but longer would annoy me. Then 120 kmh is better. Just did a review if a z400. If that engine goes into the versys it would make the perfect bike.
Mooi verslag! Is dit een aanrader voor een oudere jongere beginner van 1m94? Hij kost de helft van een Tenere 700, en je mag in NL toch overal nog maar 100km/u. Wat heeft u hierna gekocht?
194 is wellicht aan de lange kant voor je benen maar daarvoor biedt Kawasaki een ergo fit zadel dat wat hoger zit en zo meer ruimte biedt voor je benen. Afhankelijk van wat je er mee wil doen is het een geschikte motor voor ervaren en beginnende rijders. Ik rijdt nu even geen woon werk verkeer dus heb nu even een scrambler 1200 voor weekend en offroad werk op snelheid.
Great review, really enjoyed your input. I currently have a Suzuki dr650, am thinking about the 300 versys in the future. As I age I have gotten rid of larger bikes, Triumph Sprint and Tiger. I have bad discs so weight is the enemy. This bike seems to have good power and lower weight so it's at the top of the list. Are you still satisfied with the versys? Have you made any other mods not in the video? Again great video and thanks for sharing! Tom
Es Moto Bien practica. Tengo una Harley Softail Custom y La Versys-X300. Primero tenia una Sportster y La Softail. Vendi la sportster y compre la Versys 300 y ya ni uso la Softail. Es mucho mas practica. Leviana sufeciente para subir a pistas alta velocidad. Econimica para mantener y correr. Y lo mas padre aguanta los Trails y terrazeria leve. La recomiendo a todos
Si gustas puedes pasar por mi canal, tengo una con tank pads al centro y a los lados, forros en los rayos/radios, en el video se ve con una extensión del windshield, un cellphone holder, y otras cosas, detalles simples, que la hacen ver más hermosa.
This bike was on my list...But...here in the USA you need to get on Freeways and the Kawi is underpowered to hang with the speeding traffic....and when i tried it the engine was screaming....sounded like it was going to blow up. Great once I'm off the freeways and highways...but getting to those back roads was hard on the Kawi. Tried out a friend of mine Kawi and when I had it loaded with panniers and gear...it was to much for the bike...for me.
@@jimpiquette1375 WHO IN THE HELL IS COMPLAINING....Im just saying it did not work for me! DAMN! Its a great bike but they market it as a ADV Bike....and I found that it was to underpowered for the roads I travel....that is NOT complaining...just stating a fact. Sorry it offended you in any way
Actually I like the first gear. Because I use it as a dual sport. It works fine on gravel but it's advisable to put on some kind of skid plate to protect it.
The first gear is a grainy year like you would find in any bigger truck tow truck 3-ton trucks 2 ton trucks Jeeps what it's for is if you ever get it stuck get off your bike put it in first gear and gauge it and walk beside it therefore your bike and you will become unstuck in that situation in any other situation you will start off in second gear all the time like on the street at a stoplight you're going to be in second gear if you're going down a hill at the downslope you'll be in third gear this bike is actually one of the best adventure bikes I've ever owned
I thought the UK used miles per hour? I rented a car for 10 days a few years ago and drove around England and Scotland and I could have sworn it was in mph.
I am 180cm. At 163 you should be very comfortable in the seat and be able to get your feet on the ground. Perhaps not flat footed. For an adventure style bike the seat is very low. And there are even lower seats available. Best way to be sure is to test it in the showroom.
@@motorwouter Ik heb de motor destijds nieuw gekocht met wat korting op de catalogus waarde. Met een beetje zoeken moet je dan wel rond de 6k uit kunnen komen.
I will fit with a taller seat but I think a little taler bike will give you more joy. The Kawa is very low for an adventure and will feel too small. Most others will give you way more room.
Yes I have. Seat is a little hard but position is fine. The bike will carry two with ease if you don't plan to do long fast stretches. The 40hp is just enough for two up riding but doesn't have much left. As long as you plan to stay under 120kmph and very steep climbs you will have a good ride.
Yes. No problem. No vibrations at all. Up to 120 kmph no issues. Stay at 110 and you still ride very fuel economically. Above 125 kmph it revs quite high and runs out of power. Long trips i stay at 110 to 120. Short trips up to 1 hour I ride 130kph. It will do 140 - 150 if you take your time.
Relatively well but I do think you'll need to tiptoe slightly. As far as adventure bikes go this one has a low seat. There are low and higher seat options available so be sure to get a good test ride before you buy one.
Very nice review. I am also interested in buying this bike, I think it would make a great travelling bike. I like the range and fuel capacity I also like it has tube tires and Its big enough to handle 2 up. About the gearing thou. Yes ofcourse in The netherlands u wont be neeeding first gear at all. But where I live it is a big problem when your bike cant handle going up a slope and overtaking a couple of guys riding horses for example or a slow truck ina curvy road. And since its a low cc bike I think it is very important. I think kawasaki made a great choice making that fist gear really short. Please take a look at this video and you will see what I mean. czcams.com/video/gBRrEKpmbL0/video.html Thi vid is in Colombia. Anyway nice video hopefully one day I can go ride In NL too :)
Well I finally got to test drive a 2019 on of these , omg how lame - no power , the clutch , clutch assist and slipper clutch combined make downshifting gaf , then there's the screaming engine and your barely moving..I wanted to like it bad but no way.
