A Versys 1000 owner rides the BSA Gold Star 650 & shares his thoughts

The rear suspension, switchgear quality, a few weld finishes could be better

BHPian roy_libran recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Finally got to do a test ride yesterday. A few salient points from the pov of someone who rides a Versys 1000 at present:

Pros:

• Very comfortable and natural ergonomics
• Had read a lot of reviews of the engine being smooth despite being a single, but the test ride was a revelation in terms of just how smooth!
• Paint quality seems quite nice
• The 2nd gear is almost like an automatic - it plays comfortably from absolutely crawling speeds and linearly pulls through to 50+ kmph without straining the engine
• 100 kmph effortlessly at between 4500-5000 rpm and has more than enough breath left for overtakes
• Adequate and predicable braking
• Extremely nimble and flickable - again feels unreal for a 210 kg bike

Cons:

• The rear suspension, switchgear quality, a few weld finishes could be better - but no deal breakers
• Worried about the chain sprocket being on the same side as the exhaust - from a maintenance perspective
• There's something that looks like an ECU (but was told it is not), that is fitted to the rear of the belly pan. This seems to be poorly positioned as that is the one point that the underbody might take a few hits if one if not careful
• Stock seat is a little short for 2-up riding but looks good and provides adequate comfort
• There isn't an option available with zero chrome
• Very little storage space for papers and basic tools, and there is no lock for the seat
• Stock mirrors are too small for my liking
• The indicators, albeit bright, are too small for my liking

Overall - at a 3.5-3.8ish price range on road in Delhi NCR this is one of the best options all things considered. I enjoyed riding it a lot more than any of the RE 650s, but I must concede I have an inherent negative bias for REs, but then so do I for anything to come out of a Mahindra stable too!

Cheers.

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