We ride the latest Kawasaki Versys-X 300

5 or 6 years ago was the last time we got our hands on one of these little gems and have been begging Kawasaki SA to give us another ride, so we were beyond excited when they called with an invitation to ride the latest ine they have.
‪@KawasakiMotorsEU‬
@bikewise
#versysx300
#versys
#kawasaki
#motorcycles
#kawasakileisurebikes
#adventuremotorcycle
#adventuremotorcycling
#motorcycleadventure
#adventurebike
#adventurebikeriders #

[@petedoug]

Mine is a 2022: it’s the smallest bike I’ve ever owned and my favourite! Handles great on or off road, no problem rolling down the hwy and I can pick it up no worries! I’m 66 and the only thing I’d ever consider getting instead of this is if Kawasaki put the 400 twin in a new model. My only complaint is the hard seat but I solved that with a sheep skin. Ryan F9 did a great review also for anyone considering this bike. Thanks for your review! It’s nice to see the pros like it as much as much as I do. Cheers

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

Thank You for the positive feed back and the kind words

[@DodgerMohr]

Great review. I bought this bike for the Mrs to learn how to ride. Been using her bike for commuting to work, love it so much I decided to keep it for myself & bought her a new one (same colour as the one you reviewed). We now use them for touring, great on the tarmac & equally as good on the dirt roads. Great little touring bike, cheap on the fuel & well priced. 🇦🇺👍

[@jeanpequignot80]

My weapon of choice to move around in good old Mexico city! Best street fighter in a city like mine. It revs beautifuly but will keep you at safer speeds. If you remove the windshield, you get yourself a "naked" bike for the day. The back tire will last a long time because of the light weight. Smoothest clutch ever.

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

Awesome review, thank you for sharing

[@toprad8396]

I've owned my Versys for a couple years now. My biggest complaints were the hard seat, which I fixed with a $20 Amazon gel butt pad, and the high revs and short gearing of the engine/gearbox, which I intend to someday fix with a 15=tooth front sprocket. It was my first bike when I started riding, and quickly outgrew it, buying a Suzuki V-Strom 800DE last summer, which I love. But I kept the Versys. It's still fun to ride, and my wife can ride it when she's not riding her Triumph Speedmaster.

[@user-pn4uw5px3k]

Really good review, appreciated, a bike at top of my list. Peace be.

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

Thank You

[@govinda102000]

True about Kawasaki's power. At 16, I had an early 70s 250 bored and that full power at once. .Now 61 and digging my 2020 X3.

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

Kawasaki really has and still does produce some absolutely magnificent engines and bikes. Just wish we could get more of the models that sell here in SA, but unfortunately, these models aren't all EU compliant, and our government has opted to follow that route. Such a pity.

[@Hindukushsailing]

👍👍,,, I put mine on a hitch rack on the back of the van and use it as a get around town and sights when camping. At 386 pounds it's easy to load on hitch mount. I use the Mototote M3 motorcycle hitch rack.

[@dupajasiu920]

This is the sweetest beginner's bike ever. If you want a nible, versatile, economic bike, can't go wrong with Versys 300. Other than that, it is for riders who enjoy revving.

[@newlife155]

Hey friend , how about a returning rider , after 40 years of not touching a bike, ..I own one..

[@jimh2061]

I have the 2019 versys x300. This is a great little bike especially on the backroads. It loves 40 to 60 mph. It gets 70mpg and will cruise at 70mph all day at 8500 RPM. It has a granny gear for 1st that is great for offroad but on road I start out in 2nd. The issue i have riding this bike is its a lot of shifting and after a couple hours on this bike im kinda tired. Im new rider age 60. Im looking to upgrade to a bigger bike because I want comfort.

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

Bigger bikes are cool, depending on where you are riding and if you have the size, skill and strength to handle them. Not just the size and weight of the bigger bike, but also the power and how it delivers that power. At the end of the day, you have to ride the bike that, for lack of a better cliché, "makes your heart sing"

[@govinda102000]

I'm sticking with my 2020 X3. It actually easy clutch lever action and I often use one finger. I'm also early 60s but if its still tough for you, use one of those hand squeeze exercisors to strengthen.

