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first ten discoveries

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#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
original post https://www.kawasakiversys.com/foru...sions-v-650/214586-first-ten-discoveries.html

Sixty years in the saddle. Too many bikes to remember. Live in Newark DullAware. Just bought a 2016 V65LT from a fine fellow in High Point NC. Nave not named her yet. Took the train down and rode her back. Intend to take her across country in July, so this was a shakedown cruise.

Started back doing fifty miles of freeway that led to twenty miles of country highway, to Mount Airy. Then pulled a good 150 mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway, sweepers and twisties, up to Otter Lake. Cut cross country to Glascow. Followed that with somewheres on the order of 300 miles of I-81 freeway. Ending with my fave sixty mile detour around Charm City Beltway via Westminster, Mexico, Jarretsville and Conowingo. So maybe 600 miles all told.

Here's the first ten items I discovered:

1) This engine is not happy turning under 4k. You don't get to jerking & hammering con rods, cause the engine is so seriously oversquared; but you can feel it thumping, and it's gutless under 4k rpm. Can't be good for it. At 5k epm it's happy. At 6k, you twist that grip and fly round that dawdler in front of you. It's amazing how much power you get out of a measly 650 cc mill.

2) After ten years aboard my KLR, I find it hard to get used to Kawasaki brakes that actually do brake. I'm sitting there behind the same little dinkydoo black handlebars look like Kawi stole them off a toddler's trike, just like my KLR. So I squeeze accordingly hard... and just about launch my azz over the front fender.

3) Smooth as stone-washed silk at freeway speed. Loves that seventy-five to eighty-five bracket. Tight, smooth, and quiet. Remarkable.

4) This seat is killing me. No time for aftermarket. Gonna try my AirHawk.

5) Anyone with legs long enough to hop up on this seat has got legs too long to fold up on these pegs. The hell were they thinking? Highway pegs are gonna be absolooly necessary. Cannot fold up this way for hours on end. Dreadful.

6) I did not expect an MPG readout on the gauges. Once I saw I had one, I did not expect it to be so accurate. Two excellent surprises. 52mpg freeway, 61mpg on country roads. The previous owner never so much as reset either trip meter in the whole 5600 miles he had it. So I do not expect he reset the mpg gauge. His 5600 miles netted him a 58.3 average mpg. That's about right. My KLR gets 57mpg on a trip like that, 50 in the city, and it's an old fashioned carby thumper. Digital injection should do better. The gas gauge, OTOH, drops steady square by square until it hits the fourth square, where it drops two squares quick as a wink. Not linear.

7) The panniers are plenty roomy and appear to have a chance to be watertight enough for gummint work. I could easily get cross country just with what would fit in those two bags. But I do intend to pack my SealLine duffel behind me, just to have a backrest lean on. Prolly put a bunch of camping gear there, JIC. I will want a small tank bag with a map pouch where I can slide my GPZ (Global Positioning Ziplock) to refer to written directions. The available tank top space is prolly too small for my present tank bag. A rear rack awaits me in the garage & gets bolted on soon as it cools down enough to do some chores. Sweltering out there. Anyways, plenty of room to tote more than enough, is my point.

8) Only one guy remarked "neat bike", the whole trip. Any time I take my cute as a button Indian Scout so much as the post office, some guy just has to stroll over and tell me how his grandpa rode an Indian in The War. If I were to take my ultra-farkled KLR that far, there would be half a dozen guys tell me with a laugh how they love it, and is that a KLR underneath all that farkelation. Take my Moto Guzzi half that far, three people would ask me what model of Harley is that. This V650, tho, with a face only a transformer could love, it goes basically unnoticed. So that will be a great time saver. Don't have to pause to listen to strangers admire.

9) Couldn't go fifteen miles before I had to pull over and yank that effin windshield off. Could not take the buffets. Once you remove it, tho, you get reasinably clean smooth air. Not so smooth as the Scout, but almost as smooth as the KLR. Once I dig in and unbolt the windshield brackets, prolly get even better.

10) Headlight bulb burnt out. So I already have a repair project. Good opportunity to dig around & locate a place down there to connect a USB charger doodad, to charge my phone and tablet under weigh. Jesus I love farkling. That's prolly why I buy bike after bike, more than any reason, is to farkle them.
 
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#2 ·
Sixty years in the saddle. Too many bikes to remember. Live in Newark DullAware. Just bought a 2016 V65LT from a fine fellow in High Point NC. Nave not named her yet. Took the train down and rode her back. Intend to take her across country in July, so this was a shakedown cruise.

