Q.2016 EICMA: Kawasaki Versys-X 300 Revealed

[USER="20"]NikilSJ[/USER] Exactly. That's the USPs of these entry level adventure tourers. Low saddle height, controllable power and compact dimensions make it ideal to ride in a country like India! The same mantra was used by Himalayan as well and despite some small niggling issues, the bike is doing pretty well in the market! Moreover, Royal Enfield has ironed out a number of issues in the recent batch, including gear shift issues. I'd say the market for entry level adventure bikes is picking up its pace and things are going to get more and more interesting from now on. I really hope RE brings the Fuel injected, ABS version of the Himalayan as soon as possible in order to keep up with the competition.

[URL="https://www.zigwheels.com/forum/profile/40"]Praveen[/URL] my guess is that the Versys X 300, like the Ninja 300 will be priced at a premium. There is no way Kawasaki can undercut the KTMs as they are assembled here. The Versys X 300 looks like a proper tourer and if they can price it the same as the BMW G 310 GS, then we'll have a healthy fight going on between these two. One aspect that makes me think this bike the ideal one for Indians is that kerb weight and saddle height. At 170kg, the Versys seems like a good learners bike for people getting into fast motorcycles. What do you think?

[USER="9188"]Anuj_Mishra_1[/USER] The realist in me says it will be more expensive than the Ninja. In all probability, I feel it will be brought from Thailand via the CKD route, just like Ninja 300. Moreover, all Kawasaki products are on the premium side and that means they're more expensive to maintain. If Kawasaki really wants to make a dent in the Indian market, then pricing is very crucial. But then they have to maintain their quality standards as well, which is a difficult balance to achieve. Also, timing is crucial as well. Next year, we're going to witness a slew of launches including the likes of 2017 390 Duke, Husqvarna bikes, BMW G 310 R and then later G 310 GS. If Kawasaki is considering to launch the Versys X 300 in India, then they'll have to do it as soon as possible.

Realising the potential of the quarter-litre adventure segment, Kawasaki has unveiled the smallest in the Versys range- the Versys-X 300. As expected, the bike shares its powerplant with the Ninja 300 that is already on sale in India. But, the chassis and rest of the body are all new. True to the adventure-tourer design philosophy, the bike employs a set of 41mm long travel front forks, wind-screen, padded fuel tank, quarter fairing with the headlamp and a gas-charged 'Uni-Trak' monoshock at the rear. More than the Versys' design language, I feel the design of this bike is more reminiscent of the KTM adventure series. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n20674[/ATTACH] Information is displayed on an analogue-digital combo cluster. It is equipped with two trip meters, gear indicator, clock, distance-to-empty, current and average fuel consumption, and an eco mode indicator. Kawasaki claims that if the bike is capable of covering over 385 kilometers on a single tank in eco mode. On the safety front, ABS and slipper clutch are standard fitments. The 19-inch front and the 17-inch rear are apt for both on and off-roading as they are shod with IRC Trail Winner tires. Moreover, upswept exhaust means easier water-wading! [ATTACH=CONFIG]n20673[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]n20675[/ATTACH] An interesting thing about this bike is that it is available in two variants- one for the urban jungle and the other for adventure-seeking. The urban variant gets a 30-litre top pannier, centre-stand and hand guards while the adventure variant gets two 17-litre side panniers, centre-stand and an engine guard. Kerb weight is expected to be around 170 kg and the saddle height would be around 800mm. I really hope Kawasaki brings this to India but in all probability, this will be sold at a premium over the Ninja 300. If Kawasaki manages to price it competitively, then it has the potential to make a strong case for itself. Especially because, this would be a refined twin-cylinder entry-level adventure motorcycle. What do you guys think? [B]Other EICMA Hot Topics: [URL="https://www.zigwheels.com/forum/posts/18152-ktm-to-launch-new-duke-200-duke-390"]KTM Unveils 2017 Duke Range at EICMA[/URL][/B] [B][URL="https://www.zigwheels.com/forum/posts/18152-ktm-to-launch-new-duke-200-duke-390"]BMW G310 GS Unveiled at EICMA[/URL][/B] [B][URL="https://www.zigwheels.com/forum/posts/17772-suzuki-gixxer-250-to-be-launched-soon"]Suzuki Gixxer 250 may be launched soon[/URL][/B]