Touring Thailand - Why I Chose the Versys 650
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 เม.ย. 2020
- In this episode we take a detailed look at the motorcycle I use to film about 80 percent of the videos I produce. The bike is a Kawasaki Versys 650 which I have owned now for over a year. The bike was a budget purchase at a good price point and included both comfort and safety features which are important to me. We'll also take a quick look in the Kawasaki showroom in Pattaya and see what some of the brand new models cost here and why some are much higher than others. Finally, we enjoy some fresh bought Rambutans, a delicious Thai fruit in season . Enjoy the Ride!
#Thailand #Kawasaki #Versys650
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My wife and I live in a city about 20 miles outside of Baltimore Maryland in a city called Bel Air. We are both retired. We really enjoy your videos. I think it has more to do with you. We both agree you have a very pleasant voice, and a nice easy going way. Keep up the good work.
You made a great choice, I had similar criteria last year for my first bike, now, after 4k km, I am happy I made this choice. Enjoy!
i rented a Versys 650 in Chiang Mai in 2013.....bought one back home for 3500 Euro 2 Months later, have been to Romania and Marokko with it, 35000 km in 3 Years very underrated Bike.....
Riding on the red light is an awesome eye-catcher for the beginning of the video! Stay safe, man!
PS: I have a Versys-650 2010, love it!
Very educational like all your videos, keep em coming
Love that parallel twin engine. Have done a lot of miles on the Versys and the ER6. Beautiful power delivery and torque spread.
650 is all you'd ever need in Thailand. I started in Oz on a ER6n & graduated to a 2018 Z900 (naked, not the retro green RS cafe racer that you filmed in the dealership). About to do an oil / filter change, then wash it ahead of a 3 day mountain ride with my mates in SE Australia on some of the best mountain roads on the planet. Would love to pay someone to detail it for me cheaply like that! Love my Kwakas too!
The first two letters of your vehicle identification number (VIN), located on the right side of your frame under the handlebars, tells you what country it was manufactured in. For Thailand made products, the VIN usually starts with, ‘ML’.
Kawasaki Versys range are great. I’ve got the KV x300 & use it as a lite weight touring bike in Australia. Great bike & eventually the Mrs will take in on as her bike once she gets her licence. Most likely will adopt a 650 as my ride. Great bike!
Good choice of motorcycle, I too live & ride near Pattaya but opted for the big Kawasaki GTR1400 for touring. Take care
Your voice is so relaxing I’m amazed your not nurating wild life documentaries, have u ever thought about doing voice overs, I watch a lot of TH-cam channels some of them have great content, but their voice goes right through me, you could make a fortune doing voice overs and it could easily do it from Thailand buddy great viddie keep them coming tidy
I think it's the voice you're accustomed to from decades of US TV. The networks look for that voice for anything syndicated. It plays well everywhere. Not too Borrston! Not too South'ron!!
I am a 6’2” Brit
living in the Philippines and bought a brand new discounted 19 Versys 650 in
March. Over here the roads are rough, often tightly packed so most commuting is
slow going. A bigger bike isn’t going to allow you to go any faster because of
the state of the roads and commuting would be tougher. Searching for a bike I
quickly found that there are not that many used bikes over 150cc available here
and as most people are below 5’8” there are even less taller big bikes available.
That said I did find a couple of suitable looking used bike but invariably they
were either on a different island or expensive. Buying used here also requires trips
to notaries and putting my faith in the previous owner and the seller (I’ve
seen some poorly done modifications and repairs). I decided to spend the extra $1000
and go new.
The “V” Strom Suzuki
was the obvious competition to the Versys, but we also have a few Chinese
newcomers in the Benelli TRK502 and the Cmoto 650MT. The Chinese bikes are
cheaper but rather unproven and as I planned to fit accessories and go on trips
so I stuck with the tried and tested. I also chose the Versys over the Strom
because: It was 20% cheaper, It has better, adjustable suspension, I like the
angular looks and it fitted me better.
The police here also use Kawasaki 650s so part availability is good and maybe helps
with the mechanic’s knowledge and the bikes purchase price. The ideal bike imho
would be a Versys with the Strom “V” twin engine.
Anyway, I’m
enjoying the bike and have just finished the break in period. I’ve already
fitted more powerful LED lamps, crash bars and a rear luggage rack.
