2009 Kawasaki Versys 650

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Thanks This is the 2009 Kawasaki Versys 650, an excellent all rounder!
this bike does everything well! (ok its not a dirt bike)
commuter, Yes! touring Yest! back roads and fun in the twisties Yes!

[@heathstark77]

1:04 the kid in the background crashes bike into a fence! 😂 Thanks for the review, very helpful!

[@TRCAdventures]

OMG ! Wow, i did not see that, poor kid, yikes he smacked that fence hard!! Thanks for pointing that out

[@jwilliamson865]

I laughed so hard. About 1:15-1:30, you see his dad walking over like, "Ugh... Daniel, quit being a baby" 😂

[@ogrooster69]

I recall seeing this video in my feed a few years ago and watching it and seeing yours all kitted out. Fast forward to 2023 and I wrecked my Vstrom, picked up an 08 Versys on a whim and just have gotten the Givi racks on it. Found a gent selling 2 side cases and a V46 top case so got the hardware. T-Rex Racing has a skid plate, engine guard and center stand for these that are on the list next. Really an awesome platform

[@TRCAdventures]

Sounds like a great bit of fun getting that bike outfitted!!!

[@davetbrunner]

I'm falling in love with this bike. It would be my first motorcycle at 37 y/o, and it screams the "jack of all trades". Especially for the price, I don't see anything on the used market that comes close.

[@TRCAdventures]

It is definitely that "jack of all trades" it is a bike that you could be comfortable to ride around town, commute or take off and ride to Alaska or across country. It will do it all. Also does quite well on dirt roads and handles the Twisties like a pro. It's only down side is it's age, and finding one in good condition. If you find a good one, I highly recommend it!

[@davetbrunner]

@@TRCAdventures Awesome! I see one in my area, exact year and color as you reviewed. It only has 10k miles for $3k

[@TRCAdventures]

@@davetbrunner that sounds great!

[@drewmorg.]

Can't wait to buy mine! Ultimate commuter and do-it-all.

[@TRCAdventures]

I would agree, Ultimate commuter, and so good at so much more! Thanks

[@intergalacticbasketballdro7186]

Only having a 17" front wheel makes the Verseys 650 less of an Off Road Adventure Bike. That's where it loses to the Suzuki 650V-Strom and the BMW F650GS, but the super soft & extra wide seat, and the 17" front mag wheel, gives the Versys650 significantly better Road Handling Abilities which makes it a dominant Road Tourer. I prefer the lighter weight of the Versys650 to riding a larger motorcycle. I like the wide power band that the Versys650 has. It doesn't RedLine quite as high as the Ninja650 or the Z650 do. The Versys650 produces slightly less compression, which gives it a lot more torque at lower RPM. BTW, I have no problem standing and riding my Candy Lime Green 2009 Kawasaki Versys650. (I have very long arms, though) 🤷‍♂️ I 💚 Kawasaki Versys 650. I don't ever get jealous of people who have fancier, or more powerful motorcycles. The Versys650 is functional affordable, comfortable, pretty fast, (but controllable) and really fun to ride ! (The best motorcycle that I've owned, or ridden) ! ~ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ~

[@TRCAdventures]

Nice analysis of the bike! Thanks for the comments! Super fun bike!

[@steveh1510]

I put an oversized front tire on and raised the front fender and the circumference of the wheel is equivalent to a standard 19-inch wheel so it was a game-changer. It is a Shinko 705. The bike can still carve up Canyons like nobody's business but do almost everything my tenere 700 can do. Maybe not quite as fast but still extremely capable! I also have a wr250r and a couple of two-stroke YZ. I love having a versys 650 in my garage! This is a 2012 that I have.

[@mikemph7779]

I always liked Kawasaki green, looks way better than the red one

[@TRCAdventures]

Ah yes that green is pretty cool!

[@herrjacobsson2501]

Thanx a lot for the informative video. Best regards, J/Sweden

[@TRCAdventures]

Thanks for checking it out and glad you liked it! Thank you! and thanks for checking out this Video, Im trying to get at least one out a week. im working on a xr650 build right now, and headed to Utah from California to test the bike out on a 1600k dual sport trail.

[@Jer0867]

"Kewasohki"! Lol!

[@TRCAdventures]

lots of nick names for this brand, I think!

[@intergalacticbasketballdro7186]

That's color is "Candy Lime Green".

[@TRCAdventures]

Cool color with a cool name! Thanks for the info.