[@mindspinn311]

One of the most underrated bikes out there. So much fun and does it all. Practical and sporty and comfortable and frugal and affordable… I could go on, if they do a 450 version with the new engine Kawasaki is now building it will be amazing but will lose some of the 300 magic.

[@nikitis13]

Agree, this bike in my opinion is the most utilitarian, best bang for buck motorcycle on the market.. It gets closer to those sweet spots than anything on offer today. If you're a pragmatic type of rider that makes decisions with the head, you'll be hard pressed to do better.

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

We couldn't agree more, this is a surprgood motorcycle for the money.

[@1sinister80]

KLR

[@rolandwheeler4842]

Great little bike. Biggest issue I see as a motorcycle mechanic is the maintenance intervals, specifically valve checks. Recommended every oil change (7500 miles). This is a pass for me because of this. The Hondas are 16,000 mile intervals and Yamahas are at 25,500 miles. I'll wait and see what Yamaha comes up with, hopefully a T3 for my sake. If not I'll continue to enjoy my WR250R, which is 100 pounds lighter. The only thing I'm giving up is high speed travel. This all said I love that little X300.

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

Thank you for the feedback and the information about the valve checks. We see how that can be a little bit inconvenient, but the valves do seem reasonably easily accessible and fairly easy to adjust. But really good information for the rest of our viewers to know. We are maintenance freaks here and change oil and etc, a bit more often than recommended. We would rather catch an issue before it becomes an expensive problem and repair/replacement, so we would probably check valve clearances at every oil change anyway.... but then again, our bikes do work harder than the average bike out there. Thanks again, All feedback is very welcomed and thank you for supporting our channel.

[@rolandwheeler4842]

@@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines I really think many folks will just bypass the recommended changes when they find out it will be an $850 charge at the dealership. Yamaha is doing something really special, and the other manufactures need to get on board. For me this is a big deal even though I can do it myself. I have better things to do with my time, like ride. In all honesty this has been an issue with the Ninja motors since the 250s came out. But they are so bulletproof the 7500 mile interval might be overkill as you stated. Excellent review by the way. The bike is truly almost perfect.

[@hamerplayer1229]

@@rolandwheeler4842 Just traded mine in with 24,000 miles. No valve checks just oil and filter changes at the factory recommended intervals. If the bike starts easy when it's hot no need to waste $ getting them checked on what is a cheap motorcycle.

[@konrad8921]

Well done for showing some off-road usage also. Great review. Thanks, from Australia.

[@alexmunroe1]

I bought a 2022 model 1 with 5000kms on clock I had honda xr150 its such an amazing bike been loving it so much

[@GeezerWheels]

Still riding my 2018 Versys X300. I also ride a Vstrom 650XT and a Husaberg FE390. I choose which bike for which purpose, dirt, travel, high mpg commute (that would be the X300). Kawasaki nailed it for a lightweight ADV bike. I've ridden Jeep / Donkey trails, pavement, some sections of the TAT and everything in between. With Mitas E07 tires, it's hard to beat for its intended purpose. Thanks for a great vid.

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

At the end of the day, that is the way it should be - the correct bike for the correct purpose. However, if budget is a constraint and one understands its limits and rides them within their limits, the 300X Versys is a great choice, as you mentioned, especially with the right tyre choice. Thank you for your comment and feedback... and for supporting our channel. Ride safe.

[@jimh2061]

How is that Vstrom for comfort doing a lot of highway and back road miles.

