The Kawasaki Versys 650 shares its design traits with the bigger 1000 and will be offered in two colour options namely black and green.
Certainly a time to rejoice for touring lovers, a recent report suggests that Kawasaki India will introduce the Versys 650 in the country by the end of this year in December. Imported in the country for homologation purposes earlier this year, the launch was due for quite some time now and is great news for the wanderlust bitten bikers out there. Joining Kawasaki’s extensive middle-weight lineup, the 650cc tourer shares its design traits with its older sibling, the Versys 1000.
Similar to the 1000, the Kawasaki Versys 650 gets the updated styling complete with the twin headlamp setup, generous fairing, split seats and a strong road presence. The tourer gets a comfortable saddle, reach adjustable raised handlebars, an adjustable windscreen and upright seating position. While Kawasaki already sells the Ninja 650 in the same space, it is more of a sports tourer while the Versys 650 is an out and out tourer and is targeted for more mile munching capabilities. The ground clearance of 170 mm is perfect to take on any terrain without a second thought.
Power comes from the familiar 649cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine tuned to produce 68.1 BHP at 8500 RPM and 64 Nm of torque at 7000 RPM, paired to a 6-speed gearbox. The Kawasaki Versys 650 comes with USD forks up front and an offset monoshock setup at the rear, while braking performance comes from dual petal discs at the front and a rear single disc. ABS is most likely to be missed on the Indian model. In terms of colour options, the report suggests that Kawasaki will be offering the tourer in black and green paint schemes.
Expect the Versys 650 to be priced around Rs. 6 lakhs (ex-showroom) in the country and will primarily rival the Benelli TNT 600 GT in the middle-weight touring segment. In addition, rumour has it that the Versys lineup could get a younger sibling in the following years with a 250/300cc version possibly in the works. With several manufacturers betting big on adventure tourers, it will be really interesting to see a powerful yet extremely practical motorcycle from the house of Kwacker.
Source – AutocarIndia.com