Started back doing fifty miles of freeway that led to twenty miles of country highway, to Mount Airy. Then pulled a good 150 mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway, sweepers and twisties, up to Otter Lake. Cut cross country to Glascow. Followed that with somewheres on the order of 300 miles of I-81 freeway. Ending with my fave sixty mile detour around Charm City Beltway via Westminster, Mexico, Jarretsville and Conowingo. So maybe 600 miles all told.

Here's the first ten items I discovered:

1) This engine is not happy turning under 4k. You don't get to jerking & hammering con rods, cause the engine is so seriously oversquared; but you can feel it thumping, and it's gutless under 4k rpm. Can't be good for it. At 5k epm it's happy. At 6k, you twist that grip and fly round that dawdler in front of you. It's amazing how much power you get out of a measly 650 cc mill.

2) After ten years aboard my KLR, I find it hard to get used to Kawasaki brakes that actually do brake. I'm sitting there behind the same little dinkydoo black handlebars look like Kawi stole them off a toddler's trike, just like my KLR. So I squeeze accordingly hard... and just about launch my azz over the front fender.

3) Smooth as stone-washed silk at freeway speed. Loves that seventy-five to eighty-five bracket. Tight, smooth, and quiet. Remarkable.

4) This seat is killing me. No time for aftermarket. Gonna try my AirHawk.

5) Anyone with legs long enough to hop up on this seat has got legs too long to fold up on these pegs. The hell were they thinking? Highway pegs are gonna be absolooly necessary. Cannot fold up this way for hours on end. Dreadful.

6) I did not expect an MPG readout on the gauges. Once I saw I had one, I did not expect it to be so accurate. Two excellent surprises. 52mpg freeway, 61mpg on country roads. The previous owner never so much as reset either trip meter in the whole 5600 miles he had it. So I do not expect he reset the mpg gauge. His 5600 miles netted him a 58.3 average mpg. That's about right. My KLR gets 57mpg on a trip like that, 50 in the city, and it's an old fashioned carby thumper. Digital injection should do better. The gas gauge, OTOH, drops steady square by square until it hits the fourth square, where it drops two squares quick as a wink. Not linear.

7) The panniers are plenty roomy and appear to have a chance to be watertight enough for gummint work. I could easily get cross country just with what would fit in those two bags. But I do intend to pack my SealLine duffel behind me, just to have a backrest lean on. Prolly put a bunch of camping gear there, JIC. I will want a small tank bag with a map pouch where I can slide my GPZ (Global Positioning Ziplock) to refer to written directions. The available tank top space is prolly too small for my present tank bag. A rear rack awaits me in the garage & gets bolted on soon as it cools down enough to do some chores. Sweltering out there. Anyways, plenty of room to tote more than enough, is my point.

8) Only one guy remarked "neat bike", the whole trip. Any time I take my cute as a button Indian Scout so much as the post office, some guy just has to stroll over and tell me how his grandpa rode an Indian in The War. If I were to take my ultra-farkled KLR that far, there would be half a dozen guys tell me with a laugh how they love it, and is that a KLR underneath all that farkelation. Take my Moto Guzzi half that far, three people would ask me what model of Harley is that. This V650, tho, with a face only a transformer could love, it goes basically unnoticed. So that will be a great time saver. Don't have to pause to listen to strangers admire.

9) Couldn't go fifteen miles before I had to pull over and yank that effin windshield off. Could not take the buffets. Once you remove it, tho, you get reasinably clean smooth air. Not so smooth as the Scout, but almost as smooth as the KLR. Once I dig in and unbolt the windshield brackets, prolly get even better.

10) Headlight bulb burnt out. So I already have a repair project. Good opportunity to dig around & locate a place down there to connect a USB charger doodad, to charge my phone and tablet under weigh. Jesus I love farkling. That's prolly why I buy bike after bike, more than any reason, is to farkle them.
Hang tight there will be others along shorty with all the fixes you need fixed-
 
#3 ·
Thanks for sharing your impressions especially with your experience. My 2017 versys 650 is my 1st bike. So, I have nothing to compare it to. I love this thing. I am pretty fortunate to have such a bike as 1st bike. Bought it just over a month ago and have about 700 miles logged.

I do agree with your 1st point about rpm. Strangely, screen doesn't bother me, nor the foot pegs (I'm 5 11).

