Kawasaki Versys 1100

For the longest time, I was of the belief that buying motorcycles involves a (healthy) debate between the heart and the head. You could throw a sizeable wallet into the mix, in the case of buying a big bike, but the former two factors are constant

. And then came along the Kawasaki Versys 1100 and we have a motorcycle that speaks to both corners. After having spent over 1,500km with it, I think I’ve come to the conclusion that Kawasaki may have just come up with a bike that caters to what big bike ownership in India always demanded. Allow me to explain.

Big capacity, multi-cylinder motorcycles are and have always been on the aspiration list for many motorcycle enthusiasts. To an extent, design and road presence are also big requisites, and the Versys 1100 delivers on that account, in spades. This is a big motorcycle, and it has quite an imposing stance.

Whether it is the twin-LED headlights and the sharp fairing that give it the appearance of a Velociraptor, or the large fuel tank that adds to the visual mass, the Versys 1100 is hard to miss on our roads. Even the tail section is proportionately designed in relation to the front end. I like the colours as well, and going by the appreciative glances and big thumbs up that fellow Mumbaikars lavished on the bike, this big Versys does leave an impression.

That said, some of you may find that the 17-inch wheels are not proportionate in comparison to the top half of the bike, and you are right in thinking that.

However, in the flesh and after having spent close to two weeks with the bike, I don’t think it is an eyesore. What is, is the XXL saree guard that is, perhaps, Kawasaki’s way of reminding the Indian RTOs how ridiculous the saree guard mandate is. And I am with Kawasaki on this.

The quality levels of all the parts, the paint and the way everything has been put together is typically Kawasaki, and there’s nothing to complain about.

The Versys 1100 packs a delectable, 1099cc, inline-four engine that makes 133bhp at 9,000rpm and 112Nm at 7,600rpm. This engine is paired with a smooth, six-speed gearbox. It can be optioned with a quickshifter, but that will set you back by approximately Rs. 30,000.

Beneath the giant bodywork is a twin-tube aluminium frame suspended by a USD fork and a monoshock, both of which are adjustable for preload and rebound. The remote preload adjuster for the monoshock is also a big boon, as it allows one to set it up without the need for any tools.

When it comes to features, the Versys 1100 is not as well-equipped as current ADVs. There’s no TFT display, there are only three levels of traction control, and no fully adjustable suspension.

It may or may not be a deal breaker for some people. However, I’ll always gravitate to analogue tachometers and the pleasure of watching a rev needle rise and fall, with the sweet acoustics of an inline-four engine matching the rate at which the said needle moves.

There are motorcycle seats, and then there are seats that can rival the comfort of a sofa in your living room. The Versys’ seats are the latter. The moment you sit in the rider’s perch, you get the feeling of being cossetted in comfort. Pair this with the easy-to-access handlebar and the non-aggressive position of the footpegs, and you have a riding position that isn’t fatigue-inducing at all. I spent over 12 hours in the saddle, in a single day, and I had no cause for complaints.

Perhaps what could be better is the shape of the windscreen as it causes some buffeting at high speeds. You could adjust its height to some extent, but the adjustment mechanism itself is rudimentary and inconvenient to use. But, it’s a small issue in my books because the sweet, inline-four engine more than makes up for this.

This engine is undoubtedly the cream de la cream of the crop when it comes to sheer flexibility and usability in Indian riding conditions. You could short shift to higher gears while riding at low speeds, and there’s nary a protest from the engine. Sitting at 40-45kmph in fifth or sixth is easy, and when the road conditions are favourable, you could sit at the other side of 120kmph without the engine feeling stressed.

That being said, with the 257kg kerb weight in mind, the performance of the bike isn’t thrilling for a litre-class motorcycle. It is fast, yes, but not lightning fast. That, in fact, is a good thing, considering the chaos and uncertainty of Indian roads.

What matters is that the gearing is set in such a way that you can sit peacefully at 120-130kmph on the highways, with only a little buzz in the handlebar, tank, and footpegs. It also gets to 100kmph and beyond at a quick enough pace, and hence, there are no complaints with performance. In fact, what I want to highlight is the engine’s superb cooling system. No matter the time of day or density of traffic, the Kawasaki does a splendid job of keeping engine temperatures in check.

Yes, it does get a little warm around the legs, but it's far from being unbearable. That is what gave me the confidence to ride the Versys around Mumbai’s congested roads, wherever I pleased. That is a big plus when it comes to big bike ownership. I only wish that the quickshifter was fitted as standard equipment.

As far as ride quality is concerned, the Versys did a good job of rounding off a majority of bumps and illogically fixed potholes. Despite the lack of full adjustability, the ride is comfortable, and I also appreciated the handiness of a reload preload adjuster, on occasions when I had to take a pillion around.

What also came as a pleasant surprise was the easy and friendly handling of the bike. Once you get used to the size of the motorcycle, tipping the bike into corners takes a gentle counter steering input. Once in a corner, the grippy tyres and the wheelbase offer the requisite stability to prevent any spikes in your heart rate.

What could cause a bit of a scare is the oversensitive ABS in an emergency braking situation. Given how greasy Mumbai’s concrete roads are, the ABS intervened too early and caused the braking distance to increase, unpredictably and uncomfortably. Perhaps a better-tuned ABS system would help.

The Kawasaki Versys 1100 is, undoubtedly, the thinking person’s bike. But, as I’d mentioned in the beginning, it speaks a little to your heart as well. Here’s a bike that offers the addictive sound of an inline-four engine, with all the power that you’d ever need.

It is supremely comfortable, easy to ride, and more importantly, easy to live with. It may be basic in terms of equipment, and I wish Kawasaki offered the better equipped SE variant in India, but the Versys 1100 does get the basics right.

At Rs. 13.89 lakh, ex-showroom, there’s nothing in the vicinity that offers the kind of usability and practicality that the Versys offers. And that makes it a motorcycle that’s hard to look past, if you are shopping for a big bike in India.

Images by Kapil Angane