[atul.ktm]

Originally Posted by kailashnj

1800 RPM is too high and even the manual says 1250 to 1350 RPM. I think the guy was trying to show off or he did not know anything and must be thinking that the bike when started goes to high rpm and that is what it should be set at.

Yes, I have changed it to somewhere in between 1300-1500 rpm.

[mobike008]

Comparison Report of Kawasaki Versys 650 2016 vs. Suzuki V-Strom 650 2017

I rode the Suzuki V-Strom for ~ 1000kms on a world famous motorcycling destination over 3 days and below are my detailed impression about the new V-Strom compared to the Versys that I own. Attempted to best of my knowledge to keep this comparison as detailed as possible along with being unbiased since I own one of the motorcycles

Design & Looks

I had the option to pick up a gorgeous looking Yellow and Black V-Strom but, unfortunately it did not have a facility to mount a top-case which was mandatory for me since we were riding for 3-days and I had a pillion as well so needed as much luggage space as I could manage apart from the other top-case on another BHP'ians Honda CBX 500. Therefore selected a brand new all-black V-Strom 2017 which had done just 2500kms as it had the mounts for the top-case

V-Strom is a bigger bike than the Versys in terms of overall size. It definitely has a much longer wheelbase and tank is thinner in size and looks ugly from the front. However, Versys has a wider tank so it looks more muscular from the front and side. In the beauty department, Versys is clean and muscular with a beaky look and I personally think is more good-looking than the V-Storm. Whereas, the V-Storm has a predatory (Seen the movie "Predator" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger?) look and a rugged outlook including the shapeless beaky front giving it a hungry alien look. But, V-Strom's side profile is quite good and looks a true blood adventure touring motorcycle. Another downside of V-Strom is placement of exhaust. It's shaped slanting upwards and is rather thick in size which does not allow saddle stays to be installed. I personally think adding panniers or saddle stays on V-Storm would be little tricky due to exhaust

Versys is a clear winner in cosmetic department but, as they say looks and color is subjective and personal choice so let's just say it's a "tie" !!

Engine & Performance

Both V-Strom and Versys have similar engines with similar power ratings and it felt absolutely no difference when I rode the V-Strom. They feel like two peas in a pod.

However, the Versys has more raw'ish power compared to V-Strom and is certainly more lively. V-Strom engine is also quite smooth but, it makes a slightly garish sound during accelaration whereas the Versys engine is butter smooth and it's engine sound is much more pleasant and subtle

We have an "almost" tie here with Versys having a slight edge !!

Handling

I was certain that due to the longer wheelbase and slightly bigger front tyres, V-Strom would not be a great handler. But, it proved me wrong. It has a wider handle bars and feels like your hands are too far spread out. Whereas Versys handlebars are not that wide and fall into your hands. V-Strom handlebar would be more comfortable for big riders like me. Honestly speaking, I liked it better than Versys handlebar position

It's handling as delicious as the Versys and I cannot complain even a single bit. It was a pleasure to handle those 1864 curves on this bike and it leans as eagerly as the Versys in any corner you throw at it and it was a pleasure since V-Strom was on an excellent and brand new tyre from Bridgestone (Bridgestone Battleaxe). These tyres come with spoke wheels and these spokes start from outside the rim and is a superior technology and a puncture can be fixed without removing the wheel ( If I'm not wrong even Tiger XCX does not come with these type of spoke wheels)

And, I must confess we encountered every cornering that is to be seen in this world. Switchbacks, S-Bends, W-Bends, U-Turns etc. Some of the Switchbacks were so surprising that as soon as you enter a corner, it turns out to be an almost U-turn with an immediate 180% ascent which caught us unawares and also resulted in a fall

In short, both bikes are really good at handling and they can take any corners with aplomb if shod with good tyres.

It's a "tie" in this department as well

Brakes

V-Strom brakes are good, nothing much to complain but, Versys has a better bite especially the front brake. Maybe it's a new bike so I faced a similar problem as during my initial Versys ownership days where I felt the bite wasn't that great

Versys is a winner in braking department !!