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. Really appreciate it.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
#5 ·
5) Anyone with legs long enough to hop up on this seat has got legs too long to fold up on these pegs. The hell were they thinking? Highway pegs are gonna be absolooly necessary. Cannot fold up this way for hours on end. Dreadful.
One of the first and best farkles I added to my 2008 were footpeg lowering blocks.
https://motowerk.com/collections/ka...roducts/lowering-foot-peg-blocks-for-kawasaki

This is easily the best investment I made on the bike, and the only one that I would not consider removing.

I also added Motowerk's handlebar riser, and in combination with the lowering blocks,seating position is now much roomier.
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
One of the first and best farkles I added to my 2008 were footpeg lowering blocks.
https://motowerk.com/collections/kaw...s-for-kawasaki
Way ahead of you there Dave. Peg lowering blocks, peg lowering nut, highway peg brackets, and bar risers all in the shopping cart as we speak. Just contemplating the flatfoot before I pull the trigger. Fifty bucks seems mighty steep for a kickstand pad.


Saw your comment about changing plug. I just installed one last week. Don't make the mistake I did by using the factory port cuz your hand guard bracket will hit the end of whatever you plug into the port.
Nothing about a changing (sic) plug. Talking about wiring in one of these type things:

to charge my cell and tablet inside my tank bag while on the road.
 
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#8 ·
Webmost, welcome aboard!

If you come through Salt Lake City on your trip, give me a shout.

Lots of aftermarket windshield and seat options. Madstad has a chart to choose the right size windshield for your body height. If you get an aftermarket seat, it may sit you up a tad higher in the riding position, so you may want to go one size taller windshield of any brand. For the seat, try raising the nose. There are several threads on this forum about that. It helps keep you from sliding into the tank, and it does reduce somewhat the leaning onto the handlebars. It does help some, but I ended up with a Sargent seat which is even better. And, handlebar risers to move the bars back closer to me so I don't lean so much weight onto them. I'm 5'10".

Adjusting the height and tilt of the windshield makes a big difference in the aerodynamics. Even just a few degrees.

Double ditto on the footpeg lowering! It is a very quick install process.

Panniers have been waterproof for me, at least into moderate rain. And they don't seem to affect fuel economy. I discovered that on bicycles years ago, too. In fact, front panniers on a pedal bike improve aerodynamics. Anyhow, the top box is highly recommended if you don't have one. Get the aftermarket Givi box, which is the exact Kawi box without the Kawi label, and it is cheaper. The Givi brake light kit works great, too, so I highly recommend adding that for safety.
 
#9 ·
Well, yeah, I am coming thru Salt Lake. I have great grand-children living in Ogden I want to see. PM me your digits & we'll drain a barley pop. You into cigars?

If I wanted a windshield I'd take the Durango.

Good to hear about the panniers.

Don't reckon I'll need a trunk. A bag to lean back against toward the end of a long day and I'll be fine.

Just wasted two hours trying to replace the port headlight bulb. I thought low beam was out. I must be a dumbass. Brothers, give me a "yes you are". ... Make that discovery # 11... only the one light works on low. Funny thing is, my KLR is the same way. You'd think I would know.

Don't you just hate those little spring clips behind H bulbs?

Everything motowerkwise on the way except the kickstand plate. Anyone got a cheaper suggestion?
 
#10 · (Edited)
Everything motowerkwise on the way except the kickstand plate. Anyone got a cheaper suggestion?
If you are at all handy, you could probably make something like the following out of an old tire. I don't think the sink-no-bob is available for sale anymore. I had one of these on my KLR, and it worked well. See post 8 of the following thread

Enlarging the kickstand footprint - Kawasaki KLR 650 Forum

I ended up getting the Motowerks flatfoot for my Versys...works well, but yeah, it's expensive.

Edit: crazy as it sounds, that's cheaper than the SW-Motech version...
http://www.twistedthrottle.com/sw-motech-sidestand-foot-enlarger-for-kawasaki-versys-650-15
 
#12 ·
Sixty years in the saddle. Too many bikes to remember. Live in Newark DullAware. Just bought a 2016 V65LT from a fine fellow in High Point NC. Nave not named her yet. Took the train down and rode her back. Intend to take her across country in July, so this was a shakedown cruise.

Started back doing fifty miles of freeway that led to twenty miles of country highway, to Mount Airy. Then pulled a good 150 mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway, sweepers and twisties, up to Otter Lake. Cut cross country to Glascow. Followed that with somewheres on the order of 300 miles of I-81 freeway. Ending with my fave sixty mile detour around Charm City Beltway via Westminster, Mexico, Jarretsville and Conowingo. So maybe 600 miles all told.

