KAWASAKI Versys 650 (2011-2012) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 2012, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer launched the Kawasaki Versys, a middleweight naked street bike that carried on the heritage of the older KLE models with awesome maneuverability, comfortable upright riding position, great commuting capabilities, and serious touring potential with its optional accessories.

The bike offered a slim and aggressive design with plenty of nifty functional features, such as the compact end easy-to-read instrument cluster, redesigned rider and passenger seats, dual-lamp headlight, LED taillight, and turn signals, and as an option, the bike was available with ABS for safer braking on difficult surfaces.

Also, the bike offered great ergonomics, with its two-piece seat where each section was made with a different thickness and firmness foam that optimized rider and passenger comfort the passenger grab bars were designed for an upright seating position that added to the comfort, and an easy-to-read instrument cluster that offered a large analog tachometer and a digital readout for the speedometer, fuel gauge, odometer, and more.

In the performance department, the 2012 Kawasaki Versys had its heartbeat set by a 649cc four-stroke parallel-twin liquid-cooled engine that delivered an output power of 64 hp with a peak at 8,000 rpm and 61 Nm (45 lb-ft) of torque available at 6,800 rpm.

As for braking performance, the bike packed two 300 mm petal-shaped discs with two-piston calipers on the front and a 220 mm petal disc with a single-piston caliper on the rear.