So I test rode a versys at a dealer and I knew right then and there I had to get one. It was super speedy and the acceleration was great. Then I found one on ebay with 2k mi on it and I thought, "great, now I can save myself some money." The guy delivered it and now I ride it and I'm asking myself where all the pep went? Right now the bike has knobbies on it so I'm going to change those out with some perilli scorpion syncs when they arrive. I also have on order a full arrow exhaust system and a K&N style air filter. But what gives here? The knobbies shouldn't be enough to rob it of that much performance. He took it off road so I guess the air filter could be clogged. With only 2k mi that seems unlikely too. It really pisses me off that the bike doesn't have the umph of the one I test rode. Anyone have any thoughts on the culprit or any fixes??? :confused:

I would probably take it into a dealer and have them check it all out.....If the guy u bought it off did any offroading with it something may be out of whack ( technically speaking)...U should be absolutely be experiencing the same power and exceleration that u had from your test ride bike..good luck..let us know what it was.....:thumb:

Maybe he did the 16T front sprocket swap? Should be pretty easy to tell by looking at where the rear wheel is setting. If the index marks are lined up about 2 marks from the front (wheel is adjusted up for bigger sprocket) probably a 16T sprocket - if it's 3-4 back, probably on the 15T. Or just take the sprocket cover off and count.

I lost just a bit of 'pep' doing the swap, but I'd say 99% of my riding is below 6,000rpm - so if I want to go faster, I just stay in it to 6500 instead.

How much "slug" are we talking about here anyway? Is this like "it will barely run 60mph" or more like "I can only wheelie in first and second gear, not third"

How much of a slug? Well, let's just say that with the demo bike I could blip the throttle and the bike would move. It was very responsive. Mine doesn't feel responsive at all and I have to really lay on the throttle to get the bike to move. It just feels like it is working really hard to keep up. Hard to explain but it definately lacks the pep of the demo bike.

Start with the obvious.... check both plugs, make sure they both spark, with both wires, make sure there is gas coming to both cylinders...

He took it off road mmmmmm he was very brave or thick, hope you checked the sump area for damage as for the loss of grunt your right air filter first also check brakes not binding then on the dyno or to a dealer

I'd check the chain alignment as well, if it were far enough out you'd be fighting to accelerate......

Check front and rear sprockets. Should be 15/46 I think.

Per all the "trying to help you" posts above, you should check out all the basics; air, ignition, fuel and driveline, then if you still have a problem, take it to a knowledgeable mechanic. Any advice you get here is fundamental that you should be able to do yourself, and if not, you should immediately find professional help. Kind hearted as these posts are, you are only frustrating the readers since they cannot approach your bike and put an eye and a hand on the bike to check it out. Good luck.

Too late, but though sellers bitch about demo rides, there always comes a time that the buyer has the right to test out the merchandise. If that doesn't work for the seller, most would leave the bike where it sat.

does it smoke? More importantly - what's the warrantee status?

Thanks for breaking it down krazo.

have you changed the oil?

Doesn't smoke, haven't changed the oil yet. Maybe I will do that this weekend. Does have a 3 year waranty. I checked the air filter yesterday and it was pretty much fine. The throttle plates didn't seem like they were moving much though. Maybe that is normal on a motorcycle, but I thought the throttle plates would open up much more than they did. I'm guessing the secondary throttle plates are the ones above the bottom plates? They were just kind of flapping around. I will probably see if I can find another versys owner in denver and have them ride it to make sure I'm not crazy and then take it to a dealer to have them check it out. I don't want to play the waranty card until I'm sure I need to.

Just a thought.... In Europe they sell restricted versions of a lot of bikes due to insurance and license classes. A buddy of mine bought a BMW650GS... it was like a slug.... Ran fine and smooth, but seemed to be down to like half power... turned out the throttle cable had two positions in the throttle-handle... it was set in the restricted position... He was all grins when he changed it to the position it was supposed to be in. :) Maybe worth looking into.

Try this. Sitting casually on the seat going slow in first, ripping the throttle open should very easily wheelie the Versys. (Be careful)... if yours wont. It's definitely down on power. Good luck!

does it smoke?