Here's the first ten items I discovered:

1) This engine is not happy turning under 4k. You don't get to jerking & hammering con rods, cause the engine is so seriously oversquared; but you can feel it thumping, and it's gutless under 4k rpm. Can't be good for it. At 5k epm it's happy. At 6k, you twist that grip and fly round that dawdler in front of you. It's amazing how much power you get out of a measly 650 cc mill.
....
4) This seat is killing me. No time for aftermarket. Gonna try my AirHawk.

5) Anyone with legs long enough to hop up on this seat has got legs too long to fold up on these pegs. The hell were they thinking? Highway pegs are gonna be absolooly necessary. Cannot fold up this way for hours on end. Dreadful....
1. Yes - the first TWO Gens pull strongly from about 2,500rpm in 6th.

4. Raise the front of the seat - co$t$ about $2 and makes a HUGE difference! Piece of scrap steel w/ 2 holes, plus 2 = 6mmx45 bolts, and 12 = 1/4" washers. Raises about 9/16".







5. Peg lowering blocs from Motowerk which just plain WORK!

...Everything motowerkwise on the way except the kickstand plate. Anyone got a cheaper suggestion?...
Bought sidestand 'foot' for each of my Vs from E-bay (about $4 from China).



I added the JB Weld so it ain't NEVER GONNA MOVE!
 
#13 ·
Came back here this morning, my post was "sticky." What'd I do, spill a coke or something?
 
#14 ·
Welcome fellow Newarker. You nailed the engine’s fueling characteristics dead on — best to keep her spinning like a nest of angry hornets. One of these days I’m going to try a Booster Plug and/or Throttle Tamer to see if that helps. I have the Motowerk highway peg brackets with cheap folding pegs, which helps to stretch the ol’ landing gear every now and then. I have a Puig windscreen you’re welcome to try; it punches a large hole in the wind but for me it induced moderate buffeting between 45-65 mph. I’m running a Nat’l Cycle V-Stream screen now, which is a good compromise (for me: 5’9”) between the stocker and the Puig.
 
#17 ·
.... I have a Puig windscreen you’re welcome to try; it punches a large hole in the wind but for me it induced moderate buffeting between 45-65 mph. I’m running a Nat’l Cycle V-Stream screen now, which is a good compromise (for me: 5’9”) between the stocker and the Puig.
--> Second the V-Stream, after stock, Puig and Givi didn't work for me (6'3" and a big melon head).
 
#15 ·
Just bought a windshield myself. Comes on the front of a new yellow helmet. Though in hot weather I frankly prefer the twin tinted windshields of my sunglasses. Either way comes with zero buffeting whatever.

I sent you a PM. Love to see your setup. I have a short time to outfit this bike to cross country, so I am eager to see options.

Go Hens.
 
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#21 ·
...with forward pegs a must....
I disagree. During the roughly 145,000 miles I've ridden the three V 650s, I've NEVER felt the need, and in fact, since I retired in '03 I've ridden OVER 222,xxx Miles ('03 Suzuki Bandit 1200S, '04 KLR650, '79 Yam SR500 and the '08, '09 and '15 Vs) w/out.

...Do the Pacific Northwest. You won't regret it.
Once you're in the Pacific NW, look N and ride into BC - you'll LOVE it!
 
#20 ·
I'd add a Cramp Buster to the list for less expensive throttle control.

Pannier liners (mine were $65 from FleaBay) keeps dry stuff dry. When you're hauling sopping whity tightys out of your bag at the end of the day the trip sorta loses it's appeal.

Kickstand enlarger (that somehow sounds wrong) is a great idea.

Either add a small swingarm jack or a center stand to get the rear wheel off the ground. You've ridden enough to know that either chain oiling or rear tire changes are painful without either one.

I went OEM power port, gear indicator and grips. BAD idea. don't do it.
Oxford works very well. you'll love the grips on cold mornings. Yeah, we all get older.... Aftermarket gear indicator and power port are great, everybody'll have a gazillion ideas. Choose the one that suits you best.

Givi T411T is a good windshield, cured my buffeting around my 6'0 31" inseam issues. Only recommendation I'll make. You'll get a gazillion ideas here too. Again, choose what's best.

Do a fairing check with foam before you leave to forestall or eliminate fairing buzz. You'll thank me about Utah and points west.

Do the Pacific Northwest. You won't regret it.
 
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