Seating Comfort

There is no competition here. Versys seats are softer and better cushioned than V-Strom which though rider seat is wide but, it's hard and not too comfortable. My pillion absolutely hated the rear seat and also mentioned there was very little space. Please take this feedback with a pinch of salt. But, my riding seat was not as comfortable as the Versys

Versys is winner in the seating comfort parameter !!

Suspension

It's a pity that even the latest model of V-Strom comes with a traditional front suspension set up where as the Versys has upside down fork with a Showa Suspension and there is definitely a difference as when you brake the V-Strom dips more than the Versys due to the softer set-up and you will notice this glaringly when you make a hard stop from high speeds.

Thankfully, V-Strom 2017 at least comes with a similar rear set-up where the suspension can be tweaked to 18-20 settings exactly similar to the Versys

Versys is most certainly better in the suspension department so its a winner in this department as well !!

Electronics and Console Meter

Versys 2016 is pretty much bare bones compared to V-Storm 2017. V-Strom comes with Traction Control (2 Modes), Temp Gauge (not sure if it's bike engine heat display or outside weather reading), Gear Indicator (Nice and Big indications and works flawlessly), ABS is the same Bosch unit and like in Versys works wonderfully well

I tried the traction modes and bike feels super stable and during the entire 1000kms ride in mostly excellent terrain there was absolutely no drama and bike never fishtailed even once (just like my versys never fishtailed even once in last 18,000kms) as we rode in several weather conditions in a day as in that country the weather changes in every 30 minutes or so or as you pass one area to another. So we rode in Hot, Humid, Drizzle and Heavy Rainy conditions

V-Strom is a clear winner in this department !!

Fuel Efficiency

This round goes to the heavy weight champion V-Strom as it knocks the Versys down with a sucker punch. A full tank showed me a range from 530kms-548kms in VStrom and was giving an absolutely great mileage and it certainly is more frugal of the lot.

V-Strom is the clear winner in the "Kitna Deti Hai (What's the Fuel average?) competition !!

Overall, Suzuki V-Strom is a wonderful bike and a really strong contender for Versys 650 and if the price is exactly similar to Versys 650 and people don't mind it's rather quirky looks then I dont see any reason why you should not buy the V-Strom 650 over a Kawasaki Versys 650. But, unfortunately this lovely bike is not getting the attention it deserves as Versys sells more strongly in global arena

Finally, In the mid-size touring segment you just cannot go wrong with either of these bikes. Suppose you have an opportunity to ride both these bikes back-to-back with a choice to pick either of them. Warning ahead....LOL!

I warn you it will be an extremely hard decision as you will be in a turmoil, wracking your brain, pitting features against each other and thinking which one is more important to you over the other etc before taking a reluctant decision as both are almost equally good.

A beautiful, pleasant and wonderful dilemma; I must say !!!

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Comparison Report of Kawasaki Versys 650 2016 vs. Suzuki V-Storm 650 2017

Wonderful post, really enjoyed the comparison. More pictures please! Also isnt it V Strom and not V Storm?

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Wonderful post, really enjoyed the comparison. More pictures please! Also isnt it V Strom and not V Storm?

Thanks. In my excitement, I made that error.

Will correct the post soon as it requires editing the whole post as I mentioned it several times

[onaversys]

My quick thoughts as well. Although I didn't get to ride the 2017 V-strom as extensively as Avi, I've spent a lot of time on the saddle of the previous generation.



I rode the V-Strom in Pai for a few hours (both in the city and on the highway). It should be noted that we rode the XT model which is off-road biased model.



Old vs. New: The new V-strom is a far superior motorcycle compared to the previous generation thanks to electronics package. The new version is definitely larger. Grown up and maybe a slightly less accessible. I was tip-toeing on the new V-Strom just as I would on my Versys. It's not as easy used to be for someone less than 5.9" Although, I'm guessing a lower seat height option is available similar to it's older generation which can help the cause.

