Kawasaki Versys 1100 review: road touring masterclass – Introduction

The 2025 Versys 1100 looks pretty much the same as the previous Versys 1000, but as the name suggests, it has a new engine, so it is a new bike.

Kawasaki Versys 1100 engine and performance – 9/10

New motor has seen a big boost in output but has linear power delivery 

For 2025, the Versys’ four-cylinder engine grows from 1,043cc to 1,099cc, and it gets a good jump in power and torque as well, climbing from 120hp to 135hp and 102Nm to 112Nm. This motor is shared with the Ninja 1100, and though it has the same gearing, it is slightly down on power in the Versys.

The engine has a silent, low-profile sound at lower revs – audible enough for the rider but not loud enough to upset the neighbourhood. Once you build some revs, though, it gets nice and loud, along with a fun intake roar that begins at around 4,000rpm. Unlike many inline-four sportbikes, this motor doesn’t quite rev as quickly, and it also doesn’t have an explosive top end. Instead, it builds power in a more linear way, which absolutely suits the nature of the motorcycle.

Kawasaki Versys 1100 city and highway manners – 8/10

It is comfortably usable inside the city and capable on the highway

With this much horsepower, the Versys 1100 can be violently fast if you want it to be, but it also has a calm and mellow side. The bike feels gratifying at normal speeds like a steady 80-100kph, and it doesn’t goad you into unnecessary acceleration like a lot of peaky inline-fours would.

Another nice thing is that the Versys doesn’t hide speed like some super ADV-tourers do. The gearing is quite short, and there’s a very mild buzz that starts above 4,000rpm, both of which gently let you know the speeds are rising, without becoming an irritant. A major plus of the short gearing (and the engine’s tractable nature) is that you can drop all the way down to 30kph in 6th gear and cleanly accelerate without any fuss.

In the city, there’s a fair amount of heat coming off the right side, and the clutch will feel heavy if you’re stuck in a jam, but the bike is quite usable and definitely not as scary to ride as you’d imagine when you first look at it.

Kawasaki Versys 1100 design and comfort – 8/10

Not a pretty thing but its supremely comfortable for both rider and pillion

The big Versys has always been an awkward-looking thing, with a bulky front section and an unusually large subframe with enormous seats. With 17-inch wheels, the lower end of the bike looks a little scrawny even though it’s wearing sportbike-size tyres – 120-section at the front and 180 at the rear. You can tell that this is some sort of a halfway house between an ADV and a road bike, and while it’s not a pretty thing, there is purpose behind this awkwardness.

The Versys 1100’s design prioritizes function over form.

That purpose would be comfort, and there’s heaps of it. The riding position is completely upright and neutral, there’s good wind protection, and pillion comfort is absolutely superb. This is easily one of the best bikes under Rs 20 lakh for two-up touring.

Kawasaki Versys 1100 ride and handling – 8/10

It is a balanced handler but not a sporty one

The Versys’ riding manners reflect this, and it behaves more like a standard tourer than an ADV or even a sport tourer. The bike weighs 257kg with its large 21-litre tank filled, and you’ll be particularly aware of the size and heft at low speeds on uneven surfaces. It feels nicely balanced once you pick up some speed, but it doesn’t like being hustled. You can carry a nice fast flow through corners, but getting aggressive with the throttle and brakes on a mountain road is behaviour best spared for other bikes.

The Versys is a capable machine but doesn’t enjoy being hustled through a corner.

The suspension is adjustable for preload and rebound at both ends, and with 150mm of travel, it’s very good for a road bike but not up there with ADVs. Essentially, you don’t need to fear bad roads, but you must respect them. With 150mm of ground clearance, the Versys can handle some very light off-roading, but anything rocky or slushy will be an uneasy affair, thanks to the weight and the fat road tyres. 

Kawasaki Versys 1100 price and verdict – 8/10

Extremely comfortable road touring bike with a lovely soundtrack

Features-wise, you get three levels of TC, two power modes and cruise control. Beyond that, it still feels like a fairly old-school motorcycle with a semi-digital display and no heated grips or a quickshifter, although the latter can be equipped as an optional extra.

Semi-digital instrument console feels its age.

At Rs 12.9 lakh, the Versys 1100 has gone up in price compared to the previous 1000, but it still costs less than smaller ADV bikes like the Tiger 900 GT; and in that sense, it makes for good value. However, you need to be comfortable with its size and weight, and you must be looking for the particular riding experience it has to offer.

The primary appeal here is the lovely inline-four engine, along with the superb comfort, and you can’t get that combination anywhere else unless you spend about double the money for something like the BMW S 1000 XR. On the other hand, if the size and bulk of the Versys is a little too much for you, you should consider the Ninja 1100SX that we recently reviewed. It also has surprisingly good comfort along with the same engine, but with a more manageable and playful character. Either way, Kawasaki is offering a unique four-cylinder experience with these two bikes, and they’re both pleasantly usable and enjoyable even on our roads.