Just bought 08 Versys, have owned many bikes mostly vtwins just sold a Vmax. Has anyone been able to extend the top end of the Versys, suprisingly the bike pulls hard then dies off. Whats up with that.

It's tuned for low end torque. Some guys are fitting a 16t front sprocket for longer legs. Try short shifting, the bike is faster if you don't let it rev past 8k or so. I bet you'll grow to like it, but I think you could fit some Ninja 650r cams.

they put shorter duration cams in the versys ... compared to the ninja 650 ... enhanced low and mid range ... falls on its face on top end power ... you could buy the cams out of a ninja650 ... and bump the compression to compensate for the longer duration ... to achieve the ninja 650 top end HP ... personally ... I think Kawasaki nailed the cam configuration for the versys in its tended use ... I toped out at 128 mph speedo indicated .. on level ground ... bone stock .. tucked in with a slight tail wind ... that ... in my opinion is very respectable for a upright sitting 650cc motorcycle ...

Not sure why Kawasaki decided to make the top end peeder out so much. It is amazing really I have owned several bikes most of witch could easily obtain 200km.hr. The bike is a 650 should easily have a great top end.

Not sure why Kawasaki decided to make the top end peeder out so much. It is amazing really I have owned several bikes most of witch could easily obtain 200km.hr. The bike is a 650 should easily have a great top end.

If it were a I4 ... I would agree completely ... as a twin ... I think it does very well ...

Can't go by displacement alone.

I did the conversion 128 mph is 205 km/hr I haven,t even come close to that at 185.

It is a pretty fun bike light and quick and the front tire pulls off the ground nicely

Oh did I forget 65mpg imperial

I would like to order a Givi windscreen but they are sold out!! what the heck !

THe old saying ther is no substitute for cubic inches makes me wonder the V has more torque than the ZX-6r but less horsepower. Well where can you go legally over 80 mph anyway short of speed to pass at 80 what will 198 mph get you 118 mph closer to the grave. I know I am contradicting my self "BEAR" with a earlier post but I love my V. FASTER FASTER TILL THE THRILL OF SPEED OVER COMES THE FEAR OF DEATH!!

THe old saying ther is no substitute for cubic inches makes me wonder the V has more torque than the ZX-6r but less horsepower. Well where can you go legally over 80 mph anyway short of speed to pass at 80 what will 198 mph get you 118 mph closer to the grave. I know I am contradicting my self "BEAR" with a earlier post but I love my V. FASTER FASTER TILL THE THRILL OF SPEED OVER COMES THE FEAR OF DEATH!!


Haha.....

The reason the I4 has more power is because it revs MUCH higher, it probably doesn't have near as much torque at 5k like the V has. It's a trade off, high revs and speed vs torque down low.

I like the power down low or mid range. I bought it because of it. I have bikes that scream 130 HP. I like the Versys because it's more Streetable. Is that a word? And it makes sence. I have had the Versys 2 up on the slab at 115. And me and my wife go 375lbs added together. I cant see needing more power. If you get you a cheap track bike and go to a couple track days you will get that need for speed out of your system. Or at least enough to drive semi normal on the street.

My bike cruises 6000 rpm and 80 mph. I have had it to 110 just to see what it was like, but I really don't need to go that fast any more. Getting there is half the fun and the V will most definitely get there quickly. I think it's a great all around bike. As soon as I get my Corbin seat, the lowering kit from Speedy, and drop my front forks about an inch, I'll be a very happy camper. Happy now, but really happy after the adjustment.

I would guess that a pipe would extend the powerband. You'd probably lose some low-end power due to reduced back-pressure, but it should pull harder, longer.

Caveat Versys, parallel twins are VERY loud with open exhausts. Make sure you don't have a problem with noise.

Yes my last bike I had pipes and on long trips it drove me nuts. Something to be said about stock performance, mileage back pressure etc.. Also a bit of a sleeper with the low sound and then the power comes on. Slicing through traffic undetected

Has anyone taken the v off road?

Has anyone taken the v off road?

I've dabbled with it off road ... It is not a dirt bike ... with that being said ... It surprised me how capable it is ... I regularly take it on unimproved dirt and gravel roads ( or should I say ... my girl friend ) ... it does as well ... or ... better that my Vstrom 1000 ...