Mine smokes Acid Cigars!!! :D Red or Blue in the little tins.

definately no wheelies going on here. I was just thinking that the guy bought the bike in maryland. Maybe the ECU hasn't adjusted to denver's altitude?

definately no wheelies going on here. I was just thinking that the guy bought the bike in maryland. Maybe the ECU hasn't adjusted to denver's altitude?

It has a closed-loop fuel injection mapping, so there is no "learning" by the ECU. I did ride up to 5600 feet in elevation and the response was definitely softer than at my normal location around 2200 feet.

My guess, just not enough air up there to make power.

If the bike doesn't adjust for altitude then what should I do? Can a kawasaki shop adjust it or do I just need to buy a power commander or something? there must be a way to adjust it, I mean what does kawasaki expect people to do when they move?

I can't imagine that it is the altitude that is causing your problems. I am very new to motorcycling and am not an expert at determining the "peppy-ness" of a bike, but I sure can pop a wheelie if I let go of the clutch too fast. The official elevation of Los Alamos is 7200 feet and we live at the higher end of town. I do quite a bit of riding into the Jemez mountains to visit family and they live above 9000 feet. The bike still moves me around quite well, though I am a really conservative rider.

Couple questions come to mind. When you try to accelerate hard and it feels slugish, does the motor still rev? If so, it sounds like the clutch cable may be out of adjustment and it is slipping. In Neutral, does the throttle respond when you twist it? Or is that sluggish as well?

If the bike doesn't adjust for altitude then what should I do? Can a kawasaki shop adjust it or do I just need to buy a power commander or something? there must be a way to adjust it, I mean what does kawasaki expect people to do when they move?

Carbureted engines need to be adjusted for altitude changes due to fixed fuel flow jets to keep the mixture right. They still make less power even when properly adjusted, at higher altitudes. FI engines self-adjust using Mass Air Flow, or Speed Density sensors to read the 'actual' amount of air entering the engine and introducing the proper amount of fuel. If there's less air, there's less power, no matter how the fuel system works.

Hack,

Are you sure that US spec is closed loop? Only the Euro spec models have an O2 sensor for closed loop operation. Both models have a MAP type sensor and will somewhat compensate for altitude.

The PCIII has an altitude compensation feature.

I live at sea level and routinely ride to 6k feet and have no performance issues.

Does it rev high in low gears? if it does and its still slugish its likely to be the clutch dont think you have an altitude problem, get it down to sea level or al least 1000 feet and try again if its the same get it to your dealer.

It doesn't rev high in low gears but it could be that the clutch is out of adjustment. I took it in to the dealer to see what they could come up with but my guess is they will come back with, "nope, bike runs fine now pay us 100 bucks for riding it up the block once." I also have a problem with the bike not fully shifting into lower gears. It's like the transmission gets stuck right before it makes it into the next lower gear. Usually only happens going from 5-4, 4-3, and 3-2. Well, let's hope the dealer has an answer. If they can't figure any thing out my next step is a power commander. If that doesn't work I'll have to decide if I want to keep it. I'm still hopeful it's a simple fix.

I ran my bike up Mt Evans in Colorado at 14,100', (4,300m) no problems.

I also ran two up with luggage over Independence Pass CO, (12,500) highest paved pass in US and I run a 16 tooth front sprocket. More than enough power, get yours checked by the dealer something is wrong here.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/Macvalk/IMG_2122.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/Macvalk/IMG_2124.jpg

Only thing I noticed, we were staying in Leadville at 10,000', (3,000m), when I started up first thing in the morning, after the automatic high idle finished it would stall-i.e. wouldn't tick over for first 10minutes or so until it was fully warmed up.

Machog

Checked the throtle wire tension?
Mine was very loose.

good call on the throttle wire tension. I just got it back from the shop and they changed out the knobbies for a set of pirelli scorpion syncs, adjusted the throttle tension, and adjusted the clutch. It feels much more spirited now. Those tires make a big difference! It still feels a little more flat between 3k and 5k rpm than I would like but I have a arrow exhaust system on the way. Hopefully that will fix that problem. If that doesn't add the power I'm looking for then it's on to a power commander!

