I think you and I are far more on the same page than you think. When I refer to the Versys 650 in comparison with the KLR and the Ninja, those are logical comparisons within the show room. The Ninja is sporty and uses the same engine, the KLR is large, with a similarly sized engine, similar riding position, and can be equipped with factory luggage. So there are absolutely people comparing them even if you're not. But where we FULLY agree is in the fact that the Versys 650 is a Sport Touring bike with an adventure riding position. I used to own the Versys 650, and I always used to describe it as the perfect 1-person touring bike. In a world where most touring bikes are very large, and very heavy, the Versys 650 can do it all with more nimble and fun handling. The only reason that I call it a 1-person touring bike is because, it's great at taking two passengers for a nice weekend ride, but I'm not sure it's the best 2-person touring bike. When you talk about the Versys should be the gold standard of street bikes, I think many would agree. Although to be fair, there are people who find it to be quite tall, and its centre of gravity with a full tank of fuel is a little higher than on other bikes in the lineup. Some people really like lighter weight smaller bikes when they take about "sport" but my argument is that the Versys is more Sport than most riders skills can handle. So we're largely on the same page. Feel free to subscribe! I've got a lot more content coming!

Have owned the Versys 650 and done 12000km with no issues ,just a warning ….make sure you use OEM genuine levers , and not cheap imitations . My front brake lever was replaced at a dealer with an aftermarket front brake lever , the front disc seized up and vehicle stopped on road , and couldn’t be pushed an inch until brake lever was removed . Had this happened on a low speed roundabout It could have seen me and the bike run over . The lever appeared ok …worked for 30 minutes then the bike stopped at low speed on a road .

Awesome! I've owned the Versys 650, and love the KLR 650. You can't go wrong with either, but they are different in some key ways, so if you know what you're looking for in a bike, I think you'll easily make the best decision for you.

I think the KLR is just a little intimidating for some people. That KLR S really appeals to me, and I'm plenty tall enough for a KLR.

If you don’t understand why a shorter rider wants to lower a 210 kg KLR with a seat height of 870 mm …you must never have gone off road in challenging conditions . The most expert riders in challenging terrain use their feet to get out of a stall or tip over . Imagine not being able to reach the ground when in the same situation .

Great review

@@orionswitness You must be a new and inexperienced rider.

@@heretohear8662 Quite the contrary …just stating the obvious. Real off road riding , involves coming to an unplanned stop on uneven surfaces , go watch a few hard enduro videos .

Thanks for sharing your experiences! One thing that I will point out is that the KLR has been tweaked to reduce vibration, among other improvements in the redesigned model. But to be fair, you're right, there are other bikes in the lineup that can do highway driving better. (I did another KLR video where I talked about the KLR doing everything well, but nothing great) There are individual bikes in the lineup that do things better (Versys is a better highway bike) but no bike does everything that the KLR does as well as it does. I'm a big fan of the new KLR, but again, I do recognize that it's not going to do some things as well as other bikes.

Thanks for watching!

@@PeterLoweOne ok I just got back from the shop. The KLR and the versys are to big for me. I’m a new rider. The klx230 is way better for me

Thanks so much for your comment! I love hearing from owners! And thanks for watching! Feel free to subscribe! Hopefully I can create some more content that you'll appreciate!

Sounds like it's the perfect bike for you! Thanks for sharing!

​@@PeterLoweOneThanks for the reply Peter. The KLR also made me realize that in general, I prefer a higher and more neutral seating position on the road. (I've been riding cruisers and nothing else for a long time...(after growing up on dual-sports) The Versys really appeals to me, and was thinking it would be the perfect bike for me, but the more I encounter areas of fluffy sand on local dirt roads, the more I think it wouldn't be a good choice. ***To own 1 bike, the KLR fits for me, if I were to have 2, I believe something like a KLX300L and a Versys650 might be perfect. ***one thing interesting to note is how even the idea of the meaning of "dirt road" changes in different geographical locations. The closer one gets to the coast the more sand encountered as opposed to hard packed dirt and clay. (Even 100 miles from the coast, "shark's teeth" are found in the farmer's fields from the area being the ocean floor millions of years ago) Eric in NC

I'm not aware of aftermarket dash systems for he KLR, but it does have a large aftermarket accessory following. You might want to check with the various online KLR forums or Facebook pages.

I missed that adjustable windscreen. I apologize for that. It's pretty simple and seems to work well. I'll have to post a correction. Thanks for sharing your experiences! I love the Versys! Feel free to subscribe!

The problem with both bikes when going off road alone …they are bloody heavy to pick up if you tip over or crash in mud or sand , or tight up hill sections or river crossings . On the Versys I don’t go on anything rougher than gravel roads or smooth firetrails. I dropped it in my driveway and couldn’t pick it up , off the concrete ….218 kg wet . I am 59 and thought I could have done it easily , imagine trying to pick the bike up in mud when you are slipping all over the place …this stopped me buying a KLR . The KLR I have ridden off road …it is very capable …but it’s almost as heavy as the Versys . If you ride off road with others …not such an issue , but lots of people ride off road alone , as that is the attraction for some people .

