[Red Liner]

As the title suggests, it was another Sunday and it was time for another solo ride. This time I rode down to Siddarabetta.

I made a sterling mistake though. I took the Doddaballapur route on the way up there, and the roads were just nasty. Nothing that the bike couldn't handle, but I much preferred smoother roads.

Stopped here at the base of the mountain, theres a trek up there which I was not in much of a mood to do at the point. I had a jacket, motorcycling pants, boots, helmet, gloves...where the heck was I gonna keep all this, and what was I going to wear and trek up?



Welcome to the jungle



Here I was beginning to realize that motorcycling in India is mostly a destination exercise. Parking this bike and your gear somewhere and ambling away is best done in a car.

Rode back via Koratagere and Dabbaspet, fantastic roads all throughout, just whipped that throttle to the open blue skies, alabama here I come.

[Vignesh_N/A]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Had to use a bit of loctite on the nuts holding it together, or else the whole thing just comes off. I keep checking on it now and then, the loctite does wear off. A mate's extender just flew off his bike ahead of me on a ride, was funny coz

Are those aluminium spacers? One thing I observed with these ali express products is, the countersunk bolts keeps loosening over the time.

Tried using plate washers and TVS allen bolts? You can also add a spring washer. It sure is going to look ugly .

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Thanks Avi. Please change thread title to

Tesseract: Going further with the Kawasaki Versys 650

Done !!

A formal congratulations is due for taking the plunge and finally sharing your ownership and experiences with us even though it took more than a year of coaxing

Lovely style of posting and nice to see you stick to a different format while sharing the actual details of Versys in a nice crisp manner and also the ride details are wonderful to read

I can imagine the amount of fun you must be having with the Versys 650 considering the crazy number of kilometers you racked up in such a short time. But, then most of Versys owners are a different breed and seem to want to ride till the last inch of our great country or till the Border Security Forces (BSF) stops them...LOL!

I thought it's apt to share here that Versys 650 has already conquered the latest and highest motorable road (Umlingla Pass at 19,300 feet) which was opened just a couple of weeks ago and seems like Versys riders are just waiting for new heights to conquer

Kat, I said it before and will say it again. Versys 650 can do everything that you would want from a motorcycle and there is no reason why anyone would want to upgrade it unless it is for reasons of wanting more power or just got bored of riding it (I still feel ecstatic even at 20k kms each time I climb the saddle)

Keep sharing the experiences and rides so we all can also enjoy it through your eyes !!!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by mobike008

A formal congratulations is due for taking the plunge and finally sharing your ownership and experienced with us even though it took more than a year of coaxing

Feels weird when junior owners like me get to congratulate and welcome senior owners like Ramana!

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Tesseract: Going further with the Kawasaki Versys 650

Congratulations and welcome to the Versys family Ramana.

Nice writeup, and you are obviously going further with the Versys 650. Was surprised in between when you decided to upgrade and posted the bike in the classifieds section , but glad that you have decided to continue the journey further.

Frankly - I don't see the point of getting a bigger adventure tourer. Versys is almost as big as what we Indians (with our general build and size) and can manage. With better tyres and small mods - Versys could very well keep up with these giants on and off tarmac.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by Vignesh_N/A

Tried using plate washers and TVS allen bolts? You can also add a spring washer. It sure is going to look ugly .

Next change, I will need to use plate washers and TVS allen bolts of the same size...if available. Finding TVS bolts are itself a huge headache, have to go deep into the market and get them.

Originally Posted by mobike008

Kat, I said it before and will say it again. Versys 650 can do everything that you would want from a motorcycle and there is no reason why anyone would want to upgrade it unless it is for reasons of wanting more power or just got bored of riding it (I still feel ecstatic even at 20k kms each time I climb the saddle)

Agreed absolutely. Like I mentioned earlier on another V650 thread, if you plan to change after buying the versys 650, either your initial priorities were askew, or your existing priorities have changed. The Bike per se is absolutely perfect no matter what you throw at it from a "Adv Touring" point of view.

Originally Posted by mobike008

Keep sharing the experiences and rides so we all can also enjoy it through your eyes !!!

27k worth of ride experiences...coming your way - keep those servers running!

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

With better tyres and small mods - Versys could very well keep up with these giants on and off tarmac.

Exactly. I was racking my brains as to which bike to get. Though I was kind of settling into the whole Africa Twin Story, I could not understand why I was paying twice the price of the Versys for an auto gearbox, similar weight, more expensive cycle parts, tube tyres, and a more difficult road touring machine. Things didn't add up, and I lost interest in even attending the test ride, lest I get tempted by the paint job or something and book it.