Has anyone taken the v off road?

I have. Nothing serious, but nothing I'd take a sport bike on. I've crossed a small creek that had some decent sized rocks in it, I rolled right over the rocks with some strategic throttle application. I've been on hundreds of miles of dirt and gravel roads and several fields. I took a dirt road up a gnarly hill that had deep ruts and rocks that had my pucker factor going pretty good. It's done great so far. I had to soften the shock up a tad. The stock tires seem great to me. I've never had any incidents caused by the tires, even when riding in the rain on gravel.



The aftermarket pipes for the V seem to increase the low to mid range even more, but don't do much up top.


Luke

I have taken it on grass and a few gravel roads. When I got into deep gravel I kinda felt like I was just about to wreck my pride and joy, but I managed to make it through. Does the adjustable shock in the back make any difference? How is it adjusted I haven,t touched it yet. is it just weight what is dampening anyway?

It is pretty weird to see these guys in these races in the desert flying with a rooster tail of sand behind them. The must feel like they are going to wipeout all the time and just get used to it

Experience. I ride a lot of dirt. Deep soft sand is weird, it's got a lot of traction, but you need to be MOVING out to get to that traction. Getting started requires lots of throttle, going slow is a recipe for a wreck in deep sand.

About that loose feeling, you should ride a dirt bike for a while and you'll get used to it. I feel that riding in the dirt has increased my skill a thousand fold. It's fun too, but riding hard off road is hard on your body.

Luke

I saw on a UK website they put nobbies on the v. The v is high for a reason , no worries about curbs, small ditches. I guess I have been on pavement for 21 years of riding and that is one attraction to the v that I can take it on a trail or something.

Thread JACK!

Don't try this with the Versys;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Riding%20pictures%202008/47b8dd05b3127cce9854885a7a2e0000002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Riding%20pictures%202008/47b8dd05b3127cce985488687a1c0000002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Riding%20pictures%202008/47b8dd05b3127cce985488487a3c0000002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/June%2010th%202007%20MADRiderz/IMGP1153.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/June%2010th%202007%20MADRiderz/IMGP1149.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/June%2010th%202007%20MADRiderz/IMGP1134.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Riding%20pics%202006/IMG_0480.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Riding%20pics%202006/IMG_0205.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Riding%20pics%202006/DSCF0017.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Riding%20pics%202006/DSC01987.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Riding%20pics%202006/DSC01983s.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Riding%20pics%202006/DalePostSoakBowie4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Riding%20pics%202006/IMG_0574.jpg


:D:D:D

I clean my v after every ride until it is just like the day I bought it, I wouldn,t dream of driving into the mud, besides I am sure I would get stuck and have to ask a friend to help me and then I would never live it down

I like the power down low or mid range. I bought it because of it. I have bikes that scream 130 HP. I like the Versys because it's more Streetable. Is that a word? And it makes sence. I have had the Versys 2 up on the slab at 115. And me and my wife go 375lbs added together. I cant see needing more power. If you get you a cheap track bike and go to a couple track days you will get that need for speed out of your system. Or at least enough to drive semi normal on the street.

Hacktracker says the V rocks on the track too. Can anyone say SV650 killer?

I saw on a UK website they put nobbies on the v. The v is high for a reason , no worries about curbs, small ditches. I guess I have been on pavement for 21 years of riding and that is one attraction to the v that I can take it on a trail or something.


I'd have no problem taking it on dry double track. Problem with the V is the front wheel is only 17", which really limits how serious you can get off road.

I had an sv1000 and let me tell you it was a missle, but the ergos killed me. I drove a vstrom 650 and it seemed pretty cheap compared to the v.

I live on a dirt and boulder road, it was just grated last night and when I went to work in the morning it was raining like a bastard, so the road had about 2 inches of mud most of the way. I'm running pirelli mt60s and I think any tires less aggressive then those I would have dumped her. I've have been out on logging roads nothing too serious for off road but fun, the low end power is nice for playing around like that. I just posted a thread on the versys 1000, if someone is looking for more top end maybe that bike will hit the spot.

Are those special tires dirt rated?