alba eon wrote:JHScoot wrote:hi guys
anyone know of or have experience with one of these? Kawasaki Versys
if so how does it compare to the Ninja 650 in handling? i have read they share set ups of sorts, but the Versys is def taller. also, how does the Versys do in traffic so far as bobbing and weaving?
i would like w/e bike i get to have the ability to be rode spiritedly in traffic. like i do my scooters
This is my main ride now and I've got 25000 miles on mine in 18 months. Not sure how it compares to the Ninja in handling. The suspension is obviously taller and you will get more dive from the forks. Engine was remapped to give more usable power low down, sacrificing some top end speed (still does 120mph so you are not exactly losing much). It's a very nimble machine, short wheelbase gives quick turning ability. Essentially is it a slightly detuned sportbike on stilts. Makes it a great all rounder in my opinion. I do struggle to be smooth on it at low speeds, not sure if that my failing or the bike.
What I really love about it is that it can do most anything and not look out of place. Race track or forest roads, it can do them all.
thanks for the post. very good info. it sounds like a great all around bike to own. versatile to say the least
KABarash wrote:Milt wrote:Stormswift wrote:
"f I used shifting when younger it would not be an issue. I am not sure I can learn to shift now and be safe on the road."
My 'significant other', who is 47, is facing the same issue. We started her off on a Buddy 150 (that's why we have two of them) and she will learn to shift on a stand-supported bike. After she is comfortable doing that, she will ride a small standard MC for a bit and transition to a 74 inch Sportster when she is ready. She looks forward to having a better view on our longer mountain rides.
You already have the two wheels and a motor thing under your belt as a scooterist - you just need to add the gear-shifting thing and you will be good to go. I would advise the advanced course from MSF when you are ready (after you have gotten comfortable with a conventional MC).
Don't sell yourself short and keep the shiny side up...
Thirty five years ago I rode a 'regular' motorcycle, of course I was young, shifting was no big deal. I drive a manual transmission car and am thinking of going to something with an automatic, just because. It's really no big of a problem, I can still ride a motorcycle that you shift, my son has a Yamaha R6, love to shift, just don't want to all the time anymore. There's no rule saying you're too old to learn something new, it's just a case of if you want to....
'Stormy' a couple years riding has given you the experience of riding what is the next step that you're willing to take?
My son's friend is selling his Suzuki GZ250, great bike, do I want it?? Who knows. I'd like a Urual, in absolute love with the styling as well as as the Enfield. Do I want to go back to a 'shifting' bike? Donno...... I just love getting on a bike and rolling back on the throttle and away I go!! Maybe a Vespa 300 is the next step for me, you have to decide which way you want to go.
i think this is pretty right on now that i have learned to shift. somewhat...
but i have no doubt i can get on just about any "ordinary" motorcycle and ride it. i realized using the clutch is almost like using the rear break in a quick stop situation. just with an extra step worked in to change gears and somewhat quicker when moving along. but thats about it, really. practice smoothing things out in a parking lot a time or two and you're golden. the main thing is i know how to ride and am comfortable on two wheels. all that remains . so the shifting is like second nature once you get going. imo. sure i am a bit nervous about downshifting and what not. but i figure that will come quick to me with practice.
Tristik wrote:~~
Versys: A guy at work drives his almost everyday outside of winter and I've never heard him have any issues other than a nail in a tire. From what I understand, they are basically a Ninja with a few tweaks. They supposedly handle the twisties as well as a Ninja does, but have a more comfortable riding position.
Katana 600: Some people say the older (80's or early 90's) ones are acceptable bikes to start on. Some don't. They are heavier than they really should be and that's part of the reason they aren't great starter bikes. I don't know why the older ones are considered acceptable. I assume it's a combination of older technology producing lower power than today's 600's, and the fact that most bikes lose a little bit of their power when they get old. Don't quote me on that, just my assumption.
I talked to my local dealer today about trading in my Blur in spring for possibly the 300 (or a used bike depending on his inventory). He told me to not discount the current 250's as they are all going to be discounted to under 4,000 after the 300's arrive. Guess we'll see what's available. A brand new 250 at about 3,800 might be too good to pass up.
