Comments on: 2012 Kawasaki Versys 1000 Materializes In Milan (Bike Reports) (News) http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/11/2012-kawasaki-versys-1000-materializes-in-milan/ Motorcycle News, Editorials, Product Reviews and Bike Reviews Sat, 25 May 2013 06:24:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: DynoSoar http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/11/2012-kawasaki-versys-1000-materializes-in-milan/comment-page-1/#comment-31815 DynoSoar Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:06:37 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=18585#comment-31815 Let me be a bit clearer. I just don't believe that the majority of people looking for a cool street bike really want a two wheeled SUV that will never go off-road. It means a bigger, heavier, taller, sloppier handling and, to me, much uglier bike than necessary. Are these big 'Adventure Tourers' just the result of all manufacturers following the BMW GS sales success because they can't think of any original ways to make a street bike cool? Is the word 'Street' a marketing anathema? We have super cool 'Sport' bikes with crippling riding positions at legal street speeds, but absolute nirvana on a track day. We have super cool 'Cruisers' with crippling riding positions on the freeway, but with gorgeous paint, chrome and detailing and perfect for short rides with friends and pride of ownership. The 'Sport Tourers' all seem to have become overweight and/or dowdy and deliberately dull. The 'Sport Standards' (Speed Triple, Z1000 etc) are getting close but still a little too hyperactive for a long term relationship. So if I want to carry occasional luggage or a passenger, stay reasonable comfortable on the bumpier 'roads less travelled', the market is telling me I need a bike with 'tough, off road inspired styling'. Well SC&£W that. Give me a K1200R that hasn't been beaten to death with an ugly stick. OR how about putting the Triumph Explorer motor in a chassis with state of the art tarmac tyres, brakes and Ohlins suspension, a 60 inch wheelbase so I can launch it HARD, a roomy seat so I can shuffle around when my backside gets numb, all in beautiful two-tone pin striped paint, styled by Massimo Tamburini and weighing in at less than 500lb wet. OR same starting with a K1600 motor and some hotter cams with a solid 150hp at the tyre.............Call them 'Roadsters' so the marketeers don't have to use the dreaded uncool 'Street' word and let the imagination loose. Its OK, the nice men in the white coats are coming to explain why I should like SUVs like everybody else for the benefit of the world economy. All better now. Rant over. Let me be a bit clearer. I just don’t believe that the majority of people looking for a cool street bike really want a two wheeled SUV that will never go off-road. It means a bigger, heavier, taller, sloppier handling and, to me, much uglier bike than necessary. Are these big ‘Adventure Tourers’ just the result of all manufacturers following the BMW GS sales success because they can’t think of any original ways to make a street bike cool? Is the word ‘Street’ a marketing anathema?

We have super cool ‘Sport’ bikes with crippling riding positions at legal street speeds, but absolute nirvana on a track day.

We have super cool ‘Cruisers’ with crippling riding positions on the freeway, but with gorgeous paint, chrome and detailing and perfect for short rides with friends and pride of ownership.

The ‘Sport Tourers’ all seem to have become overweight and/or dowdy and deliberately dull.

The ‘Sport Standards’ (Speed Triple, Z1000 etc) are getting close but still a little too hyperactive for a long term relationship.

So if I want to carry occasional luggage or a passenger, stay reasonable comfortable on the bumpier ‘roads less travelled’, the market is telling me I need a bike with ‘tough, off road inspired styling’.

Well SC&£W that. Give me a K1200R that hasn’t been beaten to death with an ugly stick. OR how about putting the Triumph Explorer motor in a chassis with state of the art tarmac tyres, brakes and Ohlins suspension, a 60 inch wheelbase so I can launch it HARD, a roomy seat so I can shuffle around when my backside gets numb, all in beautiful two-tone pin striped paint, styled by Massimo Tamburini and weighing in at less than 500lb wet. OR same starting with a K1600 motor and some hotter cams with a solid 150hp at the tyre………….Call them ‘Roadsters’ so the marketeers don’t have to use the dreaded uncool ‘Street’ word and let the imagination loose.