[@GeezerWheels]

The Vstrom is very comfortable. Seat is good, but I also added a Sit-n-Fly seat cover (adds a little cushion, and allows airflow under you rear end, and also dries very quickly. I adjusted the ergonomics to fit my 6'3" frame (dropped pegs and also added a 2" Rox Pivoting Riser to the handle bars. The Vstrom 650XT really hits a sweet spot for me... comfort, good gas mileage, good fit and great handling and good power. There is a reason they still make it after 20+ years. I can't imagine a better, more comfortable mid-size bike. @@jimh2061

[@filofilo8127]

I'm older than you and have a couple of bikes including a Triumph Tiger 800. I've done some light off road with the Tiger but weight is always a concern. On the highway touring the Triumph is a gem. But I'm moving away from bigger bikes simply because it's more manageable off road.

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

Moving to smaller, lighter and more manageable adventure bikes does seem to be the trend lately for the more extreme adventure enthusiast. The smaller bikes may be a bit of a chore on the black top but one can explore more remote and extreme places with them. The big 1200cc plus bikes are great to tour black top and gravel highways but are hard work for the average rider in the extreme stuff... also more expensive to repair when you inevitably drop them.

[@AnonYmous-vu1lw]

Great review guys. Even as a newbie, i can tell you rode this bike thoroughly and are venuinely impressed. Coming from straight mountain bike and just fed up with the cost, i’ll be making the jump but havent wanted a scary weight or a daunting amount of power. Seems like a good choice stepping stone.

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

Thank You for the compliment. It is truly a great bike, just read the comments from riders that own them, all are extremely happy with the 300X Versys

[@basedpatriotLT]

Why do not they add 400cc in tghis like a lot of their fans request?

[@thesamlai]

👍👏

[@burgundypoint]

I have only been able to reach 160kph on this. It keeps the econo icon on up to 106kph more or less, it can cruise at 120kph, it pulls somewhat up to 130kph, but it quickly loses passing power at those speeds. Then it's a slow creep in speed up to 160kph.

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

Thanks for the great feed back, always good to get real world experiences from owners.

[@jeremybenwy5928]

I Weigh 230lbs it can do 110mph.and do 100 with me and another rider but I'm crazy enjoy.mine 2022😈😎

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

That puts you somewhere in the same weight class as our riders. Thank you for confirming the speed - and you can do it two up as well... amazing little bike, the 300 Versys-X.

[@billwalsh3672]

Thanks for your review. I found it interesting that the x300 would run at 140 kph all day & still have some throttle left. This is the 1st time I’ve come across anyone saying that . Most seem to suggest it would be topped out @ 120-140 especially if you had headwind or hills on paved roads. Of course it would also depend on rider weight. Your review has given me hope for my next bike. Thanks

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

Hi Bill, our 3 riders tipped the scales from around 100kgs to the heaviest at around 120kg's and ranging in height from 180cm to 200cm. 140 to 150kph was a breeze cruising the highways and we even got as high as 176kph - but that was pushing it beyond its design limits on a bit of a downhill. Admittedly, our bigger and heavier riders did have to drop down a gear or two on uphills and overtaking, but that little twin cylinder motor does like to rev. We reckon a rider could squeeze a bit more out of it if they sorted out its breathing with a performance filter and pipe. Another thing you need to take into account is the fact that we didn't have any luggage on the bike, the weight and dimensions of which will all factor into the equation. We reckon, if Kawasaki brought this bike out with the same motor as the Ninja 400 and stepped up to 18/21 wheels it would be unchallenged in that segment.

[@zeusdagmire6185]

The Versys-x 300 gets 160km easy. 120-140km is Honda Crf300l topspeed.

