Dennis Chung must be one of the hardest working people in the mo-jo business. For more than a decade and a half, the Motorcycle.com stalwart has been catching pretty much every motorcycling scoop that can be scooped. So, it should come as no surprise that he was the first to confirm that rumors of a forthcoming Kawasaki Versys 1100 are true.
According to Australian approval documents uncovered by Chung, next year’s big Versys will be powered by a 1099cc inline four-cylinder engine. That’s up 56 cubic centimeters from the existing model. It’s not a massive amount, but enough to reportedly boost the bike’s claimed power output ─ from roughly 118 horsepower at present to 133 hp, according to the Australian documents.
I would also expect some changes/upgrades in terms of rider aids and technowhizzbangery but it seems that when it comes to aesthetics, Kawasaki are happy to keep things pretty much as they are.
“Australian authorities have updated [their] file on the Versys 1100 S, adding details about the engine and wheels as well as two photos of a motorcycle that doesn’t look much different from the existing model,” writes Chung. “The paint scheme appears to be the only thing different, not matching any previous liveries we can identify. It features ‘Versys’ in green just above the front turn signal stalks, and green and gray stripes on the bodywork behind the integrated LED cornering lights. The quality of the photo isn’t great, but what appears to be the number ‘1100’ is faintly visible just above that darker horizontal stripe.”
I don’t really understand why I am excited about this. I suppose it’s because I really enjoy riding my own first-gen Versys 1000 and when I play the game of imagining what bike I’d like next I sometimes come up with: “Well, kinda like this one but marginally better.”
Though, for me, “better” would include some styling changes. I’m in the minority of liking the look of the first-gen Versys 1000. Its current look feels a little generic, not managing to convey what an enjoyable bike it is.
I mean, it’s got a powerful and torquey time-proven engine that can be both fun and well-behaved; it’s almost ludicrously roomy and has one of the largest passenger seating areas in the biz; it’s well-balanced and sure-footed; and with its 17-inch front wheel, it doesn’t imply any BS claims about being an off-road tool. It is a tall, fun, reliable touring bike that can take you big distances in comfort. But it looks like something someone would use to get to work. No one sees a Versys 1000 roll by and thinks: “That guy is going somewhere exciting!”
Meanwhile, Chung has since uncovered evidence that the Versys will not be the only platform to receive a capacity boost. According to an article published last week, the Ninja 1000 SX, which shares the same engine as the Versys (and many of its features) is set to become the Ninja 1100 SX in 2025.
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