Zeker. Niet zo goed als bijvoorbeeld een z400 maar voor een allroad type motor zit er een erg laag zadel op. Scheelt ook dat de motor best licht is waardoor hij makkelijk in bedwang te houden is.
Let me know what bike I should review next. The Kawasaki Versys 650, a BMW 310GS or my Truxton R?
v strom famly pls from 250 (how its compare to versys meaby not in terms of power becouse we know there is big gap...mpg...) 650 and 1000.
@@casparow123 good idee. I will follow up
Wingless Oracle please do the review for Suzuki 650 V storm ⛈
@@samieshah7448thx for the reply. Next will be the 250 Suzuki. Then I hope the 650 kawa and Suzuki soon.
I have both...please review both!
I sold my Harley and got the 300X. 2017 with 7600 miles for 4 grand. Not sure if I want to get a 15T front sprocket, but 1st will get you 25 mph at 12,000 rpm. It needs an LED light and center stand. So far I'm very pleased and it's just right for a 74 y.o. person.
For me (72) it would be ok light fast enough and good mpg. If it had the 400 engine in would by one tomorrow my days of heavyweight monstrositys is over. Will watch long-distance reviews for the 300 and then decide.
The sound of that little Ninja engine at 9,000 rpm is sooo intoxicating. Even with stock exhaust. Like that Formula 1 sound. She's definately a keeper !! 🤩
I just purchased my almost new 2017 Kawasaki X300 Versys on Monday of this week. It had 1540 miles on the odometer and looks absolutely brand new! It was delivered to me by the original owner on Tuesday April 13, 2022 which is the first day that I rode my new motorcycle. The previous owner rode it to my state so that he could rest assured that I would register and title his motorcycle before he turned it over to me. First let me say that I am 68 years old. I am 5-10" tall, weigh 269 pounds and I have a 29/30" pants inseam. I looked all over for specifics on whether this motorcycle would be a good fit for me. I knew it was tall with the seat height at 30.9". But would I fit this motorcycle well. I already had a bad experience owning a 2002 BMW R1150GS that was a huge machine, a real monster. That BMW proved much too tall and heavy for me to safely handle so I sold it right away. I replaced that BMW with a 2001 R1200C Pheonix which proved much more manageable with it's seat height of a mere 29.9". But it is a 1200cc machine which means it is VERY heavy! So I bought a little Honda Grom which proved to be so much fun that I thought to myself, "wow, look at what I have been missing." Then I discovered a Blog online where a girl named Noraly is riding her 2022 Honda CRF300L from South America to Alaska. She calls her site "Itchy Boots" where she posts 3 videos per week on average. After watching her great adventures for a couple of months I decided that I must have a motorcycle just like hers. But then I discovered that the Honda CRF300L is nearly impossible to acquire right now unless you are willing to pay $2,000 over MSRP. Yikes. That is when I discovered the 310 BMW and the X300 Kawasaki Versys. I went with the Versys for several reasons. First, it was availability. Next was value and finally after watching many reviews on CZcams I liked the twin cylinder water cooled engine making 40hp. So I bought one! I have ridden it 60 miles so far. This is what I can report. First, it IS TALL. We lowered the rear shocks to the lowest factory settings and now I can almost flat foot the motorcycle. It actually seems manageable although I almost dropped it going up the ramp into my shop today. Scared me a bit. The motorcycle is whisper quiet. I like this because my Honda Grom snarls like a mad dog with it's aftermarket Vance & Hines pipe. Really it is too loud. But the X300 has a very nice exhaust note. I do not plan to change this. Next, This motorcycle handles beautifully. The ride height seems tall but the bike is so friendly in every situation. I just love my new X300. Finally, this motorcycle is geared very low. Extremely low. But I guess Kawasaki wanted it this way. I go through the gears to find that I am in 5th at 37mph lol. I hit 6th at about 43 mph and that is the last gear. It seems like it should have a 7th & 8th gear lol. The bike redlines at 12,000 rpm. Whoa, that makes it a screaming machine. When you ride 65mph the engine turns 7,500 rpm. This is very alien to me and seems insane. But there is tons more throttle left after that, all the way to 12,000rpm. Amazing! This bike gets 51mpg so the high rpm must be efficient. I researched re-gearing the bike but you cannot alter it very much without disturbing the engine's code(s). For this reason I plan to leave mine all stock. Finally, the seat is very hard, most uncomfortable. I rode 40 miles today and my Fanny wanted off of this torture device. I guess I am spoiled by the Corbin Seat on my BMW R1200C. Finally, my biggest concern was, "will this motorcycle have enough power to haul my fat butt around lol". Yes it does! The low gearing is so powerful that this little Kawasaki doesn't even know that I am onboard. I get the impression that the X300 could carry a circus elephant if one was so inclined. I hope this little report will help others decide to buy a X300 Versys. I sure am happy with mine. So lite and easy to handle. That is where the fun is!!!
Thanks for the amazing report. As for gearing, I considered adding a tooth to the front sprocket (15 in stread of 14) but everyone I spoke to about this modification said it wasn't worth it and some even changed back to the 14 as they missed the low gearing so I kept it stock.