The small mods are more or less through...there's nothing left on the bike or off it I smelt good dual purpose timsun tyres which seem to fit the bill. Will need to go see them this coming weekend.

[Red Liner]

Another week-end, but the same mate, and the same bike - well, Nasir Kaka and I decided to tour down to Hogenekkal and catch some surf.

Unfortunately, 95% of Tamil Nadu thought the same, and the entire area looked like some kind of Mahakumbh. So we beat a hasty retreat and did what we do best...pose.











The Devil & his Poison.


Saravana Bhavan Coffee

Superb riding - we rode via Anchetty and Denkanikottai, and then got back via Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri, making it a nice circuit full of single lane, double lane, little mountain gradients, jungles, and ofcourse a 4 laner.



And here's one from the man's SLR



A keener look at the handguards - if anyone is interested in the mounting points etc.









The guards also do a great job of protecting my digits from the cold during the early mornings, as well as from stones and chips that fly off overladen trucks from up front. Lots of bugs that would have founds their way onto my gloves, are blocked off by the guards as well. Good call on them.

[Red Liner]

I wanted to do a longish solo ride and the month of July 2016 presented me with a fantastic opportunity to ride to Hampi! There are enough travelogues on the forum about Hampi, so I will not get into details, instead will present a photologue of my journey to whet my own appetite for another trip there this month

Riding out towards Chitradurga and the famed Windmills. The cross winds were ballistic, sitting on a bike this tall with so much fairing did not help things one bit.






Already enroute to Hampi and off the main highway




A large reservoir along the way. Looked like the sea!


This is exactly how it feels when giving the Versys 650 a wash.


Yup, that's all you need


Hampi Extraordinaire!


Scenery on the way back








Taking a break




Was a great trip and the Versys 650 handled the roads with aplomb. I absolutely enjoyed the scenery, rode through some very quaint villages, and I can't wait to get back on the road to Hampi again this month!

[atul.ktm]

Love your writing style!

Glad that you took back the decision of parting ways with this brilliant machine.

My ownership thread has been stagnant for a while, time to update

By the way, I have PM'ed for some accessory details, please have a look.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by atul.ktm

My ownership thread has been stagnant for a while, time to update

Says the man who gets professional level help in updating threads. Humble guy.

Ramana: Didn't realize earlier than you are continuing the updates for all the rides done till now. Great going!

[neil.jericho]

Another wonderful ownership review of the very capable Versys 650! Keep the posts coming in, a lot of forum members are glued to the Versys threads which probably see the most activity in the Superbike section.

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Agreed absolutely. Like I mentioned earlier on another V650 thread, if you plan to change after buying the versys 650, either your initial priorities were askew, or your existing priorities have changed. The Bike per se is absolutely perfect no matter what you throw at it from a "Adv Touring" point of view.

Since you have put your bike up for sale as Crazy Driver mentioned, if I might ask, what's next? Another Kawasaki?

[Porschefire]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Another wonderful ownership review of the very capable Versys 650! Keep the posts coming in, a lot of forum members are glued to the Versys threads which probably see the most activity in the Superbike section.

Since you have put your bike up for sale as Crazy Driver mentioned, if I might ask, what's next? Another Kawasaki?

I am sure it'll be super duper hard for anyone to part with their V! The sheer number of ownership reviews here are a testimony to the fact that, as on today, Versys650 is the best bike that money can buy in India and nothing will even come close to that fact! In fact, it is so good that foreign reviewers have rated the 650 better than its elder sibling, the Versys1000.

As many have said, the other bikes from the Kawasaki stable itself cannot hold a candle to the V's VFM proposition.

I don't know why Kawasaki bothered to launch the N650 and much worse, the Z650. Compare the V to its competition and the V can eat every bike for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday! Such is the capabilities of the V.

I was fortunate enough to ride one of my friend's Versys for a couple of kms and I fell in love instantly! So much that I wanted to sell off my small, slow, boring and incompetent N250 and buy the V then and there itself. I hope that someday I can upgrade to the V!

Ooops, I totally forgot, many congratulations on buying the best vfm money bike in India, Redliner. Your thread is wonderful and I'm waiting to read all of your 27k kms worth of riding!

[shan_ned]

Congratulations Red Liner for owning Versys 650. This ownership thread is great and thanks for posting your experience.

Originally Posted by Porschefire

As many have said, the other bikes from the Kawasaki stable itself cannot hold a candle to the V's VFM proposition. I don't know why Kawasaki bothered to launch the N650 and much worse, the Z650. Compare the V to its competition and the V can eat every bike for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday! Such is the capabilities of the V.

So much that I wanted to sell off my small, slow, boring and incompetent N250 and buy the V then and there itself. I hope that someday I can upgrade to the V!

