India Kawasaki launches Versys 650 at Rs 650,000

Kawasaki’s annual ritual of updates has now extended itself to the Versys 650, with the company launching the 2018 model in India at Rs 6.50 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). While it continues to be the same in terms of its mechanicals and features, it has received a few visual changes in the form of new decals on the fairing, a slight change from the revised stickers on the 2017 Versys.

As part of the BS-IV compliance update earlier this year, the Versys 650 received some value additions such as a gear-position indicator and a windscreen that can be raised or lowered by two inches (in a tool-free operation). It continues to be powered by a 649cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin motor which produces 68hp at 8,500 rpm and 64Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm.

The Versys 650 is Kawasaki’s mid-size sports tourer motorcycle and a dynamically brilliant one at that. It shares its motor with the rest of Kawasaki’s 650s but is different in its steering geometry and the adoption of an upside-down fork, all of which lends it fantastic handling and stability. ABS is standard on the bike.