Well , I do not have a solution for you , but maybe what I do have to say will eleviate the altitude suspiciousness . I live at 3250 feet above sea level . I ride my V regularly ( in a single days ride ) to between arounf 100 feet , to above 6,000 feet . I notice absolutely NO difference at all in the way it runs other than the idle doeas raise and lower about 150 rpm depending on whether I am up or down .
Seems to me the Versys is quite self compensating in that regard . As for sluggishness . mine screams like a pig with it's tail on fire , only about 10,000 times faster . I do feel like the throttle body flaps might be your problem . I mean let's face it , most problems start with air/fuel mix .
UH...UH... Hey , as an after thought , I am wondering if the throttle body is not venting properly from where the PO might have been doing water crossings and or if your tank vent is not allowing fuel pressure to be right . Try this , ride the bike with about 2/3 tank of gas , but do it with the gas cap flapped open . I wouldn't do any wheelies while the tank is open . LOL . Try checking on anything that would disallow venting ( in other words , air being allowed to be pulled into the tank and and fuel into the throttle body . There is a little hole just under your gas cap that might be clogged . Blow through it somehow and make sure air moves very easily through it . Also , check closely to make sure no rubber tubes ( aka possible vent tubes ) aren't pinched in some fashion .
Most of all , be patient . It is going to be so easy once you figure it out , you are gonna then be so pissed , you will be doing wheelies in your friggin sleep that night .


HHHMMMM , something sounds like I want to say fuel pressure . I am not sure if there is a vent to the fuel pump , but it could be a consideration .
Someting suspicuous about it not getting something it needs , I would bet fuel in some form . Man , My V hauls butt for sure . I hate you are frustrated and hate even worse I am not the Guru sort and bale to resolve it for you . But no joke . Try the gas tank filler cap being opened . The check vent tubes and fuel pump , even if you have to disconnect the fuel supplyb line and turn on the key . If it ain't pumping , there you go .
I hope that all makes some sense , but I am sort of rambling it all through my brain in an unsorted fashion .

Wes

Hack,

Are you sure that US spec is closed loop? Only the Euro spec models have an O2 sensor for closed loop operation. Both models have a MAP type sensor and will somewhat compensate for altitude.

The PCIII has an altitude compensation feature.

I live at sea level and routinely ride to 6k feet and have no performance issues.

I'm on my laptop and I have the service manual on my desktop and I'm too lazy to get up. However, I'd be astonished if the Versys has a MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor. I also doubt very much it has an 02 sensor to adjust the A/F ratio.

There is a map in the ECU for fuel mapping. At RPM X and Throttle Position Y the FI system supplies fuel amount Z. That is my understanding.

If I am wrong, boy will I feel dumb.

Hey guys , I hope I didn't create confusion here because I really have not investigatd the where with alls of the V as of yet . I have only had mine a couple of weeks now and was just trying to provoke thought .
Hec , if anyone needs to learn about the V , it is I . So I am all ears . If at times I seem to not kow crap about the V , it is truly because I don't . Which is the result of why I am here and am hoping this really grows to be the TOP site for the V .

Wes

I would get it running normally in stock condition FIRST, then go for afrer market performance mods.

THere is no O2 sensor, or MAF sensor either, so any change you do to the bikes air//fuel delivery, or exhaust, its had to be remapped on a dyno, however, any change you can do isnt really enough to make it that bad!

So I test rode a versys at a dealer and I knew right then and there I had to get one. It was super speedy and the acceleration was great. Then I found one on ebay with 2k mi on it and I thought, "great, now I can save myself some money." The guy delivered it and now I ride it and I'm asking myself where all the pep went? Right now the bike has knobbies on it so I'm going to change those out with some perilli scorpion syncs when they arrive. I also have on order a full arrow exhaust system and a K&N style air filter. But what gives here? The knobbies shouldn't be enough to rob it of that much performance. He took it off road so I guess the air filter could be clogged. With only 2k mi that seems unlikely too. It really pisses me off that the bike doesn't have the umph of the one I test rode. Anyone have any thoughts on the culprit or any fixes??? :confused:

Check the air filter and see if it is wet. They just can't suck the air they need with a wet filter. Just take it off and try it and see if it is better.