ขอบคุณ
Great bike, thanks for sharing.
sweet ride, its got to bring a smile to your face
Good longer video that is, as always, very well done. Thank you👍
nice choice, I recently got my third moto of my life, the x300 version of the versys. So, while small for the USA I am planning to commute for a few years on it, and "big to me" since my first was a Sanyang 125 4 speed, second a 150cc twist and go China Scoot, and this one is my third/ but first with a USA style transmission. (first one had international style). 650 looks like a good choice too. Have fun.
I also added a "Givy" 30 liter box to the back of mine, but my Givi, has a double cam locking mechanism that seems to keep it from any rattles. That part actually took me a day or two to figure out, even though it was not hard. *plastic is still not "thick" but it does ok for holding some things. *always better to ride without a backpack, if possible.
I have a KLR 650. It's the perfect enduro! The seat sucks, but it's a great all around. That looks like a great height for me at 6'3". I put some rubber window or door seal with a sticky backing along my box rim and it's nice and tight with more weather seal and doesn't rattle. Just a thought.
Im new here and loving your chanel. Amazing content. I bought a NC750x to touring around here, still practicing.. I own a Honda Forza 300, Scomadi TL155, Honda Rebel 300 and now NC750x
Very nice adventure bike. Maybe I might consider getting one when I retire in pat soon.
A had a versys before I got my triumph tiger.
I found the suspension to be a bit soft for me as a big guy, especially the few times that I took out on a gravel road.
A little bit to much vibration in the handles as well when I did touring on the motorway.
But overall I loved the bike, nimble and easy to handle.
650 is nice! Saw you getting it washed the other day. Lychee!
This is a great bike. I own Vulcan S with the same power train but slightly lower power. The middle weight bike is performance, nimble and enough power.
Thanks for all the great videos! Certainly fun to see your experiences around Thailand by bike, especially as many of us are home bound. I’ve done a bit of touring around the country on rented bikes (small and large) in both southern and northern parts of Thailand.
Good choice on the Versys. I’ve got a riding buddy that has a similar year as yours and the rest of our group rides Vstrom 650s. Keep up the great work!
Love the color!
Great bike! I have short legs and installed a lowering kit for comfort. The seat on all Kawasaki motorcycles are like park benches, but a good upholstery shop can fix that for under $50. I also added Kawasaki panniers and top boxes for those longer adventure rides. Put a couple foam or rubber sticky furniture pads under the top box to eliminate the rattle.
Which lowering kit is this and how much reduction is possible ? Have you faced any issues with the GC and riding dynamics of the bike ? Please do let me know as I 2ant to get the same
I'm a Vulcan 900 guy, but at 6'3" I'm a bit larger than some. It's nice to find a Thailand TH-camr that's not afraid to ride. Keep up the great vids.
Same here at 6'2" and getting along fine with a CB150R for now. It needs a rack so I can haul more groceries than my back pack and a bag hanging off the turn signal. Ride safe and live 100 yrs. Thailand Paul
Best choice I think
Good touring bike and it’s a kwaka
All I have is green bikes 👍👍😍😍
Klx400 had it for ten years and had vn800 as well
Hey dude, if you ever want to check out Northern Thailand, uthai thani, nakon sawan, etc. Just reply to this with a way I can get in touch with you. The riding up here in the mountains is phenomenal and I know a ton of great roads for cruising.
All the best
Enjoyed. I've watched all your videos now. I think about what I may get when I get to Thailand. I was surprised when you got rid of yor scooter. Keep them coming and I'll keep watching. ☺
love your bike sir...my grail would be a Z900 at my age and body type it would fit me better...love your new run around bike too...thanks for the fun
Thanks for introducing your bike. I like it, the size & everything. I saw the green one last year when we were visiting Thailand, the kawasaki dealer were showing them off at the Tesco-lotus in Chiapum.
Thanks again,
Jon & Noi from Florida
Love the bikes vlogs always very interesting....
I dont know if you have seen the review on the Versy 650 done by Graham Briar (died in Chaig Rai a couple of years age) his channel was Graham and Pie , check it out ,an amazing review,a beautiful bike. I think his wife Pie still has it.