@@orionswitness depends, people take their tenere offroad all the time. It’s definitely not fun to pick up in the mud as you stated. But it is doable, but with those bikes you wont do any hard enduro. Especially with the versys. They advertise it in Europe with the slogan any road any time, that perfectly sums it up for me. Not off road any time. As long as you stay off the trails it’s fine.

So, if you plan on taking some dirt roads, the KLR is really your best choice. The Versys has an adventure style to it, but all the components from the suspension to the wheels and tires, are all street spec stuff. It's an on road bike.

The KLR's have been manufactured in Thailand since 2001.

@@PeterLoweOne, thank you.

Yeah! Had one of those days and I wasn't able to get this uploaded until just now. Should be posting a few during the day tomorrow! Thanks for watching!

If that's your main type of riding, this wouldn't be my first choice. It's not that the KLR can't do it, it's just that there are better bikes to do that. This would be great at back country highways with detours onto narrow country roads that aren't well maintained, and short cuts (or scenic routes) through dirt and gravel roads. It's the kind of bike that can handle whatever roads you could possibly come across, but it will never be the absolute best choice for any specific type of riding. Personally, I think that's the appeal of this bike. It's like having the second best bike for any road you could come across, while there would be several different bikes in the various number one spots.

Haha! That's a big trip!

I'm not sure that I agree. And I hope you're reading my tone as I intend. I'm just curious about your thoughts on this. Why do things have to be standard when you can take delivery of the bike with that accessory installed? If you want this with heated grips standard, they'd just raise the price, and make them standard. What's the difference between that and having the dealer add it before you take the bike home? Don't get me wrong, the next bike I buy will have heated grips, but not everyone needs them, and if you'll never use them, why be forced to pay for them? I agree about the tach though. No road going bike should come without one these days, if you ask me. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

@@PeterLoweOne all bikes should be fitted with a rev clock and as the UK it a lot colder than America heated grips come as standard on most bikes here these days and for the hp if Ktm and Chinese brands can get more hp out of the single cylinder I think Kawasaki should follow the same boat

Haha. Believe me! If I’m posting that late, it's not because I want to be! And you said you'd prefer the Kawasaki? They're both Kawasaki's!

@@PeterLoweOne yes, meant the KLR

I kind of understand it from Kawasaki's point of view. They aren't building this as an off-road vehicle. I think if they saw a number of owner's coming in with major issues because of this, they'd have adapted something in the redesign, but it doesn't seem to be an issue. Having said that, at the 8:19 mark of the video, you can see my old bike. I had a number of SW MoTech accessories on that bike, and there was a solid metal protective shield on my old bike, along with a Centre Stand from them. The centre stand was a little awkward because you had to lower the side stand to put use the centre stand, which I think is why Kawasaki doesn't offer one, but it worked great.

@@PeterLoweOne Kawasaki does offer a center stand, but not crash bars. I don't know the cost of plastics, but I know on BMWs they can be 1000s. You lose balance and break some plastic, and it's $1000+ bill. I am interested in buying one, but it seems to me, the mfr is in the best position to know how to engineer things like crash bars into the structure of the motorcycle, so that the motorcycle itself is not harmed by forces on the crash bars. I think side stands are senseless: they don't allow the fuel tank to fill evenly, they make it difficult to oil and adjust the chain properly, change tires, and they are poor at supporting a bike on unstable ground. I don't know why center stands aren't the only stand if you are only going to have one.

@@chadkline4268 So, in Canada, there is no centre stand available from Kawasaki. I'm with you. I don't think every sport bike buyer wants a centre stand, but I think certain styles of bikes should come with one. As far as the crash bars, one thing that I think people forget is that motorcycle manufacturers are very small companies compared to auto manufacturers. Most manufacturers view the aftermarket as partners. For Kawasaki to offer certain accessories, they not only have to design and engineer them, they also need to manufacture them at a reasonable cost. The aftermarket companies are set up to develop things like crash bars in high volume for multiple brands, and the manufacturers often can't compete. Even if one was available from Kawasaki, if the cost, or style, or design didn't meet or exceed the aftermarket, they wouldn't sell very many. It's the same thing with Jeep. The Jeep brand recognizes that they can offer a number of accessories for the Jeep, but they also recognize that there are aftermarket suppliers who can offer the customer more, so they don't compete in that space.

Haha! Yup! And choosing the KLR definitely gives up the sporty feel of the Versys 650. If I chose the KLR, that's one thing that I would miss. Like I said, I went into this year not expecting to like the KLR as much as I did. I never would have guessed that it would be in the top 3 or 4 motorcycles in my mind at the end of the year, but sometimes a motorcycle is less about the bike, and more about how you use it, and for me, it would be well used!

In many ways, they're very different, but a lot of people have asked for this comparison. If you want an upright riding position, with good wind protection on a 650 motorcycle that allows you to tour, both of these bikes would be on your list.