Its OK, the nice men in the white coats are coming to explain why I should like SUVs like everybody else for the benefit of the world economy. All better now. Rant over.

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]]> By: Carl http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/11/2012-kawasaki-versys-1000-materializes-in-milan/comment-page-1/#comment-31791 Carl Sat, 12 Nov 2011 20:04:44 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=18585#comment-31791 Hey DOC.....just curious but what exactly do you consider to be a good looking sport tourer style bike? Hey DOC…..just curious but what exactly do you consider to be a good looking sport tourer style bike?

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]]> By: Carl http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/11/2012-kawasaki-versys-1000-materializes-in-milan/comment-page-1/#comment-31790 Carl Sat, 12 Nov 2011 20:03:05 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=18585#comment-31790 Taste in aesthetics is clearly objective and subjective. That not withstanding...I think kawasaki did a most excellent job on the looks of the bike. (Hey "DOC", what do you consider to be a good looking bike????) The current face of the kle-650 I never cared for (kinda underwhelming), but on the '1000' it works just fine. BTW...I ride a 09 Versys, ( the original and better looking IMHO) and it's continues to amaze me...and for the price it's simply brilliant!!! Taste in aesthetics is clearly objective and subjective. That not withstanding…I think kawasaki did a most excellent job on the looks of the bike.
(Hey “DOC”, what do you consider to be a good looking bike????)
The current face of the kle-650 I never cared for (kinda underwhelming), but on the ’1000′ it works just fine.
BTW…I ride a 09 Versys, ( the original and better looking IMHO) and it’s continues to amaze me…and for the price it’s simply brilliant!!!

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]]> By: PaulB http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/11/2012-kawasaki-versys-1000-materializes-in-milan/comment-page-1/#comment-31785 PaulB Sat, 12 Nov 2011 13:54:35 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=18585#comment-31785 I have always been told that the "main thing in life is to pay attention", that would serve Kawasaki well from my standpoint. Two cylinders, 800cc's, a couple of small upgrades to the suspension and keep the same character of the `09 Versys I currently own. That`s what was needed. This thing just misses the mark. I have always been told that the “main thing in life is to pay attention”, that would serve Kawasaki well from my standpoint. Two cylinders, 800cc’s, a couple of small upgrades to the suspension and keep the same character of the `09 Versys I currently own. That`s what was needed. This thing just misses the mark.

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]]> By: MD http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/11/2012-kawasaki-versys-1000-materializes-in-milan/comment-page-1/#comment-31742 MD Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:31:48 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=18585#comment-31742 I ride a 2007 Versys. It has been the perfect bike except at higher altitudes, and high speed extended freeway use. The bike needed another 30hp, without losing its near perfect handling, especially at low speeds. They may have done it. I never ride gravel, have no intentions with this type of bike. If I want an offroad machine, I'll buy a KLR that can be dropped over and over, and is easy to pickup and keep going. This bike has damn near perfect ergonomics, and power. The present Versys needs an aftermarket shield otherwise it can be really noisy with turbulent air at the top of the helmet. Hopefully this bike will be better. Otherwise it looks to be the perfect road bike for a intermediate to advanced rider. BUT God almighty, did they get a color blind engineer to pick the colors? Burnt Orange, Metalic Green or Red, even straight Black. But White or Brownish Grey...yikes. Might wait another year to see if they can improve the color choices otherwise I would order straight away. I ride a 2007 Versys. It has been the perfect bike except at higher altitudes, and high speed extended freeway use. The bike needed another 30hp, without losing its near perfect handling, especially at low speeds. They may have done it.

I never ride gravel, have no intentions with this type of bike. If I want an offroad machine, I’ll buy a KLR that can be dropped over and over, and is easy to pickup and keep going. This bike has damn near perfect ergonomics, and power. The present Versys needs an aftermarket shield otherwise it can be really noisy with turbulent air at the top of the helmet. Hopefully this bike will be better. Otherwise it looks to be the perfect road bike for a intermediate to advanced rider.

BUT God almighty, did they get a color blind engineer to pick the colors? Burnt Orange, Metalic Green or Red, even straight Black. But White or Brownish Grey…yikes. Might wait another year to see if they can improve the color choices otherwise I would order straight away.