Things I loved about the V-Strom 650:

- Engine felt a little smoother than the Versys 650 and it sounded much better thanks to that beefy exhaust.
- Tubeless tires with spoked wheels is such a joy and makes it instantly more rideable off-road.
- The XT model we rode comes with Bridgestone Battlax Adventure A40 and 19" tire. That should also makes it a pleasure riding off-road and bad roads without the worry of tube getting punctured.


Things I didn't like about it:

- Too linear a power delivery and therefore doesn't give the adrenaline rush that I get when I go hard on the throttle on my Versys 650.
- Not as flickable as Versys 650 (17"F & 17"R) vs V-strom (19"F & 17"R). Means, you need to work harder to change sides or lean in.
- The suspension is such a let down - not even an upside-down fork. Yes, it has the travel and soft set up, but it just can't match the flexibility you get with the adjustable suspension of Versys 650 (I wish I could have set it a little stiffer for the amazing roads and curves of Mae Hong Son loop).
- Seat and saddle space in general (as noted by Avi) are a let down. In fact, I felt the seats on the CB500X were much better than the V-Strom.



I'd still go ahead and buy a Versys all over again and probably miss the traction control (of the V-Strom) a bit (just like I miss the Ride by Wire throttle of Tiger 800) but still feel satisfied that at the end of the day since I'd have a more comfortable and more exciting ride!

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by onaversys

My quick thoughts as well. Although I didn't get to ride the 2017 V-strom as extensively as Avi, I've spent a lot of time on the saddle of the previous generation.

Hey Karthik. Thanks for sharing your views about the V-Strom. Wonderful to know you rode the older version quite a bit so you must have seen lot of improvements in the newer model

I know you enjoyed it a lot too and initial garish sound from the engine magically disappeared after the fall and was sounding much better later on

Overall, I feel there is very minimal differences in both bikes and it will purely boil down to personal choices

Heck forget the V-Strom, I think a CBX 500 is enough to handle those mind-numbing curves. Next time let's swap our bikes

[Haroon]

Beautiful written and well balanced review in real world conditions Avi

Back in 2006 a riding buddy here had the first gen V-Strom and I was in love with that bike as we used to frequently exchange bikes on our rides. He even rode it from Saudi all the way to his home country Tunisia and back without any problems. Sadly the bike was totaled during one of our rides in a bad crash with the bike cart-wheeling right in front of me but he came out unscathed. Lots of first gen high mileage V-Stroms in US & Europe still going strong. You are bang on, for a first time buyer its a tough choice to make between the V650 and DL650. Hope Suzuki-India wakes up from their slumber!

[wanderlust]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Now that the "unwarranted" clutter is cleaned up from my thread, it's time to get down to the meat of the matters

Based on high recommendations of fellow Versys owners, ordered this from Ali Express and they are apparently really good with a decent range and very good voice quality and most importantly on reliable front working for a long time

Hi mobike008 , I am contemplating this purchase. Would like your feedback in case you have gotten around to installing it on the helmet.

Does it fit all helmets or does it need some specific enclave for it to be installed into?

I guess I will need to purchase two of them to have intercom function
How is the sound quality over bluetooth and intercom?

Thanks!

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Haroon

Lots of first gen high mileage V-Stroms in US & Europe still going strong. You are bang on, for a first time buyer its a tough choice to make between the V650 and DL650. Hope Suzuki-India wakes up from their slumber!