Even I am in the same boat. My mind says "Versys 650" and heart says "Ninja 1000 or STriple". In fact we are seeing good ownership threads on both Versys 650/Ninja 1000 and that adds more to my confusion. I am caught in between these two. Hope this confusion within me gets resolved some day and I own one of these two beautiful machines.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Since you have put your bike up for sale as Crazy Driver mentioned, if I might ask, what's next? Another Kawasaki?

I did because I wanted to upgrade to something else, but the math just didn't make sense. And for the kind of riding I do, the Versys 650 is perfect (albeit minus 30 kgs). See: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/superb...ml#post4305665

Originally Posted by Porschefire

So much that I wanted to sell off my small, slow, boring and incompetent N250 and buy the V then and there itself. I hope that someday I can upgrade to the V!

Ooops, I totally forgot, many congratulations on buying the best vfm money bike in India, Redliner. Your thread is wonderful and I'm waiting to read all of your 27k kms worth of riding!

Thanks Porsche! The V650 makes such a strong and compelling case in itself...its very hard to look at anything else for the sheer value, versatility, and the validity of your choice is only stomped around on the roads!

I am sure you'll find your way to a Versys 650 soon!

Originally Posted by shan_ned

Congratulations Red Liner for owning Versys 650. This ownership thread is great and thanks for posting your experience.

Even I am in the same boat. My mind says "Versys 650" and heart says "Ninja 1000 or STriple". In fact we are seeing good ownership threads on both Versys 650/Ninja 1000 and that adds more to my confusion. I am caught in between these two. Hope this confusion within me gets resolved some day and I own one of these two beautiful machines.

Thanks Shan. I hope you are back on to your Ninja 650.

If you do NOT intend to do any kind of trail/offroad riding what so ever, just get the Ninja 1k. That bike is just wicked in terms of performance tech, and divine in terms of ride-ability. Very few machines give you both in one package. However, if you plan to do leh/ladakh kind of travel, stick to the Versys 650. I know a few who picked up the V650, are in hindsight wondering if they should have just got the Ninja 1k. Its THAT good.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Porschefire

I am sure it'll be super duper hard for anyone to part with their V! The sheer number of ownership reviews here are a testimony to the fact that, as on today, Versys650 is the best bike that money can buy in India and nothing will even come close to that fact! In fact, it is so good that foreign reviewers have rated the 650 better than its elder sibling, the Versys1000.

+1

Infact, there is only 1 Versys owner in India who has upgraded from a 650 to 1000 and rest are having a ball on their Versys 650

Also, Versys India Riders are always on the road. Every single day I am privy to so many people riding it across india. It is almost like each and every guy is impatient to ride their Versys to every nook and corner.

Wish I was as lucky as them to take off whenever and wherever. Sigh!

Another thing to note on international forums about Versys. There are many people already on their 2nd Versys and some on their 3rd Versys (Just yesterday someone posted on the Global Versys FB page) and highest mileage seen on odometer of a Versys is 170,000 miles...Without doing anything to the engine

Originally Posted by Porschefire

I don't know why Kawasaki bothered to launch the N650 and much worse, the Z650. Compare the V to its competition and the V can eat every bike for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday! Such is the capabilities of the V.

+1

I had recently mentioned the same point that after the Versys the mere existence of the N650 and Z650 is questioned

Originally Posted by Porschefire

I was fortunate enough to ride one of my friend's Versys for a couple of kms and I fell in love instantly! So much that I wanted to sell off my small, slow, boring and incompetent N250 and buy the V then and there itself. I hope that someday I can upgrade to the V!

I'm sure that day isn't too far. Goodluck!

Originally Posted by Porschefire

Ooops, I totally forgot, many congratulations on buying the best vfm money bike in India, Redliner. Your thread is wonderful and I'm waiting to read all of your 27k kms worth of riding!

GTO may have to upgrade the forum servers as not sure if it's equipped to take the load of 27K kms journey updates of Kat

[Snehal Sekhar]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

I wanted to do a longish solo ride and the month of July 2016 presented me with a fantastic opportunity to ride to Hampi

So finally you decided to pen your journey so far on the Versys 650. Good going and a great bike you have there. I had the honour of playing catch up with you on the MM Hills ride and seeing your love for the bike, the way you rode and the bike’s performance made me want to give away my Baron and get a Versys 650, but alas they don’t come with ladders for a short and stout person like me to reach the saddle.

Those empty stretches of roads that you’ve captured on the Hampi trip, is that the Hiriyur – Challakere – Tornagallu route? Seems very inviting.

Keep the posts going and hoping to read much more on the trips you’ve been doing and the places that the V650 has taken you.