Kawasaki to launch Versys 650 tomorrow, its 12th model for India

All set to add the 12^th model to its India-specific portfolio of big bikes, Kawasaki is going to officially roll out the parallel-twin, liquid-cooled, 68bhp, 649cc adventure-tourer Versys 650 in Mumbai tomorrow.

The Versys 650 will be India Kawasaki Motors’ third model in its 650cc line-up with the other two – Ninja 650 and ER-6n – already being locally assembled and sold here.

Though this is unconfirmed at the moment by  company officials, it is expected that just like the other two 650cc siblings, the Versys 650 too will be imported into India via the completely knocked down (CKD) route and will be assembled at Bajaj Auto’s Akurdi plant.

This premium midsized tourer also becomes the second Versys model from the Kawsaki stable in India as the company had commercially rolled out the elder sibling, the liquid-cooled, in-line four-cylinder, 1043cc Versys 1000 on January 29, 2015. The Versys 1000 is brought and sold locally as a completely built unit (CBU).

If locally assembled, the Versys 650 will become the fifth model to be locally assembled at the Akurdi plant. The local assembly operations of the company, hence, include midsized bikes with engine displacement ranging from 249cc to 649cc.

On the other hand, the Kawasaki’s Indian portfolio already consists of seven CBU models on sale.

While the Versys 1000 directly competes with Suzuki’s V-twin, 1037cc V-Strom 1000 ABS and Triumph Motorcycle’s three-cylinder, 1215cc Tiger Explorer XC, the Kawasaki Versys 650 will woo potential customers of the four-cylinder, 600cc DSK Benelli TNT 600GT and even the four-cylinder, 649cc Honda CBR650F.

A few industry experts also see the Kawasaki Versys 650 as being a potential threat to the sales of Triumph Motorcycles’ locally-assembled three-cylinder, 800cc adventure tourer line-up of Tiger models.

The Versys 650 is now also listed on the India Kawasaki Motors’ official website.

Interestingly, it is known that the Ninja 650 and the ER-6n use local content of up to 30 percent. The parallel-twin, 249cc Z250, on the other hand, is known to have a localisation level of up to 40 percent.

According to industry reports, India Kawasaki Motors (IKM), which has a footprint of close to 6-7 standalone showrooms in India, has sold 817 units between April-November 2015. The company had sold 942 units during April-November 2014. The ongoing financial year has not been a favourable year for the three major big bike companies in India – Harley-Davidson Motor Company India, Triumph Motorcycles India and India Kawasaki Motors.