News: G&M | 2017 Kawasaki Versys-X 300 ABS | GTAMotorcycle.com

News: G&M | 2017 Kawasaki Versys-X 300 ABS

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TorontoBoy

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http://driving.ca/kawasaki/versys/reviews/road-test/motorcycle-review-2017-kawasaki-versys-x-300-abs

Ninja 300 parallel motor into the Versys adventure bike frame. 39hp, 12000rpm redline. Add ABS. Hard bags available. $6,400CAD

G&M said:
The formula is fairly simple: Take the proven, high-revving, 296-cc parallel twin that powers Kawasaki’s littlest Ninja and slap it into a quasi dirt bike-like platform. Gussy it up a bit with anti-lock brakes, throw in some (available) saddlebags/top case and you would have a fair rendition of a true adventure bike. In retrospect, it’s not such a far-fetched concept, what with small-displacement bikes becoming popular these days and adventure tourers all the rage.
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Observed gas mileage is 4.2L/100km, which does not seem all that great. This is in the territory of a 500. I wonder why so low?

This bike adds more variety to the 300cc range, and this can only be good. I wonder if this bike will appeal to the older rider who simply does not need a 650 or 700ccs motor?
 
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300 Adventure tourer is a joke, 0 torque so plan on shifting ALL the time. Add a little weight with luggage and look out, slipping clutch at 12000 to launch....

BB
 
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busabim said:
300 Adventure tourer is a joke, 0 torque so plan on shifting ALL the time.

BB
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I think the premise is that the bike is light enough and cheap enough for some gentle off-road adventures without causing you to put your back out or cry about the damage if you drop it, and the on-road manners are good enough to get you there. Nobody is buying a 300 cc bike with the expectation it will be a two-up, touring, torque monster.
 
Riding in Toronto is an adventure and there is plenty of dirt, so I can see this being a good fit for commuters. Wonder if the suspension is up to the task?
 
having a cb500x ... i feel that this 300 guzzles a lotta gas.

i don't see it being great off road unless it gets modded a lot..whereas 500x can do fire roads easily with stock equipment...

probably an alright bike for beginners for some commuting or light touring

the 500s have the rally raid mod that makes it into a very capable adventure bike.... (increases height, better suspension and bigger wheels)

lets see what happens with this one
 
LePhillou said:
having a cb500x ... i feel that this 300 guzzles a lotta gas.

i don't see it being great off road unless it gets modded a lot..whereas 500x can do fire roads easily with stock equipment...

probably an alright bike for beginners for some commuting or light touring

the 500s have the rally raid mod that makes it into a very capable adventure bike.... (increases height, better suspension and bigger wheels)

lets see what happens with this one
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I hate to say it but the versys 300 stock is better set up than the cb500x stock. Just the fact that it has spoked rims is a huge plus when going off pavement.
The rally raid kit is great except that by the time you but the bike and the kit you aren't far from an Africa twin or many other more worthy adv bikes.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk
 
If they doubled the engine size and added another half we'd be getting into 3/4 litre territory. At that you could adventure yourself right to the provincial border except in a great lake. "Potential" has become a cliche but I wouldn't be afraid to use it here. Let the good times roll.
 
Iceman said:
I hate to say it but the versys 300 stock is better set up than the cb500x stock. Just the fact that it has spoked rims is a huge plus when going off pavement.
The rally raid kit is great except that by the time you but the bike and the kit you aren't far from an Africa twin or many other more worthy adv bikes.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk
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Agreed that spoked rims are an enormous plus,
and the travel + clearance is higher on the 300
So structurally speaking the 300 is better, yes.

But the torque and weight compared to engine size....
Honda is 40lbs heavier than the kawi, and you don't need to wring it as much (lower redline) to reach said torque (north of 31 lb/ft vs 19lb/ft) ... so the Honda has more potential at low rpm than the 300 offroad IMO but i guess its more forgiving to have less torque offroad if you're starting out, which is what this bike is aimed at... i wouldve actually considered it when i started if it was available back then.

The rally raid kit discussion... of course we're talking about the new cb500x but what's great is they're 4 years in so you can get a used one for a lot cheaper and add the kit on there for the price of a new kawi 300.

Also i see africa twin, triumph tigers, ktm 1090, vstrom etc... as a different category... when we're looking at litre sized engines. it can't also double as your light and nimble commuter (which is something attractive with this category of 600 and under adventure bikes)
 
I looked into this bike as a commuter this spring. Nice bike but...the 50mpg fuel mileage is disgraceful compared to Honda's new CRF250 Rally that has more torque and gets 100mpg. Even my old CM250 gets 65-70mpg. The Versys' twin motor gives great high-end HP, it cruises at 80mph (130kph) but predictably no torque off the bottom. It's a clear case of an engine getting all its power from a big cam, very inefficient. I'll wait a couple of years until there are more CRF250 Rallys around, or a comparable competitor.
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