Well that was a fist full but worth every comment well done !!!
Epic comment 👏
If Kawasaki make this in a 400, they'd sell a million of them. Like you I bought it as a cheap second bike to learn mild off roading (didn't want to drop my 'good' bike. I quickly accepted it's few limitations for the many positives it offers. And 430km to a tank...insane. Good vid, man.
Fully agree, I have a bigger expensive bike now that I love and that makes me feel good, but the practicality with low weight, massive range and 'no worries it's a cheap tool' mindset often makes me miss this bike. Only thing I would have liked is a bit more power for highway miles on my commute. I really hope they eventually build the 400 with the same quality. I will definitely take a serious look at that.
Yes I wish they still made 400 and 450cc bikes like they did in the 90s like the Vulcan 454 and others. They seem to think that everyone only wants 600s and up. I prefer smaller bikes around 400s so you get a better balance of power and fuel economy, maneuverability, easier to handle etc
With the new 451cc engine, modular frame, and companies like CFmoto offering the Ibex 450 I think it’s likely that Kawasaki will finally retire the 300 and make a 400/500 Versys.
My gosh Holland is clean and beautiful. Great video. Thanks.
Holland is clean and beautiful because it is a country of logical intelligent civilized people
@@Jodyrides yeah we all know that not true lol!
@@david-johntiemens573 It is, just not in the big cities. Because thats where all the ........ live.
@@kaptein1247 Yep.
Lot's of people use this as a dual-sport type bike. Great for logging roads and trails. That's why the 1st gear is so.
Yes that makes sense. For that kind of riding it is great
scenery in this video is absolutely gorgeous
Thanks for the great review. The scenery on your ride was beautiful as well.
Thanks
Own this bike for 3 year already and went on pavement, grunt, mixed terrain and once made 10 km uphill on a forest road filled with fist size rocks. Threw me once on that road (due to lack of experience on my side) but it got me to the top of the mountain. I love the bike. It's so nimble quick and just awesome ! The mileage is great on it other than the seat nothing else better for a beginner.
Good review btw i agree with you in all the points !
Really nice video! I bought this motorcycle in March of 2022. I ride it 2-3 times a week and nearly 5000 miles. Very good bike.
Just closed the deal on one yesterday. Looking forward to enjoying the experience and using it as my first ADV bike.
Great review! Nice roads and scenery.
Yes , you can see people there take pride in everything , other than the grafetti on the underpass , the same way it USED to be in the US decades ago.
I hadn't realized how Dutch the New York accent is until listening to the speaker.
Very pretty road scenery, great view of the gauge cluster, and appreciate commentary thanks
Really nice review - thanks for posting!
I've had one of these just over a year and will be taking it for its 18000 km service tomorrow. I agree with your assessment. It's not brilliant at anything but it's very good at everything. I live in Chiang Mai, Thailand and while most of the roads are excellent I do have to cope with the odd buffalo trail and potholed road, so the x300 is great for that. I just did a 1700km trip across northern Thailand and had no discomfort at all doing about 300-350 km a day. I keep thinking of upgrading to the Versys 650 but not sure yet.
I think you will miss some of the light fun with the 640 in exchange for a little extra comfort. I hope to do a 650 review soon.
Excellent review. I was set on buying a Z300 as a commuter bike but now I'm really considering the versys 300
Just rode the z400 and will post the review somewhere this week. Definatly an interesting bike to look at as a comuter and a big upgrade from the z300.
Just posted the z400 review
Great video one of the best I have seen on the Versys 300 x and there are lots of good ones out there. As for the low first gear, I was watching a video where they were doing a steep down hill off road and loved the low first gear for that, so it does have its points from what I have seen. Hope to pick mine up on Friday, once I get it broke in will give it a try off road, but at 70 will be taking it easy, and that is what the bike is made for light off road. You should do a video doing some light off road, on it. again great video thank you.
Thanks for your kind words. Yes for offroad and hilly terrain the first gear makes a lot of sense.
Having owned my 300 for over a year and a half I still love it . It is my 88th bike and it is hands down the funnest bike I have owned . I do adventure ride mine so it has a skid plate and hand and engine guards . One of the first things I did was go up one tooth on countershaft sprocket . First is still plenty low for the off road rides . Oh yeah , worst seat ever . I peeled back the seat cover and added one inch of medium density foam . Not great , but 50% better than stock . Yes , it is fun to ride a small engine hard , that idle a giant engine . Oh , I am over 60 and the wore out old body likes the light weight and good handling on the pavement and off .
Nice review, but I honestly miss more :) footage of driving 80km/h - 110km/h, cause that´s the speed on German roads, I would drive. PS: very sympathic voice !
I went on a holiday to Greece (Kreta/Crete) and rented this little fellow for a couple of days. It’s a very fun and nimble bike and it’s capable of pretty much anything you throw at it. Most of the time I actually rode 2 up with my girlfriend and didn’t really notice a significant loss in grunt.
I really feel what you were saying about 1st gear and personally I reallly disliked the brakes both front and rear.
