Metaljockey
Race Dog
Perspective
Let me say up front that I am not a road bike rider. The only road bikes I have owned was a CB900F and an XJ750 (and an XZ550 but I pushed it more than I rode it). All of these are too old to compare to modern bikes.
The bikes I do know well are all off-road biased 250 EXC, CRF250, DRZ400, 640 Adventure and lastly of course the Best Bike in the World, the 1200 GS, which leans more to the road bike side..
So keep in mind where I'm coming from when I review the Versys.
Looks
It's a damn pleasure to look at. I've got the 'burnt orange' one.
I've fallen in love with that colour. When it's clean, it's very pretty. It also comes in metallic blue, silver and black.
The bike is just plain beautiful, everywhere there are design cues that tell you someone worked hard to make something special.
Have a look at the graceful yoke neck holding the handlebars up. A thing of beauty.
Check out that fat swingarm, with the offset, almost horizontal shock openly displayed on the side of the bike.
On the American version, the spring is red.
I like it, I think I'm going to have mine done in red too.
The L.E.D. tail light is a work of art too.
Overall the bike has a very perky upright look, with a short wheel base.
There is one (possible) flaw in the aesthetics - the headlight. It is huge, juts out forward and is shaped like a skull.
Somehow, it is starting to grow on me though, it makes a statement.
The side panels are just a pleasure on the eye.
The trellis frame, which I quite like, can be removed if you don't intend using the passenger pegs. It cleans up the rear even more.
Damn, I've run out of time. I'll continue later today on the performance, ergos and extras.
Let me say up front that I am not a road bike rider. The only road bikes I have owned was a CB900F and an XJ750 (and an XZ550 but I pushed it more than I rode it). All of these are too old to compare to modern bikes.
The bikes I do know well are all off-road biased 250 EXC, CRF250, DRZ400, 640 Adventure and lastly of course the Best Bike in the World, the 1200 GS, which leans more to the road bike side..
So keep in mind where I'm coming from when I review the Versys.
Looks
It's a damn pleasure to look at. I've got the 'burnt orange' one.
I've fallen in love with that colour. When it's clean, it's very pretty. It also comes in metallic blue, silver and black.
The bike is just plain beautiful, everywhere there are design cues that tell you someone worked hard to make something special.
Have a look at the graceful yoke neck holding the handlebars up. A thing of beauty.
Check out that fat swingarm, with the offset, almost horizontal shock openly displayed on the side of the bike.
On the American version, the spring is red.
I like it, I think I'm going to have mine done in red too.
The L.E.D. tail light is a work of art too.
Overall the bike has a very perky upright look, with a short wheel base.
There is one (possible) flaw in the aesthetics - the headlight. It is huge, juts out forward and is shaped like a skull.
Somehow, it is starting to grow on me though, it makes a statement.
The side panels are just a pleasure on the eye.
The trellis frame, which I quite like, can be removed if you don't intend using the passenger pegs. It cleans up the rear even more.
Damn, I've run out of time. I'll continue later today on the performance, ergos and extras.