Kawasaki Versys 1000 | Daily Rider 

24:00 is that a stonking mustang?

You should see the tops of the saddle bags on my Versys. I gave up after the first few months of trying not to kick them.

@@FragEightyfive lmao, they're just that tall.

@@luko560 same request!

I imagine the questions about the Versys 1000 versus the Ninja 1000sx are much like the 1996 questions of the GPz1100 (which I owned) versus the ZX10.

Could not agree more with this sentiment. This is outstanding work!

Agree with all the praise and definitely 2nd the request for a review of the R7.

Yes to the R7 from me too, hope he gets one in soon

100 %

And another one who thinks these reviews are great. And that's not just because I bought the Versys 650GT 😊

Send it on a Yamaha Tracer 900!

Versys 650 is a awesome machine

Why did you compare two bikes that have totally different purposes? One of those bikes is actually meant to off road. The other two are touring bikes designed to look like they off road for no reason, oh wait people like you.

@@kingdan7458 1) who died and put you in charge of what bikes people can like? 2) who said anything about off road? The AT is also a great bike for on-road touring for lots of reasons 3) buying a bike cause it looks cool is absolutely ok because it’s supposed to be fun. I’d never buy a bike that I thought was ugly, even if some internet know it all thinks I shouldn’t. Funny how no biker I’ve ever met in real life has had anything but positive things to say to anyone getting out on two wheels

Dude...that's crazy, because that's exactly what's been happening to me! Tracer 900..then maybe Versys 1000 and now...hm maybe that 650 like my buddy just got and loves...or back to the Tracer!. But I'm literally checking local Versys 650 prices right now LOL. Im a paragliding and hanggliding pilot, head down to Baja a ton to run around and to fly and explore and go back and forth between more adventure bike...then 70% of my time will be street, but then again blah blabh . So I totally get it and did the same thing lol

Probably a 1000cc isn't a good first motorcycle, so a 650 is the best choice

My 2018 gets about 45mpg.

Yeah, I’m getting about the same mileage on my 1000 as i got on the 650.

@@kevinpeterman7127 I got a 2022 a few months back and average 48 MPG. Since Zack is testing this bike, he’s probably flogging it a lot. No way it should average 35-36 under normal riding conditions.

Couldn't agree more. Analog tach will always be preferable

@@drewnader1726 me too….having both is a plus but I must have analog at the minimum

YEAH, RPM analogue is DA BEST

This is my favorite gadget layout.

agree, i think they have the best looking gauges out there,very cool style.

... and you feel that it stiffens the ... ehhhh ... "spring"!

1000 has a LOT more power and it's a peach of an engine

@@kwak1k Agreed!

Thats a good point, and also riding 2 up, an heavier bike to start with will be easier on the hwy.

Hi can you recommend the lowering foot-peg kit? Which brand? Thanks

I Demoed a 1000 today I loved the quick shifter. Smoothest I've ever seen , not so much going down shifting , excellent motorcycle . Well done Kawasaki engineers. 👏 Very impressed

My exact same experience.

I mean, have you seen the show? 😂😂

Same, I had the 2015 and got 44

@@morgan98801 You mean ride like they know what they are doing? I hear people saying they will get over 200 kms before the reserve light comes on, on say a gixxer 1000. Who is driving that? Your Grandma? You'll never get above 160 kms if you ride it like it's meant to be ridden. Note this is with a bone stock bike on the road. The track would be even worse.

Stop and go Los Angeles traffic is a lot more brutal on my fuel economy than highway touring.

+1 for Sagar for anyone who doesn't know yet.

Arri??

@@pulkinpulman2028 Ari Henning? Obviously

Here in the UK we have 'The Missenden Flyer', he is very down to earth and worth a watch. Then there's 'Lamb Chop Rides', he too is worth a watch. Also 'TeapotOne' who is worth a view. Username Kate is not. She too frequently falls off the bikes she rides and is boring.

The needle tac is the cherry too

@@hendrxx_ I do kind of like the split. Looks cool. Definitely easyto read.

I never had a problem with the pegs on my '16 (I'm 6'1"). But I did always feel that the reach to the bars was just little too much. Was really only noticeable on long days in the saddle. And it wasn't bad enough for me to ever do anything about it.

I honestly was just watching your run with justin on his monster before I got here. You, your awesome riding and your channel is actively pulling me more towards the s1000xr, so how would you compare this versys1000 with your bike? If you had any chance of riding the versys already. :) Thanks! Big fan of both you and zack!

Guess I'm not the only one! 😂

sorry. I meant this comment to go to Ian's review, " In the Shadow of the Sierras. My apologies. Zack is a super riding reviewer. I am impressed with this Kawi Versus 1000.

sold my versys last year I still watch there reviews 🤣

Sold my Yamaha FS1-e in 1980 but I still watch them.@@AndyGSATractor

I feel like reviewers, Zack included, do a decent job of mentioning the center stand when bikes have them. It's just that not many bikes have them these days, and the way they have been doing exhaust lately very few bikes can mount one. But yeah, a huge feature that is absolutely worth pointing out. Even if one has a garage, how will you service the chain on tour? With difficulty, that's how, anecdotal as none of my bikes will fit one either.

@@kleinbottled79 If a bike doesn't have a centerstand even as an option, my interest in it rapidly declines. As you point out, it makes chain service so much easier, especially on tour. It obviously also makes rear tire service vastly easier, in the event of a flat.

@@WildBikerBill indeed, one of the reasons why sport tourers like the Ninja 1000 dont appeal to me is that is impossible for those to have a center stand, to me a CS is a must have for a chain driven bike

I agree. I've had the 1000 pegs scrape on certain banked, high angle off ramps.