Lastly, I don’t really feel like the engine fits the platform that well. On an adventure bike I like to have good torque and revving it high just doesn’t feel right on this kind of bike.
Overal I had blast on it. Very light and nimble but not perfect. Which is fine at this price.
100% agree. I bought this bike 4 months ago, only 150 miles on it because I don’t want to ride it. The engine is super stressed at 50 miles (I know it’s a ninja engine) but I really don’t like.
I’m trading it soon.
@@dawudgt yeah there would be huge difference if they would put the ninja 400 engine in it. It’s still revvy but it pulls way more from low revs and feels a lote more mature than the 300 engine.
I made 172 ( only 1 time :) ) . True about the brakes . My commute is 25-30 min. , no problems with the seat . Sundays ( when I can and the weather allow ) I make long trips ( 500 to 800 Km ) with 50 to 100 Km off-road , => 1st gear is OK ( sometimes I even wanted to be shorter ) ; after about 8 hours the seat is becoming the no.1 problem .
Mine have also about 7500 Km ( I had another one exactly the same last year with which I made about 4300 Km .
Also true about the lights , but I have projectors , so it is OK .
The stock rubber is OK on asphalt , but off-road is so so ... ( I just bought same Mitas ( 09 rear / 07 front ) just can't wait to try it :) )
George Popescu hi , I suggest you watch PAK VENTURE video on CZcams . This is a Pakistani young rider , and on a 150 cc 11 HP regular motorcycle cycle he's done the worlds toughest off road mountain tracks within the worlds highest mountains. . Highly recommended . 🏍👍
Thank you for your thoughts on the bike. I have been eyeing one since they were first announced and might see if I can pick up a gently used one sometime next year. Ride safe!
Good review! Looks like a nice place to live.
Southern part of the Netherlands. Nice place indeed. Thanks.
Your sixth gear must be like brand new.
I've been looking for my first adventure bike for some light duty off road riding, fire roads and the like, I'm an old fat man that likes to putt around. I'm pretty much sold on this bike, because its a parallel twin, like the CB500, contrasting these to the KLR 650 and the DRZ400 with the low torque, I wish someone would put the Versys 300 and CB500 in one column the KLR650 and DRZ400 in another column and compare the two columns contrasting their capabilities. Thumpers vs High Rev showdown. I test drove the BMW GS310 and didn't like it at all, to jittery on the throttle. I like that you mentioned sitting in the bike, I had a Rickman 125 in high school and you sat in them as well what a fabulous dirt bike well balanced, I think I only dropped it once, a little odd having the shift on the right and rear break on the left though.
Nice video. I'm from Malaysia and also use this bike to traveling and go work. I also agree on your explaining about Versys X. But in Malaysia we just have Versys-X 250. We lost 50cc on our bike. But we glad have this bike and ride in Malaysia city.
Me too, one x300 for traveling and go to work. I feel ok alfter 4000km😀
I like the way it is geared works great off road, but you do need better tires, than the ones it comes with. When going down a steep incline just put it in first gear, works great. The 300 X is not built for racing off road but for going down trails and taken it all in this is a great bike for that, and that is the kind of trail riding I like. It is also a great bike for touring, I put some trekker 33 Lt side bags on Some good hand guards, LED lights on the engine guard, center stand for easy chain maintenance, and of course heated grips, and power outlet. Just put the GIVE higher wind screen on. ( not really needed but a little extra rain protection.) I have had the bike 1 yr and got over 9,000 Km on it, and it is a keeper. Still looking for my dream bike and that is one that will bet 600 + Km per tank of gas. The Versys X I an getting just over 450 Km per tank so not bad , but a lot of my day rides are 500 Km + so always have to top up, and out in the middle of now where, gas can be hard to find. I remember back in the 60's and 70's there were all sorts of mum and pop gas stations you never had to worry, but no most people using major highways, most of them have closed up. So now more than ever we need lots of Km per tank of gas. if you like the back roads. Come on some one come out with a small ADV bike that can get 600 + Km per tank. Good for some easy going off road and great on the back roads, and highways. The Versys X is as close as it gets for now. Honda CB 500 X not too far behind,
Deze motor is echt een leuk speeltje, gebruikt hem geregeld om te gaan werken, maar ook om zomaar een ritje te maken, is gewoon een leuk ding, zoals jij al zei; je kan er echt flink met doorgassen zonder dat je direkt je rijbewijs kwijt bent, hij jankt als een grote😊 wat toch wel een hoge funfactor is, verbruik is inderdaad lekker laag, heb nog andere speeltjes en die hebben dan ook andere kwaliteiten/rijplezier , mijn rijregio is Antwerpen/Zeeland/Noord-Brabant
I own the gray 2017 model as well, it's the most beautiful color scheme so far, i use a mesh seat cover, and the stiffness is not a problem anymore, today I'll change the front sprocket to a 15t to see if 1-the bike doesn't lose much low end torque, and 2-if the engine smooths a little more at cruising speeds.
I changed the windscreen and installed a PUIG touring windscreen, it's just perfect for the bike, and well, not too expensive, plus the original broke on a crash i had on nov 29th.
I really love the bike as well, and i believe that most of the power complains could be addressed if Kawy actually makes a Versys X-400, with the same frame and similar rims, to add a lot more punch to the low end, and allowing it to cruise at lower revs.