Like your windscreen
makes me rethink my choice of bike
I have a 2018 Versys 650. The center of gravity if very high. And the seat height is very high. (I'm 5'10" and I can't flat foot) Then the big gas tank is up high too. That's 40lbs of gas up high. What I'm saying is: at slow speeds (or even at a stop) once the bike gets some lean...it wants to go over...FAST. It can catch people by surprise. I'm used to it now. Also at 00:10 and 14:15....you might want to put on some gloves. (especially if you're going to run red lights)
Nice video. Curious why did you change the shock spring? Thanks.
Good looking bike. There is a channel on TH-cam... Ride like a Pro.. Jerry is a retired motorcycle cop. Some great tidings skills information on the program. I have been riding since I was a kid and owned several bikes... all Harley's, but nonetheless my point is I am not pointing out the program based on your experience or mine on a bike. I am sure in the states you may have been through a rider course.. I have been through several. I love to ride. So anytime, on a bike, you can do and or learn anything about improving yourself and your riding skills... it doesn't matter how much or long you have been riding... take the course or in this case view it and learn the techniques... Great little bike sharp looking bike. Oh btw, that fruit is fantastic lol.. it is something I miss and loved it when I was there a hundred years ago lol. Rubber side down.. keep your knees in the breeze and wind in your hair !
Another quality upload. Love your vlog. I used to follow Kev in Thailand. You are now my favorite Pattaya Vlogger. Hope to meet up someday for a beer 🍻. Cheers
Awesome, thank you!
My first bike was 2007 Ninja 650. Super comfortable, ran very cool, great power, and very stable. I can definitely see me on Versys in the future. Good vid.
I dont ride a bike But I enjoyed your video, I am a car and 4x4 person but I can appreciate every thing that you had to say about your bike, I found it very interesting . Keep up the good work and hope things get back to
normal soon, although I think there might be more turmoil coming
those are good in chicken dishes with vegetables, you peel the outer cover off and remove the seed and slice them into small slices and let them cook with the chicken and vegetables take a little of the broth add some corn starch and whisk so you end up with a thin sauce gravy, serve over rice.
I am glad to hear that things are starting to reopen back in Thailand. Here in Korea it is the same. Businesses are starting to open back up. I hope the Travel restrictions soon end, because I am way over due for a nice holiday in Thailand. Thanks for cranking out the content
Thank you for this good video. I am considering a V 650. Where was that Kawasaki dealership? Thanks again. I am in Cha-am.
Hey, just found your channel. I live in Phayao. I have my eye on the Kawasaki W800. I was wondering if you had any thoughts about it as a bike to cruise around Thailand on.
good looking bike
Some self-adhesive weather stripping should shore up the rear box.
Great bike man !
Well done... thanks for that review and logic. Although it’s been awhile since I purchased a bike, it always made sense to buy slightly used as opposed to brand new. Example: I have a 2016 Chrysler 300 stored in the US that I purchased as a program car from Enterprise that was thousands less than brand new. So, yea, thanks for the info...... still interested in the Harley at the shop.
Another enjoyable episode with lots of relevent info. I guess it must be hard providing new content when everyone is closed down.
Those fruit things look a little weird but taste ok, i thought very grape like with a sweet coconut taste.
Thanks for the upload
That Versys is really a top notch all around bike. The last bike I had in the US was a Kawasaki Concours sport tourer. It had the Ninja 1000cc engine, tuned down a touch for torque rather than top end though it would still do 140mph +. Great bike; shaft drive which was great on long rides. I logged almost 65,000 miles on it in 5 years including 2 east coast to west coast round trips. I do miss it but it would be just too big here in Thailand.
I’ve got a Kawi too. Mine is a 2018 Ninja 400. Love the bike and it’s loads of fun. Let the good times roll bro 👍
I had a kawa z650 in the late 70’s. Had fun riding it.
Remember to always lubricate your chain after having it cleaned.
what type of protective gear so you use while riding? I dont see gloves is that bc of the heat?
Great to hear that businesses and the markets are starting to open again. The prices for bikes in Thailand seem quite reasonable by comparison to here in the UK.
Riding my versus in mexico, loving it. Very few rules
Gotta have a bike in Thailand. I enjoyed my time in there before all this madness. Great channel!
great info thanks pal
Did you just go red light? @ 0.25 lol. Nice review,,,,,, thinking of getting it for the IRON MAN BOSS 1200 KM in 24hr ride in Philippines next yr February when I go visit the island from the states...
