KAWASAKI Versys 1000 (2012-2013) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 2013, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer launched the Kawasaki Versys 1000, a motorcycle carefully designed to offer a high level of refinement, comfort, and reliability, which also featured a contemporary cutting-edge style that combined the classic Kawasaki lines with modern details.

The bike was created as a big brother to the mid-size Kawasaki Versys motorcycle and was designed to provide the greatest riding enjoyment in the widest variety of riding conditions. Also, the model combined the highly responsive 1,043cc engine tuned for flexibility with a nimble chassis and dynamic suspension that offered a smooth and comfortable ride.

In the braking department, the Versys 1000 packed two 300 mm petal discs squeezed by a couple of four-piston calipers on the front wheel and a 250 mm petal disc with a single-piston caliper on the rear that provided strong braking performance.

The smooth riding characteristics were achieved by a 43 mm inverted long travel fork on the front and a horizontal back-link gas-charged shock absorber with long travel on the rear.

In the power department, the bike featured a 1,043cc engine that provided great throttle response and strong torque in the low-mid rpm range. As for the power figures, the 2013 Kawasaki Versys 1000, with its 1,043cc four-stroke four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine, delivered an output power of 118 hp with a peak at 9,000 rpm and 102 Nm (75 lb-ft) of torque available at 7,700 rpm.

Also, the 2013 Versys came with a three-mode Kawasaki Traction Control (KTRC) system and a Power Mode Selector that allowed the rider to choose between the two modes for personal preferences of various riding conditions.