One thing holding back this bike, is the tyre market, dual purpose 50/50 or 60/40 tyres for a 19 inch front rim are scarce, i have troubles finding anything larger than 90/90/19 with a good thread patter for offroad use, and the TKC-80 aren't the solution for it, most manufacturers go from 90-90 all the way to 120-x-19 sizes, and those are too large for a middleweight bike like this one.
Interested to hear how the sprocket works out. For tires have a look at MotoZ Tractionator Adventure tires, they are street legal with an real good tread pattern for offroad riding.
Gads, great review. More.... !
thx for the vid.. when I get my x300, the first two items that will be ordered ahead of time are a bash plate and a set of mitas mc24 invader tires.... i think those will be perfect for the x300.
0:35 - "...never thought I'd like it as much as I do." Around 2002, I bought a '94 Ninja 250 with the same expectation. It was SO much fun, though. "Good, clean fun!" as they say. The engine was super-smooth, and revving to 14k while still going legal speeds was just SO much fun! Now, I ride a Versys 1000 SE, and I still think about that Baby Ninja. I want another one, but I sure do like the Versys riding position. Maybe I'll sell my scooter and get one.
7:33 - Re. first gear being short. I don't know about in the UK, but in the US, the KLR650 has been discontinued; replaced by the Versys 300 and 650. (since the KLR650 was too heavy for offroad anyway, they may as well make ts replacement useless offroad too...) Since the engine makes no torque until 7k or so, it has to have a short first gear in order to be at all useful on trails.
Did you keep it?
I kept it longer than I anticipated but traded it for a triumph in the end. Still regret that. Think if they ever make a x400 I will swap back.
Love it
Great review! I drive a BMW G310GS and it has exactly the same lighting problem. Almost dangerous to use in the dark when there aren't any street lights. Baffling. I nearly bought the versys but the BMW sold me on its looks.
Agree. The bmw does look like a proper GS. I tried it and liked it but found the Kawa more bang for the buck.
Did you fix the light on it?
Strange that a premium brand as BMW would go for bad lights.
Agreed, the Kawasaki seems just a little bit better in every way from everything I've read about it but I've never ridden it. I haven't fixed the light on it because I live in the city and rarely go elsewhere at night. I had a bike with an aftermarket light on it before and had a bad experience with it so I'm a little skittish to take the plunge!
My last bike was a 650 bmw but in high school I had a 305 scrambler I like the 300.
And?
My wife is enjoying her Versys 300. We have pretty much done all the “needed” mods, sprocket, lights, grips etc. it’s a great big little bike. I occasionally sneak it to commute to work on now and then. ;-)
What change did you make, did the sprocket change require any other changes and please describe the result.
@@Vested_Investor No the sprocket is a direct swap not other changes needed other than adjust the chain. It seems to have dropped about 400 rpm at 65 mph if I remember correctly.
@@Vested_Investor I have a video on my page with some of the mods. I need to make a new one.
Say exactly the sprocket swap is
@@MikesProjectsandHobbiesMC no
Super brother
cant wait for the 400
Get the 650 , do yourself a favor.
Great video! Do you know if they are still being sold new in The Netherlands? Thank you
thanks 4 that.Now im gettin1
Nice review. Beautiful video. What mount did you use on the GoPro?
Thanks! I just used the standard gopro helmet mount stuck to the side of my helmet with an L bracket to get a 90 degree angle.
Great review! I own a Versys x300 & I too am very surprised with it performance for the price. I use it to commute & on weekends it’s my Adventure Touring bike. It’s a great bike for what it is, lite weight, easy to ride, fun bike. 👍
Very good
When my KLR650 got stolen I was sorely tempted to get the Versys X 300 but after a quick run around the block I knew it was not for me. I'm not saying it is a bad bike, because it is not, but just not for me. I think I am spoiled by the grunt of the KLR, you don't have rev the crap out of it to cruise along at high speeds off 100 km/h or higher, I swapped out the front 15 tooth front sprocket for a 16 tooth one on my KLR and @ 100 km/h it is doing only 4,000RPM. My guesstimate is that the x 300 is going to be revving at approx 7,000 RPM for 100-110 kmh, a little bit buzzy for me.
The other bit that did not suit me was the seat, I'm 185cm tall and found that the seat was too restrictive for me even if it was nice and low compared to the KLR but the X 300 seat restricts my butt movement fore and aft.
Long story short; I bought another new KLR650.
Wow! And I thought we had beautiful scenery and Country roadways in America. That's incredible, you've got me wanting to live in the Netherlands. Do they have restrictions on noisy Harley-Davidson bikes there? I do have a new Kawasaki ZX14R SE if not. I love you motorcycle, it's really the perfect machine. It can do a little bit of everything while looking good, I would really like to own one myself. Thank you for posting a great video!
Greetings from Sons of Confederate Veterans Mechanized Cavalry!
Ride Safe Brother...
Greeting back to you from an armored engineer veteran.
P.s. loud pipes are not allowed but there is no real enforcement.
