Kawasaki Versys 1100 (2025) - Review

Kawasaki took a simple approach to updating its Ninja 1000SX and Versys 1000 to meet Euro 5+ emissions regulations. They took the opportunity to bring the two engines closer together in spec and performance adding the top-end power of the Ninja to the Versys and the midrange of the Versys to the Ninja. So, both bikes now have more midrange, better useability and in the case of the Versys, another 15bhp extra as well. As before, the Ninja is the sporty one while the Versys is the more laid-back, upright tourer.

Both bikes are now 1099cc - 56cc more than the previousy 1043cc. Getting 12.5% more power from only 5% more capacity in the Versys and passing the latest Euro 5+ emissions regulations takes more than a longer piston stroke. Thankfully, Kawasaki have a 50+ year heritage making four-cylinder motorcycles sing.

Much of the rest of the Versys remains the same. For those who are new to the bike, it sits in the middle of a Venn diagram between a sports tourer, adventure bike and tourer. Let's call it a tall-rounder. The styling and long(ish) travel suspension leans towards the adventure market, it's comfy and practical like a tourer and has the sporty four-cylinder growl and turbine-like acceleration of a sports tourer.

Pros & Cons

2025 Kawasaki Versys 1100 - Price

As before, there are three versions: the standard model, the S and the SE. The standard Versys 1100 has all the new power and midrange, cruise control and USB-C port, but no IMU (for cornering ABS and TC) or TFT display and costs £11,899.

The S-model adds the IMU and advanced electronics plus the TFT display, heated grips, LED cornering lights and costs £13,649.

The SE-version adds semi-active Showa Skyhook suspension to the S-spec and costs £15,649.

Touring (£950) and Grand touring (£1900) packages are available for all models. See equipment panel below for details

Kawasaki's PCP deal (riding 4000 miles per year) works out at £214 a month for 35 months with a £2000 deposit £176 first registration and VED fee and optional final payment of £6721 if you want to own it at the end.

Suzuki's GSX-S1000GX is probably the closest rival. It has a little more power, similar levels of equipment and is priced about the same as the Versys 1100 S.

2025 Kawasaki Versys 1100 - Engine & Performance

The previous bike's 1043 engine was well-suited to the kind of riding most owners used it for. It had the power to overtake when you needed, the smooth motorway cruising of a well-developed inline four-cylinder motor and the flexibility to be in the wrong gear at the end of a long day's touring and still have the drive to get through the traffic, while lost in a foreign city, looking for your hotel.

However, in a world where big numbers matter, 118bhp was a long way shy of the Versys' rivals and that bothered some people even if they never really needed more. Plus, four-cylinder engines tend to make power higher up the rev range which can make them feel lacking in midrange in a heavy bike laden with luggage and pillions.

Kawasaki has fixed that on the Versys 1100, boosting top-end power to a marketing-friendly 133bhp, but more importantly, adding some midrange too, tweaking the gear ratios to be more relaxed at motorway cruising speeds and making the experience even more smooth and turbine-like than it was before.

You feel the smoothness first. In a world of biking dominated by twins and triples many of us have forgotten just how smooth...and powerful...and flexible a great four-cylinder engine can be. I became completely absorbed by it for the first half an hour or so. Getting back on my old Fazer 1000 (same power, similar torque but carbs, not fuel injection and 25 years between them) at the end of the test to ride home from Kawasaki felt rough, grumpy and way more vibes through the bars - something I never usually notice when I ride it.

The Versys' engine is lovely. In either Road or Sport mode it feels sharp, direct and hapy to either hurry or relax. It cruises at any speed, responds to delicate throttle inputs in the wet and can drop down to about 20mph in top gear and still pick-up smoothly. In a bike market becoming interested in automatic transmissions, we forget how the smoothness of a large-capacity four-cylinder motor almost makes it operate like an auto anyway. You can leave the Versys in fifth or sixth gear and it'll d pretty much everything you need apart from stop at traffic lights without stalling.

Leaving a 40mph limit in second gear as it turns into a national speed limit never gets tiring. The Versys often feels like its going much quicker than it is. A combination of that turbine-tribute motor and the Skyhook suspension fool your brain that you're going fast enough for prison, while the reality is a speed where you could probably talk your way into a small fine and points. . Riding a seamless, wave of predictable, controllable acceleration makes overtaking on motorways, swapping one speed for another in top gear so easy. And it 'll crawl along in high gears at very low revs in town too.

To be honest, the old Versys 1000 did most of this pretty well and riding solo, if you're opening the throttle in such a way to notice the difference, you probably bought the wrong bike.

Riding with a passenger is when you'll notice the difference. Less gearchanging means pillions get an easy time of it and it's only when you fill up with petrol that you realise how much fun you've been having.