[@toddjordan6371]

95 on the wish meter.... probably 88mph gps

[@ozemsadventureofrandomstuf252]

Awesome summary of this amazing 300. The big question though is for the money how does it stack up to KTM and Honda offerings? I mean the KTM has the electronics to boot😮 I feel this will last literally forever it’s a simple bike just with abs😅

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

Thank You for the compliment. To answer your question both the KTM 390 ADV and the HONDA CB500X are a little bit more expensive which is justified because of their extra offerings. This Versys-X, as you mentioned, is a very simple bike with very little in the way of electronics and does seem to be a bike that has very little to go wrong with it in the future. In our humble opinion, the CB500X offers the best suspension and torque with also very little in the way of electronic gadgets to give possible problems in the future, making it a great long term investment. The KTM does have the best best electonics package with the most features like TFT screen, Bluetooth connectivity, quick shifter and so on, making it a really modern day bike. Both the Kawasaki and KTM come standard with spoked wheels, a great option that most adventure riders want. The Versys offers the best price. Once again, in our opinion, all 3 bikes are fairly evenly matched on top speed performance, fuel efficiency and overall rider comfort and usability.

[@ozemsadventureofrandomstuf252]

@@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines thanks alot for the detailed answer. I’m shocked the CB500 is slightly higher on capacity yet the Kawasaki is able to more less match top speed 🫣😅- no replacement for displacement 🥹🤦🏾‍♂️ Maybe owning a KTM for serious off-road and versys for back up when KTM goes wrong 🤧😅🫣would be good 👍🏿

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

@@ozemsadventureofrandomstuf252 At the end of the day, all these bikes are really good and it all comes down to brand loyalty, parts and service availability and back up wherever the owner lives and rides. All 3 these brands have that really well sorted just about worldwide. The CB500X has excellent torque, so it is significantly stronger on acceleration when overtaking or pulling off from a traffic light, digging through mud and sand as well as on very steep hill climbs... as you said, "No replacement for displacement" It is also unlikely that any of them will "go wrong" in the first 10 years unless abused or badly maintained.

[@ozemsadventureofrandomstuf252]

@@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines well said guys I believe brand loyalty especially in SA is such a major thing bikes as is the case with cars. Many thanks I guess for me it will boil down to the Kawasaki or KTM. The Honda is an on-road bias bike and as such isn’t as versatile as the other two. But the Kawasaki is a bargain at that price really - the change for the extra of the other two bikes can get me some accessories for the Kawasaki then I can literally take it anywhere on a major off-road trip I always get scared of too many electronics 🤔😩

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

@@ozemsadventureofrandomstuf252 Awesome

[@journeyman7419]

is it tubeless?

[@l.a.raustadt518]

I do not believe that has changed so as far as I have seen tubed. That is holding me back myself.

[@bratcafe5632]

Close to same HP as the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650.....

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

For some reason, we don't get the Royal Enfield in South Africa, which is a great pity. We would love to ride them. You are correct about the horsepower, though... sadly, we can't comment much more than that as we ha e ever had the opportunity to ride one.

[@Coldgecko]

What other adventure/dual sport bikes for a 31" inseam? I ride a BMW F850GSA and have taken it half way around the world-- Miami to Thailand - 50-50 off-road-tarmac. Its heavy... Do-able but heavy in mud, sand, big rocks... I want to lighten-up. My height is the issue -- I like to be flat foot. I also took a 2018 R1200GSA from Florida to the bottom of South America (Ushuaia) on bike -- same, heavy as shit -- but super comfy... I am an intermediate off-road rider and I like to flat foot... Thoughts on good solid bikes? I wont get a KTM because of issues with quality... Nor a Ducati because in 3rd world countries there is no service... Thanks.

[@ridefast-dirtntrail-magazines]

Hi, Honda has just released the 750 Transalp here. It has a nice narrow, tapered seat, is 18kg's lighter than the Africa Twin with softer suspension. One of our lady riders is 175cm tall and weighs around 60kg's and found it perfectly comfortable and barring her heels the rest of her foot was flat on the ground with the heels about 15mm off. Another option might be the Honda CB500X. Plenty of power from the parallel twin engine, nice and light with really excellent Showa BPF suspension. Suzuki is about to launch the new 800DE here shortly and from what we can tell it is going to be an amazing package. We managed to sneak a ride on the homologation model a few weeks ago and we cannot wait for the launch. If we come up with any other suggestions we will drop them here. Ride safe.