“I thought that I might miss the power of the bigger bikes that I was used to, but in the real world of road riding the Versys seems to punch well above its weight. This is down to the excellent torque of the engine.
It is very reliable with a 200-250 mile tank range and is probably one of the best mid range all round bikes on the road. It will handle anything from motorways to mild off-roading.
Versys.co.uk forum is a gold mine of useful information and well worth a look.”
“Great bike, does what it says on the tin. You can argue that with versatility comes it does nothing very well, and that is likely true. But for a step up into the "big bike range" 650cc are great and the mid-range oomph is very useful to keep the revs low on lower speeds. Means it'll never beat a Ninja or other sportsbikes, but keeps the MPG reasonable. (About 48 in London commute traffic. Still painfully worse than the 120MPG I got on a 125, but for a 650er it's decent.)”
“I've ridden bikes for over 30 years now and had a considerable variety including 2 BMW gs's, a super blackbird, a harley and I suppose almost everything that's been about in that time. But the bike that has surprised me most is the Versys 650. I bought it to ride in all weathers as my other bikes are so hard to clean after a wet day out that the thought of it often spoils my ride. Firstly, the bike was cheap to buy second hand. I suspected it wasn't going to be as much fun as the forums suggest because of its price and lack of gizmos, but OMG, what a surprise! This is one of the easiest and most fun bikes to ride I've ever had. It is unbelievably capable in the twisties and an awesome commuter returning near 60mpg. Filtering through traffic is a breeze as it is narrow and light with a nice clutch and smooth gearbox. For me, the controversial looks are fine as mine is the all black version which I personally think is best.
The only negative I have with the bike is that it is a bit under powered. There is a 1000cc version but it is big and heavy. If the 650cc twin produced around 100-120bhp it would be perfect (KTM do a lovely light twin which has loads of grunt). The issue with the engine only arises if you have 2 up, luggage or both. For this reason I would suggest that it's not for touring. I have also found it to struggle a little on the motorway with a strong head wind and heavy rain. Power doesn't always mean speed but is essential for rider safety.
All in all this is a superb bike with great balance and a fluent little engine which is super economical and smooth. The seat is adequate but on longer journeys is a bum numb'er. It is easy to insure and cheap to maintain. Watch out for spark plugs which haven't been changed regularly as they can weld themselves to the head.
Essential accessories: engine bars, fender extender, rear hugger, heated grips, hand guards and radiator guard. Riding position is excellent but you may opt for a taller screen. Smaller riders may have difficulty when stationary as the seat has no adjustment.
I thoroughly recommend this cracking wee bike!”
“I love this bike. Smaller than the Triumph Trident 750 I did have but punchier and more responsive. Handling is great, seat position very comfortable and low end torque superb. Very happy.”