In truth, it's the revised gear ratios and lack of vibes that make the biggest impression. At motorway speeds and-a-bit the new Versys feels less urgent and buzzy than the old one. At low revs the smoothness is surreal and then you open the throttle at 5000rpm in second and are surprised how quickly 259kg of touring motorcycle can accelerate.

All of the above needed big changes to the Versys motor, the most simple of which is an extra 3mm of piston stroke – 59mm instead of 56mm – which gives the 56ccc capacity increase from 1043cc to 1099cc.

That doesn't explain the claimed 15hp power hike though. This new engine is now closer to that used in the Ninja 1100 SX. The compression ratio, for example, was only 10.3:1 on the old Versys 1000, but rises to 11.8:1. Max power is now 133bhp, but it's the improvements to midrange that really matter. These include centre intake funnels that are 45mm longer than the outer ones, to boost grunt between 4000rpm and 7000rpm.

The ECU is reprogrammed and new cam profiles reduce valve lift for more torque. There’s a heavier flywheel and a secondary balancer to reduce vibration, plus a revised exhaust header, and an oil cooler added too.

As on the old model, max power arrives at 9000rpm and peak torque – now 112Nm (82.6lbft) instead of 102Nm (75.2lbft) – comes at 7600rpm instead of 7500rpm.

The up/down quickshifter on the S and SE models has been reprogrammed for 2025 to reduce its minimum shift revs to just 1500rpm. It works well with a slightly squidgy feel at the lever, but always finds the gear. Clutch action is light, but the heated grip controller on our test bike had moved round a little preventing the cluch lever coming all the way back to the handlebar. It was easy enough to turn it slightly and remove the issue, but it also added to the slightly cheap feeling of soe of the Kawasaki's accessories.

The Versys' gear ratios have been revised to suit the new engine’s extra power and torque, and a tooth is removed from the rear sprocket which gives a slightly higher top speed that's academic given the type of bike and that most riders will have luggage that will impact top speed long before the engine does. More usefully, this gearing change needs a lower rpm for a given cruising speed.

2025 Kawasaki Versys 1100 - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

The engine changes might be significant, but Kawasaki has left the chassis largely unchanged. The aluminium frame holds 43mm inverted forks at the front and gas-charged monoshock at the back as before. On the base Versys and Versys S, the adjustability is limited to spring preload and rebound damping at the front and rear.

The range-topping SE gets Kawasaki’s KECS electronic Showa suspension front and rear. It uses ‘Skyhook’ technology, where the bike’s position is compared to an imagined position above it (the ‘skyhook’) and if there’s too much vertical movement, the damping is automatically adjusted to minimise it – ironing out bumps and dips as you hit them. The electronics adjust the compression and rebound damping front and rear automatically, while the rider can adjust preload at both ends via a button on the switchgear.

That's the theory, but in practice a fast, bumpy road still feels like a fast bumpy road. If you're new to Skyhook it'll take a few rides to get used to it. The initial sensation is very different to conventional suspension and more noticeable than other electronic systems. The Versys feels like it's almost floating on the road surface rather than gripping it. A bit like the first time you ride BMW's Telelever system.

In the dry I really like it once I've ridden enough twists and turns to understand and trust it. The system manages bumps really well and stays on line and in control, but you still feel them. And, for an upright, all-rounder weighing 259kg, the Versys is surprising god fun on a fast, bumpy B-road. It flicks from side to side relatively easily, brakes well and does it's best to keep both wheels on the floor, finding smooth drive out of corners. Roadholding is predictable and consistent - the absolute opposite to Harley's Pan America ST I was riding last week (which was still brilliant and still fun, but more like steering a 150bhp labrador puppy than the thoroughbred Versys.

On wet roads it feels a bit remote and harder to judge what the tyres are doing. I didn't do enough miles to understand if its the suspension, tyres or steering geometry causing this and I should probably just trust the electronics, but I didn't get to that point in the short distance I rode in the wet.

Kawasaki has also made a small-but significant tweak to the Versys' brakes with a larger, 260mm rear disc and conventional 310mm front discs instead of the petal design of the previous model. The bigger rear disc allows the rider to better balance braking with a pillion and also to make the most of the Skyhook suspension behaviour under moderate braking and while cornering.

Weight depends on which version you choose. The base model is lightest at 255kg (kerb), the S comes in at 257kg and the SE at 259kg – each 2kg more than their predecessors.

2025 Kawasaki Versys 1100 - Comfort & Economy

As before, the level of comfort increases as you step up from the base Versys 1100 to the S, which gets a bigger, adjustable screen and hand guards as standard, while the SE’s electronic suspension raises the game another notch.

The Versys 1100 has the same weather-defying bodywork, screen and riding position as the previous Versys 1000, meaning it's every bit as kind to arms, legs and backsides as before and equally as good at keeping the rain off. I found the top of the screen to be distracting in my eye-line when fully raised and even when half up too. In the lowest position it works perfectly well for this six-foot rider so I left it there. Adjustment is via two knurled knobs and can be done on the move with the bike on cruise control although it probably breaks at least one law should you do that.