The restrictions on Harleys -- or anything else American -- usually takes the form of tariffs. Many countries charge 100%, effectively doubling the price on what you pay in the US. Many people are erroneously calling what's happening now "Trump's trade war". Pure BS -- Trump is just the first POTUS to fire back in a decades-old war.
4.5 gallon tank on this little bike is friggen awesome
Yes it is! Real range! Of you are not in a hurry it will go on for ages!
We had a blast with our Versys X. I concur that it is a very well rounded machine. In our studies we found that a big factor for the Versys is rider weight. My wife at 110 and son who at the time was 120.... they could sincerely smoke that thing. I at 150 could also have quite the run on it. My friend at 200 lb. really did not have the same fun performance. Anyhoo ... all in all we too LOVED it. We did several fun reviews and mods too. I think we did the first high fender mod ever done on it. At least the first one filmed anyway. haha. Loved the video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing
Story Moto ADV I weigh 210 and love it!
You've always got to factor in what you're used to when riding a different bike - my Moto Guzzi V7 felt like a little trail bike after I'd been riding my ST1100 Pan European. But only because I was used to the Pan...
Great review! Making me doubt as I was going for a CB500X but a 2017 Versys 300 popped up for sale nearby and slightly cheaper even
What did you end up getting? I hear both are really good
@@KF1 now 8 months with the Versys 300. I’m happy with it, it’s a great platform for me into motorcycling and adventure riding. Done about 7000km on it already. I’ve also tried a few CB500Xs, if the budget reaches, I would get that though honestly. The torque difference alone would be worth it. Having said that, end of the day both are good bikes for what they’re designed to do and it just comes down to preference and adapting a bit to the bikes strengths and weaknesses. Happy anyway and enjoyed many Alpine passes on it and will keep it for at least another 12-18 months before I will likely move on to something a little bigger. Doing an Offroad course on it next week 👍🏻
@@roaminguero Thanks, that's right on. Happy riding!
Well look at that, a Dutch guy doing motovlogs whose accent ISN'T grating to listen to. I'm Dutch myself (Nederlands jeweetog!) and if there's one thing that consistently grinds my gears it's other Dutchies vlogging with 0 attention to pronunciation, proper enunciation, or even vocabulary. Sure, one doesn't have to mask one's accent, but at least an attempt at sounding vaguely localized is much appreciated.
Related, keep up the good work, sir. I'm very interested in buying a Versys 300X. Currently riding an CBF500 and a Leonardo 250, and I'm looking for a physically bigger bike to fit me a little better without losing the nimbleness and (relative) low weight of a small bike.
Thank you for the compliment!
Please tell me what camera are you using, where is it placed and how do you get voice to it, I like your video, it’s really nice 😒
Great review. I've downsized myself and mostly ride smaller dual sports. I like the low-end grunt of a single. Is that missing in this small engine? And do you get tired of the high revving nature of it?
Yes you miss the grunt I of a single thumper but you quickly get used to riding high rev.
11:30 The best part of the video ahahaha. Great and honest review my friend. Thanks for the info. I'm thinking of purchase this little adv bike. Not sure yet about the engine size. I mean i have the 310R (now i think i made a mistake). It's a great bike but we (my wife and i) need something more comfy and wind protection. Not sure if a should change style or wait longer for go up on the cc.
Thanks for your reply. I tried the 310 before buying the versys. In my opinion the versys is a much more capable bike and way more value for money. I do believe the 310 is a more capable offroader but that is not my main use. On the road the versys is my preferred bike.
So.....two years later......do you still have the bike and what are your thoughts now?
Your first review was very helpful. Thank you!
Had it for quite some time as a commute and regret selling it.
I just got the 2022 ABS version of it. Happy with it so far. Is it easy to change out the grips for heated ones? And the cost to purchase the heated grips? Did you have the dealership install the grips?
My dealer installed them but it was an easy job according to them.
I was able to get a ride on one and it’s very surprising I am looking at replacing my Harley 883 Iron 2017 and at the moment I have the BMW 310GS in one corner (my gf has one) the KTM 390 Adv and this is somewhat the wild card choice. I would be like putting on the pannier and the lights and all that, I did test the new Enfield 450 Himalayan nice but it wasn’t my thing. So I am looking at 2024 models
Kawasaki just released the Z400. My guess is the Versys 400 is next.
Do you think the price of 300's will crash if they bring out 400 variants
@@richb5248 It'll certainly drop, but judging by the current price on the (still for sale) Ninja 300s, it may not truly be a 'crash'.
2 years later and still no Versys 400 x 😭. Apparently the new engine fits differently with the frame and would require a bit more of a redesign than just slapping it in there. Man, I really think I’d buy one right now if they had that 400. I do a lot of freeway driving in my commute and want to do some longer road trips. I’ve done both reasonably well with my old R3 so I know this could do it too. But after owning an MT07, I’ve grown accustomed to a bit more power. But I still love the sheer versatility of this thing.
Was thinking of swapping my old Versys 650 for one of these, but... tubes? What if you get a flat? Unless you're an experienced offroad rider you are just stranded... Great vid, anyway; thanks!
p.s. 13 minutes video, and not a single pothole. Here in Italy we are like the fourth world...
Very informative video. Thank you.
Advice: Don't go "ahhhh" so much. Sounds like you keep beeping the malfunctioning horn.