Ride safe.
let me start by saying i thought i saw all your videos.....but obviously i have not........ i plan on retiring to thailand in may 2022... so i have been doing research for the last year.......my last bike here in usa was a gold wing... i"ve been looking at reviews on bikes because i think i will need something around 500cc ---750cc to get around thailand economically fuel/insurance..... not need a gold wing there......looked at a lot of bikes and decided i should get a verseys 650 lt...... the touring edition with all the luggage and bells and whistles....so i was looking for a kawasaki dealer in pattaya..... and your video popped up... lol.......all that research....lol.... i should have just said to myself what bike does R4K ride.. i would have saved a lot of time.......will get a condo in pratumnak hill area....when i arrive....good to know theres a kawasaki dealer in the area...i think ive seen all your videos now...lol.... keep up the good work....and be safe....
Good looking bike. 👍 I think the Versys 650 would be my choice for Thailand too.
Sweet ride👍
Good news about the reopening of shops
We need that here but they are dragging their feet
Wow, no curves? I live in Chiang Mai and we have no straightaways. Four wheels move the body,...two wheels move the soul.
Thanks Will. I nice machine you got there!
In terns of power, do you wish to have more power out of the bike or 650 is just right for the kind of touring you have done around the Thai roads?
Do you sell those Ridez 4 Kickz stickers, would love on for my Dyna.
Thanks for the Vid.
Your rattling box, I'm sure someone can fix that up so that it seals up and stop rattling.
Good luck!
Any time you upload an episode about local bikes or your bikes I love it
Thanks for the video, Thumbs Up 👍.
I used double sided tape with the green and white protection strip on it ... I left the tape on and walked around top box and stuck it to the outside of top , leaving tape on and shut lid , problem fixed
Just I bought a versys 650 2017 model..I saw on a forum that some owners at the past (versys and er6) had problem with the valve.. The valve hit the piston and made a big damage to the engine.. The kawasaki fix this problem at the most new models? In Greece recently one rider had also this problem on versys 2007..75000 km..He must rebuild the engine...
That made me to consern..
I'm learning on bikes
I love my 2008 Versys 650. Over 40,000 miles on it now.
Any issues with the engine? Anything to consider. Please answer!!!!
@@tiffanyscott4101Replaced a stator after about 35k miles when it wasnt charging. Was easy to do. Suggest running a voltmeter so you can see when it's going bad and don't get stranded. Regular oil and filter changes every 5k miles. Replaced chain and sprockets along with tires. Check valve clearances, spray out throttle bodies, change air filter, and spark plugs with the OEM only versions while you do it. Change coolant with the correct type every 1 or 2 years. Still runs perfectly. My friend has over 100,000 miles on his 2005 Triumph Speed Triple using Rotella T6 synthetic oil. I'm on my 17th bike and if I can get over 100k miles I feel like I got my money's worth. There are lots of high mileage bikes out there. People dont put as many miles on them as cars and underestimate how many miles you can get on a bike with meticulous maintenance.
Tiffany Scott bought mine with 40k miles on it for 1800. Have had zero problems with it whatsoever. It’s at 52k miles now and still runs fine
I lived in northern Thailand for 15 years. Rode all around it, Laos, and Cambodia on the same Honda Wave 125 for all those years..he he..put over 100,000km on it and it never let me down! I moved back to Canada 2 years ago. Last May I bought a 2007 Versys 650 out of a shop's used section. It looked brand new, was in incredible condition, and had some really nice extras on it. It had 90,000km on it when I bought it. Two days after I got it, I rode across Canada to the east coast. I returned to west coast last September. I drove 8-12 hours/day and the bike was awesome there and back. I'd highly recommend getting a "Corbin" custom seat, they're much more comfortable...I used it on the return trip and it made all the difference. I have the hard Italian side cases and one in the back as well, great for touring. Riding around British Columbia, Canada is incredible but I must admit, I'm missing a lot of things about SE Asia :)
Im not a big fan of bikes. But i do love all your videos they are so Nice. Looking forward everyday to em. Keep them coming.😀
I heard you are living in Chonburi, anywhere near Sri Racha? My wife has a house there that her daughter her hubby and my Grandson live, we will be hanging there soon but moving to Ang Thong to Retire :-)
Another great video! Well done. Thumbs up from me!
Many thanks!
I went to the dealer to check out this model. Spectacular really. Seems overkill for crowded city street driving. You can easily get a second gear wheely on that thing. You can take it on the highway at 70 mph with no problem. Wanna take a trip to the Moon? Get the 1000!
