kawasaki klx 250

Kawasaki Versys The Secret Dual-Sport Motorcycle

Granted that the Versys I rode last week had street tires on it. Nevertheless, the biggest giveaway was the seat height. Like any good dual-sport bike, this one is tall, 33.3 inches they tell us. Tippy-toes height for anyone with my 29-inch inseam. And how about that front suspension: 41mm according to Kawasaki. The same as the KLR 650 and just 2mm less than the other two dual-sports. But then, the Ninja 650R also boasts 41mm up front. (Gosh, what would that baby be like with knobbies?) Of course the riding position on the Versys is much more upright than on the Ninja, with the grips much higher.

Kawasaki Versys The Secret Dual-Sport Motorcycle

Kawasaki also tells us that the Versys is tuned for low-range torque, so that is consistent with a dual-sport as well. And the compact 650cc parallel twin helps keep the body of the bike slim, also a dual-sport characteristic.