The middleweight ADV segment in India has witnessed the consistent entry of new names over the last few years. The latest one to do was from Moto Morini with the X-Cape 650. And when it comes to one of the rather well-known models, the Kawasaki Versys 650 fits the bill. So, we put the two ADVS against each other on paper in this story to see which one offers a better package.
Design
The Kawasaki Versys 650 recently received a facelift and now features a similar fascia as its 1000cc sibling. The split LED headlight looks much sharper than before and is topped by a decently large windscreen. Meanwhile, the upright stance remains unchanged and so does the overall bodywork. Even the X-Cape 650 follows a similar design language as the Versys 650. It gets a youthful facia housing a split LED headlight topped by a transparent screen. The Moto Morini ADV also looks quite purposeful and has a tall and upright stance like the Kwacker.
Engine
Kawasaki has powered the Versys 650 with a 649cc parallel-twin motor belting out 65.7 bhp and 61 Nm. It’s mated to a six-speed gearbox and nestled in a diamond-type frame. The Versys 650’s motor offers a good spread of torque throughout the rev range and let's accelerate quickly at low speeds even at a higher gear. Meanwhile, the X-Cape also gets a 649cc mill dishing out 60bhp and 54Nm. While the X-Cape makes a little less power than the rival, the bike also weighs about 4kg less which should improve the overall power-to-weight ratio.
Features
Kawasaki has equipped the Versys with LED illumination, a full TFT dash, smartphone connectivity, traction control, and ABS. It even offers a USB charging port as an accessory. The X-Cape 650 on the other hand is the most feature-rich bike in its segment. It gets a TFT, riding modes (off-road and ride), dual USB chargers, and an adjustable windscreen.
Hardware
The Versys rides on rebound and preload adjustable USD front forks and a monoshock. Its braking hardware comprises dual 300mm front discs and a single 250mm rear disc with ABS. The setup is mounted on 17-inch alloys wrapped in road-biased tyres. Meanwhile, the Moto Morini bike rides on fully adjustable USD front forks and a monoshock. It too gets 298mm dual front discs and a single 255mm rear unit. You can buy the X-Cape with either alloys or spoked wheels wrapped in dual-purpose rubber. The latter is available as a separate variant.
Price
The asking price for the Kawasaki Versys 650 is set at Rs 7,54,000 (ex-showroom Delhi) and the Moto Morini X-Cape is priced at Rs 7,20,000 for the base model while the X trim costs Rs 20,000 more for the spoked wheels. While the Moto Morini bike is a tad more affordable, it’s also worth noting that the Versys has been around for a while and Kawasaki’s service network is comparatively better than that of Moto Morini.