Great bikes, rode one around Thailand about 4 years ago, Chiang Mai. Mae Hong Song, Pai, Golden Triangle, then did the same on a Honda CB500x, give me a Versus 650 anyday, givi rack and top box are not cheap either, good Vlog buddy, enjoyed that.
Ok i thoight you just bought the white bike. Is this a second one or you sold one. Yes things in the states are cautiously opening as well. Thank God. Uness. You live in NY.
Nice bike and very nice colour in my opinion. Your assistant is back peeling rambutan :)
Liked the bike!
Seems expensive? I bought a 2 year old used 1000 Versys with 4k on it for only $400 more than the 650. Are bike prices on the larger Japanese bikes all high?
Very useful information.
Made in Thailand
Or
Made in Japan (paying a lot of import tax)
Big price differences..
I agree with you on the seat issue.
Nice bike $6 k not bad 👍👍👍
Beautiful bike. I was wondering what your ride was after hearing the exhaust note and thought it might be a versys 650. I've done some tours in northern Thailand on Versys 650s and like you said they are comfortable and capable. Especially on the back roads. I liked it so much that I bought one for use in the states. I use it mostly for commuting in the rain in the SF Bay area. Before I bought it I test rode the Versys 1000. It's a great bike and I loved the engine - smooth and a flat powerband. It would be great at touring with a passenger but a little too big for lane splitting during my commute. On the 650 I got the factory top case and hardware. It was expensive but the fit is fantastic. I like the 650 so much that when I move to Thailand in a year or so I plan on buying another. Thanks for the video and ride (and breathe) safe.
Just Jeff greetings from Oakland.
How do you haul luggage with you when you travel around Thailand?
You have two really nice bikes and I love the other one your fixing up. I’d like to find something like that used is good shape when I get over there.
The worst part of my Thai made 2019 Kawasaki Z400 is the thinly padded seat. Anything after 45 minutes riding and you really feel it. I paid $6500AU or $4169 US for an ex demo bike which was the closest thing I could get to second hand as it was a new model at the time and I wasn't keen on the KTM Duke 390 competitor.
Can always buy a better after market seat, bro ...
Just an observation: watching your videos, Thailand seems to be a lot cleaner than Vietnam or at least northern Vietnam including Hanoi where I was last year.
Im living in thailand for 5 years and i just went 2 months to vietnam. In general yah is cleaner, not perfect but little bit clean
Very nice bike,
cool video
thanks
There is actually 4 variety of rambutans I was told. Hence differences in prices.
Rambutan is the Thai word for "hairy."
for a 100 bath you get 3 to 4 kg of that fruit in amphawa
I'd be interested in learning how you adapted to driving on the other side of the road and some of the challenges of the different driving behaviors/style and traffic laws.
Did you have previous experience riding motorcycles prior to moving to Thailand? I'm considering retiring there or the Philippines and I've never ridden a motorcycle or scooter.
More fun riding motorcycles in the Philippines, start with a Scooter first .. just twist and go 🇬🇧🇵🇭
650cc is a good midrange size engine that will work on the highways. It comes down to what you like. It will break any speed limit and it has a decent amount of power to get you out of trouble.
It is maybe good that they are opening some of your markets. Here in Wisconsin , USA the Gov extended stay at home another month until the end of May! lucky you !
Nice Bike. Great Video as usual. Did you ever get up nNorth to that Elephant Sanctuary? I heard there's supposed to be 1 or 2. That's where I'd love to go see.
Thanks for the bike info/walk around it was one of the questions I had for ya, love the channel and content very informative not just T/A like most Thai vlogs not that isn’t fun from time to time lol. Best of wishes from here in Canada 🇨🇦🍻🍻 I’m looking at a new Yamaha Tracer 900 GT any thoughts on that bike?
Yeah that's a nice one, not sure it is available here. They have the Tenere, (probably spelled wrong), not all models come here unfortunately.
Rides 4 Kickz I see it listed on the Thai Yamaha website roughly about $3500 more US then North America pricing not sure if that means it’s built in Thailand or they import them from Japan what availability is like I not sure at this time, my second choice would be the versys 650 I believe excellent value for the money maybe lacking a little on the technology side but you pay a premium for that tech also, ride safe.
looking forward to c u take this bike on a tour
What do you pay for Motorcycle insurance per year? THANKS.