Haroon : Glad to know you concur with my feedback. You have experience on most motorcycles which is fantastic to know. I am envious of you

Originally Posted by wanderlust

Hi mobike008. I am contemplating this purchase. Would like your feedback in case you have gotten around to installing it on the helmet

Sorry! I havent got time to get it installed on the helmet yet. Hopefully over the long weekend will get it done and will share the feedback. But, there are quite a few Versys users using the same product and swear by it

All set for my 18,000kms service

[mobike008]

18,000kms Service Report

Ever since our last big ride to Vizag and Araku Valley, I have been thinking of getting the Dark Knight serviced as it had just crossed the 18,000kms mark when I returned home. However, I was travelling quite a bit in the last few weeks so didn't get time. Therefore an appointment was fixed with Kawasaki ASC for this Saturday at 10:30am

Reached on time and was met by my Bonnie friend who came around to spend some time with me and also check out the Kawasaki line up (Every bike from it's stable was present except the hot cake-Ninja 1000. They even had the ZX10R, Z1000 (Evil looking bike),ZZ14R and Non Road Legal dirt bike also stocked)

I had visited this place during their finishing touches and was impressed to see the final showroom. It's one of the best showrooms in Hyderabad in terms of space, quality and full bike line-up with a separate floor (1st Floor) for service where there are bays to service 3 bikes simultaneously and a dedicated room for spares. And, they have decent collection of jackets, helmets and other accessories too

Best superbike showroom in Hyderabad. Period!

They put my bike on a fancy lift to transport it to the first floor and service on my bike started around 11:00am and following work was to be done on it for 18,000kms

1. Coolant Change which was carried by me (Remove the old coolant, clean thoroughly with distill water and replace the radiator and spare tank with new coolant)

2. Oil Change (This was carried by me)

3. Oil Filter Change

4. Replace the spare fuse (It was used in the Vizag trip)

5. Front Brake Pads replacement

6. Chain Slack Tightening

7. Chain Lube & Cleaning

8. Hissing sound removal by replacing the air sensor rubber

9. Water Wash

The entire work as described above took them nearly 3.5 hours as my bike was ready by 2:30pm and Kawasaki team was fairly knowledgeable and did a meticulous and unhurried job and I am completely satisfied with their attitude and overall service at this critical service interval juncture

When the service was completed, I was presented a bill for INR 3,970 and when I reviewed the bill they have charged for following line items

1. Paid Labour : INR 2,300

2. Brake Pad Replacement : INR 350/-

3. Coolant Replacement: INR 350/-

I discussed with Service head that why charge me separate for #2 and #3 when you have already charged me for labor in #1. He realized his mistake and sheepishly grinned and struck off the two line items and charged me only labor for #1 which I think was a great gesture as many ASC around the country typically would be adamant and would force you to pay. This city is totally different and works on relationship and how you interact with each other

Final bill paid to Kawasaki for 18,000kms service was INR 3,270 which is an excellent bill for the work carried out

But, if you add the total consumable costs then it would be as follows for 18,000kms service

1. Kawasaki Bill : INR 3270
2. Oil Cost : INR 1570
3. Brake Pads : INR 5800
4. Coolant : INR 650 (450 X 1.5 Bottles)

Total Cost (Consumables + Labor) : INR 11,290

Here are some pictures from this service. Hope it was informative and useful for existing and future Versys owners

Kawa Showroom, Hyderabad



My breakfast while waiting for service ; Delicious small onion samosas



Dark Knight up on the pedestal



Oil after 6300kms



Fresh oil top-up



Coolant Emptied, Washed with distill water and fresh coolant added







Fresh and ready to cool the bike for another 20k kms



Coolant Limit



Fuse Comparison (Good vs. Bad)



10 fuse replaced (These are spare ones)



Old Front brake pads



New Front Brake Pads





Excellent Bill. Very happy

[Dr. Ankush Pati]

That's a nice and detailed service summary as always, as we have to come to expect from you. The service rates at your service centre are mouth watering and am of a mind to ride down to Hyderabad to get my V serviced.
Had one query. Are the V blade fuses different from the ones available for other Indian bikes? I see the fuse charged at Rs. 100+ , while a good quality one available at any spares store costs around Rs.20-30?

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Dr. Ankush Pati

That's a nice and detailed service summary as always, as we have to come to expect from you. The service rates at your service centre are mouth watering and am of a mind to ride down to Hyderabad to get my V serviced.