[@pimpinondemhos101]

Man I couldn’t find anything regarding horsepower on these things, would you happen to know? Or maybe you said it and I missed it

[@TRCAdventures]

HP ratings are really just a marketing point, but I guess it ends up being a point of reference. Torque is what should matter, and for the street Higher torque at lower RPM is where the magic is! anyway 62hp at 8,000 RPM and 61 Nm of torque at 6,800 RPM

[@BugTheRoot]

It should be about 42 horse power. Same engine as the KLR650.

[@davesnothere3425]

@@BugTheRoot not even close

[@Bass1923]

Can you comment on the pillion comfort. Is there space for the passenger to be comfortable in the saddle for weekend trips? Our combined weight is 375-400 lbs. Is there enough power/torque to handle passing and make hills doable without a lot of down-shifting? Thank you.

[@TRCAdventures]

two up is good, not great for two larger riders, but for short rides, say under 2 hrs at a time I think it would be workable, power for 400lbs should be good. but if your planning on long rides and want comfort, a R1200GS or RT would do much better! just depends on what type of riding and how often you will ride two up.

[@TRCAdventures]

I should have also mentioned the Versys 1000, now that is a great bike for a pillion! also lots of power to spare

[@rotjob1989]

I have also this bike , but I would buy rather a dl1000 (from 2012) for two person..I'm planning this in the next year.. :D

[@Bass1923]

@@TRCAdventures I ended up buying a 2012 Suzuki DL1000 in Dec. 2020. It is a great bike with a comfortable seat for two and plenty of power. I am enjoying it.

[@TRCAdventures]

@@Bass1923 great bike! I rode a DL650 to Alaska in 2013 great fun! the 1000 would defiantly be better for two!!

[@aaronsnell6839]

What luggage system is that? Racks and side cases

[@TRCAdventures]

the rear case is a Givi with a Givi Rack quite nice!, the two side cases are some super cheep flimsy junk (from Givi ?) - not worth putting anything in, I ended up tossing them in the bin, the rack system was good but those side cases just made to be light, makes me wonder if they really were Givi or not. sorry that's probably not super helpful, I know there are good solutions out there these were not so good.

[@paulbunyun3663]

crowl vibrates bigtime

[@TRCAdventures]

If your plastics are vibrating, something is wrong, you may have some missing hardware or broken parts where they attach to the bike. Definitely worth pulling the parts of and inspecting. Of the 4 I had in the shop none had any indication of shaking or vibration in the plastics.

[@triverBY]

Por que você tem o painel escurecendo durante o enrolamento e o F1 acende ?? É por causa de uma bateria morta ou uma avaria?

[@TRCAdventures]

o F1 acende quando você liga a chave para avisar que está funcionando, ele desliga quando a bicicleta dá partida, procedimento normal de operação. tela escura provavelmente é apenas o ângulo da câmera

[@budredden818]

Do these bikes come with a shift indicator

[@TRCAdventures]

I think in 2018 they started putting a gear indicator on them.

[@junglejarred6366]

Awesome! Any chance you would share about how to adjust suspension. I have one and will be riding from Florida to Utah solo and then picking up a passenger and doing 10 days 2up. Any suggestion is appreciated

[@TRCAdventures]

It is a bit difficult to explain in a short message, but basically you want to set the preload in the springs front and rear to be as equal as possible when you sit on the bike, you can have someone watch the bike as you sit on it or take some measurements is best. You can also set the compression and rebound damping, your looking for a setting that just stops the bike from moving like it's bouncing on a spring. All the way loose it bounces like a Pogo stick, all the way tight and it rides like it's a brick. For your passenger time, you will need to increase the preload in the rear to "help" keep the bike from squatting too much, the rest of the settings are a bit more difficult to set without some trial and error on the bike, just make adjustments on the way to make it more comfortable. How much preload (about 25%of the overall travel as I recall

[@michaelkoncal7622]

I loosen the bolts and moved the bars forward Dude.

[@TRCAdventures]

good point for some! I wish it were that easy! they have a swoop back bar clamp, I just can move them far enough for me!

[@samof9026]

🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@TRCAdventures]

Thanks. Thanks for checking out the video

[@TheCdubbleyoo]

Where can I get wunna them GSX-R650s??? 😉

[@TRCAdventures]

Ahhhhhh yes the GSX650 is a mix of the bandit and the katana, ive never ridden one, and only see one listed locally.

[@cristanrobme5455]

Yo lan tengo

[@TRCAdventures]

Great bike!