If you are indeed honking the horn to warn pedestrians or small animals, that we can't see, I apologize.
finally apart from one american guy someone who says what its really like :) think about buying one of these after discounting v strom 250 - would be coming off a honda cb500f - would you think versys would sit at 135 kmh and not complain?? ive had 650 versys previously and am looking at those also (secoind hand) dank u voor video) mark en engeland
It will do 135 kmh but on high revs. I used to ride those speeds on a 40 minutes commute and that was okay but longer would annoy me. Then 120 kmh is better.
Just did a review if a z400. If that engine goes into the versys it would make the perfect bike.
@@winglessoracle2967 100% agree! Gotta see your Z400 video.
Mooi verslag! Is dit een aanrader voor een oudere jongere beginner van 1m94? Hij kost de helft van een Tenere 700, en je mag in NL toch overal nog maar 100km/u. Wat heeft u hierna gekocht?
194 is wellicht aan de lange kant voor je benen maar daarvoor biedt Kawasaki een ergo fit zadel dat wat hoger zit en zo meer ruimte biedt voor je benen.
Afhankelijk van wat je er mee wil doen is het een geschikte motor voor ervaren en beginnende rijders. Ik rijdt nu even geen woon werk verkeer dus heb nu even een scrambler 1200 voor weekend en offroad werk op snelheid.
Great review, really enjoyed your input. I currently have a Suzuki dr650, am thinking about the 300 versys in the future. As I age I have gotten rid of larger bikes, Triumph Sprint and Tiger. I have bad discs so weight is the enemy. This bike seems to have good power and lower weight so it's at the top of the list. Are you still satisfied with the versys? Have you made any other mods not in the video? Again great video and thanks for sharing! Tom
Estoy enamorado de esa moto.
Es Moto Bien practica. Tengo una Harley Softail Custom y La Versys-X300. Primero tenia una Sportster y La Softail. Vendi la sportster y compre la Versys 300 y ya ni uso la Softail. Es mucho mas practica. Leviana sufeciente para subir a pistas alta velocidad. Econimica para mantener y correr. Y lo mas padre aguanta los Trails y terrazeria leve. La recomiendo a todos
Si gustas puedes pasar por mi canal, tengo una con tank pads al centro y a los lados, forros en los rayos/radios, en el video se ve con una extensión del windshield, un cellphone holder, y otras cosas, detalles simples, que la hacen ver más hermosa.
Excelente relación peso potencia y ciclística.
Producto noble subí a 4980 mts de altura camino de tierra Abra del Acay Salta 🇦🇷
Hi there! Do you still have a Versys? Please up date .
This bike was on my list...But...here in the USA you need to get on Freeways and the Kawi is underpowered to hang with the speeding traffic....and when i tried it the engine was screaming....sounded like it was going to blow up. Great once I'm off the freeways and highways...but getting to those back roads was hard on the Kawi. Tried out a friend of mine Kawi and when I had it loaded with panniers and gear...it was to much for the bike...for me.
`Randy Cuffaro This was not made for express roads , so why complain.
@@jimpiquette1375 WHO IN THE HELL IS COMPLAINING....Im just saying it did not work for me! DAMN! Its a great bike but they market it as a ADV Bike....and I found that it was to underpowered for the roads I travel....that is NOT complaining...just stating a fact. Sorry it offended you in any way
Actually I like the first gear. Because I use it as a dual sport. It works fine on gravel but it's advisable to put on some kind of skid plate to protect it.
Yea I can imagine the 1st being great in gravel or hilly conditions.
What skidd plate do you use?
@@winglessoracle2967 Actually none. Have been taking it easy as it is brand new. Seems to be two on the market, but I have not decided yet. 🙂
The first gear is a grainy year like you would find in any bigger truck tow truck 3-ton trucks 2 ton trucks Jeeps what it's for is if you ever get it stuck get off your bike put it in first gear and gauge it and walk beside it therefore your bike and you will become unstuck in that situation in any other situation you will start off in second gear all the time like on the street at a stoplight you're going to be in second gear if you're going down a hill at the downslope you'll be in third gear this bike is actually one of the best adventure bikes I've ever owned
Love the Northern English accent!
He is Dutch right?
Northern English? Not like one I've heard
nice bike..nice road..nice view..nice house..where is this place?
Thanks. It is around the city of Breda in the Netherlands
I thought the UK used miles per hour? I rented a car for 10 days a few years ago and drove around England and Scotland and I could have sworn it was in mph.
It is. I live in the Netherlands.
How much do you weigh? I weigh 99kg. My fjr1300 had no problem with that but my klx250s would be tired if i commuted with it
85kg. I think 99 might be a bit too much for long commutes.
But give it a try and see how it goes.
I'm trying to lose it. My klx has 11kw. The kle300 has 29kw so enough to get me to 100km/h.thanks
What is your height?
Im 1.63 m. Will i be able to ride this bike comfortably?
I am 180cm. At 163 you should be very comfortable in the seat and be able to get your feet on the ground. Perhaps not flat footed. For an adventure style bike the seat is very low. And there are even lower seats available. Best way to be sure is to test it in the showroom.
