2019 Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT+ | Road Test Review
New cornering lights flare out the fairing lowers a bit and light the way through bends at night. Photo by Kevin Wing.
Considering how popular the Versys 650 has become, almost from the moment it was introduced in the U.S. for 2008, we found it decidedly strange that Kawasaki only blessed Europe and Asia with the larger Versys 1000 when it appeared for 2012. OK, the styling was funky, but it had great bones, and when Team Green finally redesigned and brought it stateside for 2015 as the Versys 1000 LT, we liked it so much we gave it our Motorcycle of the Year award…and wore the tires off our long-term test bike. Here was a motorcycle that combined all of the good traits of adventure bikes — comfortable, upright seating; compliant, longer-travel suspension; good wind protection and moderate weight — with performance and handling near that of a liter-class sport-touring machine. In short, a sport-adventure ?VERsatile SYStem? for riders with little or no off-road aspirations.
The Versys 1000 SE LT+ ate up the curves of California?s bumpy Carmel Valley Road in Monterey County so effortlessly it was easy to take in a lot of the idyllic scenery at the same time. Photo by Kevin Wing.
By retuning the liquid-cooled, 1,043cc DOHC in-line four from the Ninja 1000 to create a table-flat torque curve for better touring manners — without sacrificing much of the Ninja?s screaming top-end hit that is catnip to sport-oriented riders — the Versys 1000 L...
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