Breaking: 2022 Kawasaki Versys 650 Launched In India

While adventure bikes have become increasingly popular in India, there is a dearth of middleweight ADVs. And it is here that Kawasaki’s Versys 650 has raked in its popularity. Sub-Rs 10 lakh price tag, reliable and friendly engine, good looks, quality hardware are all attributes that fit the Versys 650 well. This 2022 update promises all that and more!     

Price and Rivals:
The new Kawasaki Versys 650 is priced at Rs 7,36,000 (ex-showroom Delhi). Prices for most motorcycles have gone up lately and the updated middleweight Versys commands a premium of Rs 21,000 over the outgoing model. Considering the current inflation, that’s not too bad for all the new stuff you get on the updated Versys 650. 

The Versys, although an ADV, is happiest on the road and is a pretty good tourer. Unchallenged for a long time, the ADV now competes with newer entrants like the Triumph Tiger Sport 660 and the Honda CB500X, which bring the same road-focused mindset. However, if you seek an off-road biased middleweight ADV, checkout the Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT.

What’s new:

While not a lot has changed, the new additions surely standout and help distinguish the new model from its pre-facelift version. It gets a revised front fairing, which is inspired by the bigger Versys 1000. Also new are the revised headlight setup and four-step adjustable flyscreen which give it a brawnier look now.

It even gets a new and sharper engine cowl to accentuate the new wide jawline of the Versys. Behind the new look is a nifty 4.3-inch TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity and USB charging too. Finally!

What’s more, the Versys 650 now gets a two-stage traction control system. The system helps modulate the intervention levels and also can be switched off completely as well.   

What’s unchanged:
Well, almost everything else. It gets the same sturdy frame, cycle parts like fully adjustable suspension and the same 649cc, liquid-cooled, twin cylinder engine that makes the same 66PS and 61Nm too.     

What should have changed:
It’s hard to fault a bike that has been slowly cooking on the flame, perfecting just the right flavours you’d want from a machine like this. That said, maybe it was time Versys 650 got a pair of new wire-spoked shoes that allowed for off-road fun.   

Zig says:
Yes the Versys’ decade old engine may seem a little outdated in front of the Triumph’s 660 triple, or lack the off-road capabilities of the V-Strom 650, but that’s ok. Because, as the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?. The Versys 650 is a motorcycle that’s been friendly and inviting to newbies looking to make that jump to middleweights from their sub-400cc bikes. Now with better features and a fresher design, it continues to stay relevant in its segment.