I thought in your country you can get any model imaginable...hello from Israel, drive safe and enjoy your mt07-:)

I agree with this statement

I agree that the price should be taken into account but a daily rider isn't just a commuter bike. To me it's something more like a 'do it all' bike that you not only ride to work but take to the twisties, ride with a passenger, possibly take to the track/offroad and cover long distances while touring. The MT07 is also near the top of the list but is quite basic in terms of spec and has no weather protection, so I think price is definitely taken into account as it's one of the best bang-for-buck bikes out there. Personally I wouldn't put such an expensive bike on the top of the list either, but I've never ridden one, so maybe it really is that good.

@@180FiftyFive try one. I come as a 24 year youngster (from Italy!) who loves spirited riding, owned a Gixr 600 and last year I bought me a spanking new Street Triple 765 RS. In March I hopped on a GS for a test ride... And beginning of July I bought one. It's superbly versatile, going to work, fun on twisties (like real fun tbh), easy to ride, comfy, not thirsty.. If you can only have 1 bike (and you can afford it) I see no other option. Also tried the Multi 1200, Tiger 800/900, Ktm 1290 SA, nothing was quite on point like the beemer!

There are always going to be more expensive bikes. If you can't afford them, move down the list until you find the bike that suits your price point. No one is making you buy a GS!

And the second bike is a friggin' Ducati, so overall long-term reliability and servicing costs don't seem to be considered much there. Those would be A-list considerations for a bike I was planning to use as a 'daily rider.' He could weigh in valve service intervals, the reliability record of model/engine/brand, relative insurance costs, etc. We know if we can afford the sticker, tell us about the running costs. Tell us about the potential headaches.

I have had both. Preferred the sx for lone riding but it doesn’t compare to the versys for two up riding .

Same here : V-strom 650 and 1050. I feel like they're the most direct competition to the Versys offering. Mirroring each other almost perfectly. We kinda already know the V-strom is more capable off-road but that's about where it stops and most people don't venture much further than some dirt tracks. I'd like to see those on that board. Especially since they've all been recently refreshed.

I remember seeing Zacks review on either the FJ-09 or Tracer 900 GT and he said he'd take those bikes over the V-strom all day long because V was too bland. Still would be good to see

In par with Fortnine. Although for straight reviews Zach is way up there.

not gas mileage

@@joecamel6835 this is true. Hahaha. Mpg is a little lower than wanted!

Yup.... I bought an unsold 2019 in 2020 for $13,900. I also switched from a C14 to the Versys.

I rode a '92 as a Motorman. Great bike! I wish I had one today.

I think you pretty much fall into the intended use pattern. 65 MPH and light trails, get the 650, for interstate and two-up touring, get the 1K. You just happen to already have the interstate covered with, arguably, the greatest interstate touring model.

New versys 2022 has TFT screen now and traction.

@@robsonenduro3316 Came here to say this, and this update is the reason I'm now looking for a shop to take my money for a Versys 650 LT.

I thought the same as you with all the electric gadgets so I put a down payment on a 650 LT at a dealer in Mesa Az. Unfortunately the waiting period ran into several months and I eventually gave up on hoping I’d ever get one… So I applied the deposit to a 2022 Versys 1000 that the dealer already had on the showroom floor. Yes I paid way more than the 650 but far from the $18,399 MSRP. These may seem like petty positives but to me the 2 biggest pros over the 650 are 1) Better wind protection, especially with the aftermarket Puig windshield I installed and 2) A center stand. The thought of getting the 650 and having to use spools and a Paddock stand made me cringe. Every bike in the “adventure touring” category should have a center stand, and even more so if they’re chain final drive… and of course who could complain about having 2 extra cylinders and 50 more ponies?

@@Richaag i put in my preorder in the beginning of may here in the netherlands, and the bike is supposed to arrive somewhere middle september. Waiting period wasnt a biggie for me since my driving test is also scheduled at around the same time. I take lessons on a Z650 (im going for A2, so 35kW) so im already familiar with the engine and i've tried an older versys loaner in the parking lot. I have also sat on the 1000, but since im still a new rider, it felt quite oversized for me. Even when just sitting on it in the showroom. I dont like the z650, im 190cm tall (aww, im sorry. Its 6 ft 3 for you.. 😜), so its way to crammed for me. The 650 just felt nice. Comfy with relatively decent wind protection, but still managable for a new rider and nimble. Also sat on a v strom 650, but because of the v twin, the handlebar is a bit further away from you which i didnt really like. As far as the center stand goes, the versyses arent really adventure bikes anyway. More like adventure styled tourers (edit: you said that too). And whilst they are capable of some very light off road stuff. You arent going to do Itchy Boots stuff with them. Im going to install a scottoiler anyway so hopefully i dont need to regularly put it on a paddock stand. And otherwhise there's also aftermarket center stands.

Does the Kaw even make a bad bike ?

I own a 2020 model. Its quite good.

Yes PLEASE!

like a H2SX

There is already an H2 SX

@@Juuul89 Upright ergos... I am 6'5.

@@CCitis the versys 1000 is already not the most suited for super tall people, you´d be better off looking at a GS or KTM. Source: I´m 6'4 and my buddy has a versys

Maybe he just means in comparison to other quick shifters on other bikes. If its your first one then you may just see all the benefits of a QS and not know about its differences. My first new bike was a cbr500r and i thought the transmission and shifting was incredible, until i bought a versys 650 which shifts and feels so buttery smooth it changed my mind on the cbr500r’s transmission haha. The versys is so smooth it feels you don’t need the clutch. I love that bike so damn much!! 😆

@@Jagknorr that's exactly what I thought. I really would like to try out some different bikes with quickshifter

I'm fortunate to have a versys 1k and a sv650 in the garage. Both great bikes!

Have the SV650. I am very happy with it. Can check it. :)