~~
hmm....that Versys does sound like a suitable choice. saw a 2010 for $6500, too. i forget where? but i think "leftover" models can be negotiable. price isn't a huge factor if i buy new, but i always want my best deal
i am middle aged. i like the Ninja now. will i in a few years? i can easily say the Versys is a bike i could like for awhile, and it looks somewhat
grown up with luggage boxes attached
the Katana? i have rethought the styling and that is A LOT of faring. and i wonder if it needs to come off for basic servicing? it is also painted garishly in many cases. maybe not so bad if not so much tupperware to cover. but its still cheap consideration as a true "first motorcycle" choice. i am also exploring other older bikes. things from the 90's and early 2000's. very interesting things out there....
oh, and sounds like either Ninja will be a step up from the Blur. good as the Blur is the Ninja seems a sweet little bike from what i have read. and the 250 has lots of mods for it. lots of fun can be had there, too
Dooglas wrote:JHScoot wrote:I have a question. i saw this (Concours 14) on the Kawasaki site and thought it interesting, and apparently it has competitors. its called a "sport touring." my question is how is it and others different then a regular touring bike, and where does the "sport" part come in?
How is this different then say a Goldwing or similar? or some big Harley cruiser? in performance and riding dynamics, i mean?
Well, the Goldwing is a giant road sofa that is really set-up for 2-up long distance rides in maximum comfort. The Harleys are a cranky old school design that only a mother could love - but there are a lot of mothers out there
. Sport touring bikes, on the other hand, are a cross between performance and highway rideability. Honda makes a couple of good ones - the NT 700 and the ST 1300. Neither has much in common with a Goldwing.
the local mc cops ride the ST1300 police bike. not sure how many other forces use 'em. very nice bikes festooned with all the police gear and what not
i saw a comparison between the GW and a huge BMW. they liked the BMW more but said it was awful for passenger comfort. they said passenger comfort was half the battle with these luxo tourers and no one beats Honda and the GW in that department. they also said the instrument panel was dated but i like it. reminds me of a Volvo lol
the BMW had a screen operated by a wheel on the right hand grip. oh, big deal
Southerner wrote:Wow, this has generated a lot of comment.
The 250 had definite sportbike cred. It was and is a learner bike for those lucky enough to live near a track. The Honda is a single and while it is close to the performance of the Kawi, the Kaw still had the edge, even at 250cc.
I like how sportbikes look. I don't like how they sit. You lean forward on your crotch and "serious" ones have a seat pad a bicyclist would reject. They are no fun unless you have some wind under you or you have a tankbag to hold you up. This bike seems to have a better seat and higher bars. I expect the ones that are raced are modified as this one has higher, more normal bars.
Until the last couple of years, the 400-500cc class was a staple. The Suzuki GS500 was the last to bow out. Low sales due to the modern displacement lust. 300cc is hardly overpowered.
If somebody wants to learn to shift, the way to do it is like we used to do it in the 70s. A small, light bike used to practice off-road until the skills are there. I really think the barrier is more mental than physical. It would be easier to contemplate a drop on the dirt than hard pavement and certainly not a good idea to learn in traffic.
I sure would like to see more standards but I expect any 300 to 500cc bikes will arrive in "sporty" guise because the sellers think that's what the most likely buyers (almost certainly young males) want to see themselves on. I doubt many will even be cruisers since that crowd lusts after size above all. It amazes me that Honda has been so successful for so long with their 250 Rebel (formerly Twinstar).
you are right about the seating position issue. and i had the same impression not being around mc's most of my life, and still not too much. but it would seem some of todays "sport bikes" are in fact sold as equal parts street bike or "standard" and strive to put the rider upright as possible. the "clip on" handle bars and hardcore seating is saved for the "supersport" class
i found this a nice surprise as the more i read about "sport" bikes the more i like them. i also like the "naked" bikes (roadsters?) but like a bit of faring and a small windscreen for protection from the elements. but i like these bikes because they are modern and strive toward performance and handling and in some cases, even comfort it would seem. idk if all makers have such bikes, but it seems the japanese do
someone on youtube called this Yamaha the "Mustang GT" of motorcycles. a "daily rider." it even has a height adjustable seat and adjustable fore and aft handlebars
and apparently this beast has been named best "standard motorcycle" by cycleworld magazine two years running. now being a mc novice if you ask me if i see anything "standard" about this bike i would say heck no, man
and a supersport with those low handlebars and flat seat. i sat on one of these right before i began riding scooters. i thought "no way" then and would most likely feel the same now. this is all very interesting to me, though
I was thinking the same thing. 