What brand and model heated grips please? Thank you
I don't recall the exact model but I the brand was 'Oxford' I asked my dealer to choose a type that where compatible with the bike.
I'm 171 cm and curious how tall is this bike for me.
You should be very comfortabel on it. No issues.
Do you think I would fit on it as a big man? I mean 1.90 and 140 kg or there about.
Fit will be okay. You might feel a little under powered on high speeds
You will fit, no problem, i'm 1.86 and 135Kg and it does not feel underpowered
Ik twijfel om er een aan te schaffen,in het voorjaar test rit maken en dan beslis ik.hiervoor had ik de freewind 650
Ligt uiteraard aan je plannen en ambitie maar voor lol en allround rijden kan ik hem inieder geval aanraden.
@@winglessoracle2967 houd je hem omdat je in het filmpje zegt dat je het niet zeker weet
@@motorwouter
Voorlopig wel. Mijn andere motor gaat er uit maar deze blijft nog even. Te leuk en te veel motor voor het geld.
Wat heb je er voor betaald met 7500km op de teller? Ik zie er nu te koop staan voor 4700 euro met 8800km
@@motorwouter Ik heb de motor destijds nieuw gekocht met wat korting op de catalogus waarde. Met een beetje zoeken moet je dan wel rond de 6k uit kunnen komen.
Other than more power, why would one move up to a Versys 650 from this?
For more highway riding or 2 up trips I would. I also like the looks of the 650 a litter more but for everyday commute there is no reason to move up.
Can put a ninja 400 block on this ? It looks similar
I expect there will be a 400 version in the making.
If kawasaki make a 400cc two cylinders and using 17inch rim i will buy it
Norman Hughedicko yes man seriously. Maybe a Z400RS or Z400RS..X, scrambler? Just dreaming of course, but it would be pretty cool.
Iam 1.94 m do you think I Am to tall or would this bike fit Me?
I will fit with a taller seat but I think a little taler bike will give you more joy. The Kawa is very low for an adventure and will feel too small. Most others will give you way more room.
Nice motorcycle ... have you ridden with 2 people? I like to travel by motorcycle with my wife...
Yes I have. Seat is a little hard but position is fine. The bike will carry two with ease if you don't plan to do long fast stretches. The 40hp is just enough for two up riding but doesn't have much left. As long as you plan to stay under 120kmph and very steep climbs you will have a good ride.
(Sorry my fist reply was me with a different bike in mind)
You are from Holland living in England?
Actually from Holland and living in Holland 😀
Why wouldn't you keep it? Because of those small defects or just change for the sake of change?
The latter. I change bike every one or two years if I can afford it.
oh did you keep it
No. Traded it in for a scrambler but if they make a 400 I am tempted to get one again. Just tested the z400 and that engine is perfect
Can you ride it on speed of over 100kmph all day without any vibrations or stress on the engine?
Yes. No problem. No vibrations at all. Up to 120 kmph no issues. Stay at 110 and you still ride very fuel economically. Above 125 kmph it revs quite high and runs out of power. Long trips i stay at 110 to 120. Short trips up to 1 hour I ride 130kph. It will do 140 - 150 if you take your time.
Review Royal Enfield Himalayan
I saw it for the fitst time last week. Definatly going to ride one if I get the oppertunity
Is it good on rough dirt roads Jeep trail ?
It is a street biased bike but does okay off road. Better than expected honesty. I would suggest better tires and a good skid plate.
Wingless Oracle did you keep the bike ?
where are you driving?
Near Breda in the Netherlands
I have the same bike, not even R1 can keep up with me in the twisties
How would it fit a 5'6"
Relatively well but I do think you'll need to tiptoe slightly. As far as adventure bikes go this one has a low seat. There are low and higher seat options available so be sure to get a good test ride before you buy one.
Can you give that to me sir ?
Narrow Road!
Is for sale from you now 7/2019 ?
I already sold it
I already sold it
Very nice review. I am also interested in buying this bike, I think it would make a great travelling bike. I like the range and fuel capacity I also like it has tube tires and Its big enough to handle 2 up. About the gearing thou. Yes ofcourse in The netherlands u wont be neeeding first gear at all. But where I live it is a big problem when your bike cant handle going up a slope and overtaking a couple of guys riding horses for example or a slow truck ina curvy road. And since its a low cc bike I think it is very important. I think kawasaki made a great choice making that fist gear really short. Please take a look at this video and you will see what I mean. czcams.com/video/gBRrEKpmbL0/video.html Thi vid is in Colombia. Anyway nice video hopefully one day I can go ride In NL too :)
Thx. Yes I agree that my rant on the gearing is based on flat open tarmac. On more slow going and sloped terrain it is ideal.
Well I finally got to test drive a 2019 on of these , omg how lame - no power , the clutch , clutch assist and slipper clutch combined make downshifting gaf , then there's the screaming engine and your barely moving..I wanted to like it bad but no way.
I want this bike but with the Ninja 400 engine. Come on Kawasaki, wake up!
geschikt voor kleinere mensen??
Zeker. Niet zo goed als bijvoorbeeld een z400 maar voor een allroad type motor zit er een erg laag zadel op. Scheelt ook dat de motor best licht is waardoor hij makkelijk in bedwang te houden is.