Kawasaki’s venerable Versys 650 sport-tourer has been updated for 2022 with traction control, updated styling with an adjustable windscreen, and a new TFT display with Bluetooth connectivity. Photos by Kevin Wing.

My 2009 Kawasaki Versys 650 was one of the best utilitarian two-wheelers I?ve owned, but since I?m always putting miles on test bikes, I hardly ever rode it. When I realized I?d added only 500 miles to the odometer in five years, a deep sense of shame prompted me to sell it. After listing it on Facebook Marketplace, it was gone in a flash. Due to the high prices for used motorcycles right now, I earned a small profit ? about a dollar for every mile I put on it.

The only colorway for the 2022 Kawasaki Versys 650 LT is Metallic Spark Black/Metallic Flat Spark Black.
Flash forward a few months and I?m wending my way through the twisty interior of San Diego County aboard a 2022 Kawasaki Versys 650. It?s the $9,999 LT version with hard saddlebags and handguards, which only comes in Metallic Spark Black/Metallic Flat Spark Black this year. The base model is available in the same color for $8,899, or in Candy Lime Green/Metallic Flat Spark Black/Metallic Spark Black for $9,099.

Check out Rider‘s 2022 Motorcycle Buyers Guide

Not surprisingly, the 2022 upgrade is a much better motorcycle than my just-sold 2009 model, but they still have a lot in common despite 13 years of separation. The seating position, performance, and overall essence of t...