For creaky old road testers like me, it's the knees that ache first after a couple of hours, but nowhere near as badly as BMW's latest R1300GS, for example.

The riding position and easy power delivery also works well when wiggling through traffic in town or motorways. Wide bars and mirrors at van-height keep you on your toes. Panniers on the touring versions are slightly wider than the handlebars meaning you never quite know if you're about to get wedged (but somehow, always make it)

As well as the riding position the Versys is more relaxed on the motorway thanks to the lower gearing that mean fewer revs at cruising speeds. Plus, the engine is beautifully smooth at typical motorway cruising speeds.

Fuel economy from the revised 2025 engine is around 50mpg in normal riding, which gives a theoretical range of 220 miles from a full, 21-litre tank of petrol. Riding like you used to can drop the mpg dramatically on a bike this quick but also heavy with touring bodywork. Worst i saw was 42mpg, which sounds bad in 2025, but would have been acceptable 20 years ago.

2025 Kawasaki Versys 1100 - Equipment

The base-model Versys shows its age with an analogue rev counter and small, LCD display for other functions. The S and SE versions still have the traditional tacho but a larger, colour TFT panel replaces the LCD and adds Bluetooth connectivity.

All three variants get cruise control, which is easy to use once you work it out, and a bar-mounted USB-C port, that works well and allows on-bike charging using a standard length cable. On a bike with such lovely build quality as the Versys, the USB port mounting looks very aftermarket as do the heated grips fitted to the S and SE models, but both work well.

The higher-spec bikes also feature advanced rider-assistance including power modes, cornering ABS and traction control. As on the previous models. S and SE models also get cornering lights in the fairing.

Kawasaki offer a broad selection of accessories for all three models, some of which are bundled into 'Tourer' and 'Grand Tourer' packs. The Tourer pack has 28-litre panniers (including bags) that are short, but wide enough to take a full-face helmet. There's also a taller screen, hand guards and tank pad for £950. The Grand Tourer has all the above plus 47-litre top case, frame sliders, GPS mounting bracket and fog lights for £1900.

2025 Kawasaki Versys 1100 - Rivals

Upping power from 118hp to 133hp arguably pushes the Versys into a higher category altogether, moving it from a class where rivals might have included the 107hp Suzuki V-Strom 1050, 105hp BMW F900XR and 113hp Ducati Multistrada V2 into one where rivals include the 150hp Suzuki GSX-S1000GX and perhaps even the 143hp BMW R1300GS. As in the past, the Versys positions itself as pure street-oriented machine despite its high-rising stance, though, and that can pay off given that most riders never venture away from the tarmac.

Suzuki GSX-S1000GX | Price: £14,799

Read more

Power/Torque

150bhp/78lb-ft

Weight

232kg

BMW R1300GS | Price: £16,470

Read more

Power/Torque

143bhp/110lb-ft

Weight

237kg

Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ | Price: £15,016

Read more

Power/Torque

118bhp/69lb-ft

Weight

223kg

2025 Kawasaki Versys 1100 - Verdict

Most people who bought a Versys 1000 didn't complain of a lack of power, but equally many of us are secretly shallow enough to be lured by the bigger numbers and we'll be very glad of the additional midrange and ease of overtaking that the revamped engine has.

The previous Versys 1000 was an unsung choice for two-up tourists who prefer the smoothness and power delivery of four-cylinders and there have always been some very good deals around the (already very good value) base model too. This new version offers a lot more performance for not much more money and feels like a very different bike as a result.

As an example of how good the new engine is (and also a measure of engineering - especially fuelling - progress in the last 20 years) I rode my 2002 Yamaha Fazer 1000 back to back with the Versys 1100. The two engines make almost identical peak power and torque, but the Fazer has carbs, weighs 25kg less than the Kawasaki and has pretty-much no emissions equipment. The only electronic rider aid is a digital clock. The Versys has the latest digital fuel injection and ignition, a full suite of advanced rider safety aids and complies with Euro 5+

And yet, the heavier, slightly less powerful Versys feels quicker everywhere, is easier to ride slowly, cruises more smoothly on the motorway and overtakes from 70mph better in top gear too. A good example if anyone needed it that numbers on a spec sheet are very definitely not everything.

The Versys' build quality is as good as previous versions. There are a lot of up and coming Chinese manufacturers who still have a lot to learn from the Japanese on making a bike feel like it is worth the money.

The flip-side of that on the Versys is that some of the features (heated grips, USB port, fog light switch) look like budget aftermarket items collected in a trolley dash through Halfords.

If you're thinking about buying a versys 1100, especially the SE version with the Skyhook suspension, get a test ride and find a good selection of roads to try it on. I really like the system, but whether it's worth the extra money is up to you and the deals your delaer an tempt you with.

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2025 Kawasaki Versys 1100 - Technical Specification

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