Thanks! Patience and Details are not some of my key virtues but, for such things this virtue comes automatically

Originally Posted by Dr. Ankush Pati

Had one query. Are the V blade fuses different from the ones available for other Indian bikes? I see the fuse charged at Rs. 100+ , while a good quality one available at any spares store costs around Rs.20-30?

No clue if the fuses are same or different from what you get outside. My assumption is you can use the after market ones as well, should not be a problem.

Also, I'm aware that fuses are available for much less than INR 180/- outside but, I wanted to stick to original Kawasaki one (It came packed in Kawasaki OEM packet) and since it was a small amount, I did not fret too much

[kailashnj]

Originally Posted by mobike008

18,000kms Service Report

When the service was completed, I was presented a bill for INR 3,970 and when I reviewed the bill they have charged for following line items

1. Paid Labour : INR 2,300

2. Brake Pad Replacement : INR 350/-

3. Coolant Replacement: INR 350/-

I discussed with Service head that why charge me separate for #2 and #3 when you have already charged me for labor in #1. He realized his mistake and sheepishly grinned and struck off the two line items and charged me only labor for #1 which I think was a great gesture as many ASC around the country typically would be adamant and would force you to pay. This city is totally different and works on relationship and how you interact with each other

Final bill paid to Kawasaki for 18,000kms service was INR 3,270 which is an excellent bill for the work carried out

But, if you add the total consumable costs then it would be as follows for 18,000kms service

1. Kawasaki Bill : INR 3270
2. Oil Cost : INR 1570
3. Brake Pads : INR 5800
4. Coolant : INR 650 (450 X 1.5 Bottles)

Total Cost (Consumables + Labor) : INR 11,290

Wow Avi very nice and detailed review. Best part though is the KAWA bill in Hyderabad. Damn so VFM for 3.5 hrs of work load. If this would have been mumbai then the rate would have been close to 5.5k for 3.5 hrs.

I am surely riding over to Hyderabad for my services. How far is Hyderabad from mumbai now ? GOOGLE Maps.

Where did you get the front brake pads from ?

Also you mentioned that you ask them to remove the brake pad and coolant replacement labour but the total bill that you paid is still 3270- why is that?

By the way fuses are the same that you get for your cars and other vehicles in India. Hence you can use the fuse which are available in market for Rs 10 to 20. I keep stock of those when on ride.

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by wanderlust

Does it fit all helmets or does it need some specific enclave for it to be installed into?

I guess I will need to purchase two of them to have intercom function
How is the sound quality over bluetooth and intercom?

Thanks!

A friend got me these and they are pretty good for the money you pay. You can fix it to almost all helmets, if the ear location has a recess it would be very easy to place the speaker and comfortable to wear while riding. Has velcro stickers to play around with placement.

Yes you will need two if you want to intercom with another rider, can connect to two such units, one at a time though. Bluetooth integration with both iOS and Android works easily and you can have two phones connected, though one phone will be primary which can play music, run maps (audio direction) etc where as the other phone will only be able to answer calls. One issue we kept having was if one of the units were paired to two phones then the connectivity with one of the two intercoms becomes iffy.

It has built in FM radio also but will go to scan when the phone streams a message or email notification and then it will latch on to the nearest strongest FM channel.

On open roads it gives about 400-500 Mts good connectivity as intercom, city about 100 Mts less due to interference, beyond this the voice starts crackling.

Unit is claimed to be fully water proof, and yes I did get em wet lol and audio is pretty decent. Again at less than 3-4k it is a super value for money deal.

[wanderlust]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

A friend got me these and they are pretty good for the money you pay. You can fix it to almost all helmets, if the ear location has a recess it would be very easy to place the speaker and comfortable to wear while riding.......

Again at less than 3-4k it is a super value for money deal.

Thanks for the review! It definitely looked worth it and I placed an order for a pair yesterday

I am soon going to post my review of MTS950!