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]]> By: DynoSoar http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/11/2012-kawasaki-versys-1000-materializes-in-milan/comment-page-1/#comment-31723 DynoSoar Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:10:22 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=18585#comment-31723 Except I actually enjoy looking at a REX Except I actually enjoy looking at a REX

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]]> By: DynoSoar http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/11/2012-kawasaki-versys-1000-materializes-in-milan/comment-page-1/#comment-31714 DynoSoar Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:08:46 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=18585#comment-31714 Now what about the bike behind it in the last picture? Is that an old Zephyr or another Japan only modernized UJM of the sort I would dearly like to get my hands on. PLEASE let's not make the same mistakes as the cage manufacturers by thinking that customers actually know what they want (Steve Jobs, RIP, knew that the sheep needed to be lead not followed to make truly great product). It has taken over a decade to put the SUV monster back in it's cage. For the >1% of people who want to ride round the world without touching tarmac, a few KTM Adventurers make sense (although I suspect a low compression KLR650 or G650 would be more likely to run on the available fuel and arrive with the pilot unscathed). I suspect that many riders that are currently looking for a comfortable all rounder that can handle some soft luggage and a few bumpy roads would rather buy something sleek than paramilitary (more orange and root-beer Z1 than M1030B1 Marine Corps motorcycle). Then again, the R1200GS outsells the R1200R Classic 100:1. perhaps we are all doomed to a decade of two wheeled Ford Explorers :0 Now what about the bike behind it in the last picture? Is that an old Zephyr or another Japan only modernized UJM of the sort I would dearly like to get my hands on.

PLEASE let’s not make the same mistakes as the cage manufacturers by thinking that customers actually know what they want (Steve Jobs, RIP, knew that the sheep needed to be lead not followed to make truly great product). It has taken over a decade to put the SUV monster back in it’s cage. For the >1% of people who want to ride round the world without touching tarmac, a few KTM Adventurers make sense (although I suspect a low compression KLR650 or G650 would be more likely to run on the available fuel and arrive with the pilot unscathed). I suspect that many riders that are currently looking for a comfortable all rounder that can handle some soft luggage and a few bumpy roads would rather buy something sleek than paramilitary (more orange and root-beer Z1 than M1030B1 Marine Corps motorcycle).

Then again, the R1200GS outsells the R1200R Classic 100:1. perhaps we are all doomed to a decade of two wheeled Ford Explorers :0

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]]> By: tla http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/11/2012-kawasaki-versys-1000-materializes-in-milan/comment-page-1/#comment-31689 tla Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:46:49 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=18585#comment-31689 not giving up my 650 versys for this! not giving up my 650 versys for this!

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]]> By: Doc http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/11/2012-kawasaki-versys-1000-materializes-in-milan/comment-page-1/#comment-31679 Doc Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:06:41 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=18585#comment-31679 OMG!!!!!! Bikes are getting uglier by the minute. I think the designers are trying to outdo each other. This thing is so ugly, I wouldn't ride it on a dark moonless night. Reminds of the joke of someone's kid being so ugly, you had to tie a porkchop around the kid's neck just so the family dog would play him. Except I don't think there is a women out there hot enough for me to ride this thing. Sorry Salma. OMG!!!!!! Bikes are getting uglier by the minute. I think the designers are trying to outdo each other. This thing is so ugly, I wouldn’t ride it on a dark moonless night. Reminds of the joke of someone’s kid being so ugly, you had to tie a porkchop around the kid’s neck just so the family dog would play him. Except I don’t think there is a women out there hot enough for me to ride this thing. Sorry Salma.

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]]> By: Ayk http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/11/2012-kawasaki-versys-1000-materializes-in-milan/comment-page-1/#comment-31636 Ayk Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:54:37 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=18585#comment-31636 Adventure bike? Open your eyes, mate! There is no 'street' in adventure, except what you ride to get to the good stuff, and this bike stops at the end of the pavement. Adventure bike? Open your eyes, mate! There is no ‘street’ in adventure, except what you ride to get to the good stuff, and this bike stops at the end of the pavement.

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