Well that was kind of weird. In the space of a month, the new Kawasaki Versys 1100 went from being a thing that was rumored to being a thing that you can buy right now.
Starting at £11,899 in His Majesty’s United Kingdom, the new Versys 1100 costs about £1,000 more than the outgoing Versys 1000 but boasts a little more power and… uhm… that’s kind of it. Visually, they are almost identical. Spotting the differences takes me back to my childhood, sitting in a dentist’s waiting room, and staring at the back page of Highlights magazine.
(Yeah, utterly obscure references to children’s magazines ─ there’s a reason to become a patron)
The graphics on the front cowling are a little different and it looks like the engine’s been blacked out but, yeah, not much has changed. Maybe that’s why Kawasaki’s acknowledgement of the updated bike feels almost like an afterthought. I saw no press release, just a mention of it on Kawasaki Europe’s LinkedIn page.
“Since its debut in 2012, the litre-class Versys has earned widespread acclaim for its versatility and all-day riding comfort,” states a post from last week. “For 2025, the model’s evolution takes a significant step forward, with notable enhancements including an increased cylinder capacity and a boost in peak power for the all-new Versys 1100, 1100 S and 1100 SE models.”
As Motorcycle.com had already picked up, the 2025 Versys 1100 is now powered by a 1099cc inline four-cylinder engine. Kawasaki claims 99 Kw of power (132.7 hp) and 112 Nm of torque (82.6 lb-ft). Compare that to the previously claimed numbers of 88.2 Kw (118.2 hp) and 102 Nm (75.2 lb-ft).
You now have to rev just a tiny bit harder to hit that torque figure, though. In 2024, peak torque arrived at 7,500 rpm; in 2025 it appears at 7,600 rpm. An almost negligible difference. (Peak horsepower remains at 9,000 rpm)
The aforementioned LinkedIn post says the Versys 1100 was “engineered by Kawasaki for use on any road, from smooth highways to rough country lanes,” which feels like a silly thing to say. The bike has a 17-inch front wheel and weighs 255 kg wet. It is clearly designed for road use.
To me, that’s one of the major selling points of the Versys platform: it doesn’t pretend to be an off-road-ready machine. I really dislike when manufacturers pitch adventure bikes as being capable of doing things that no right thinking person would do with them.
Perhaps Kawasaki just means “rough country lanes” in the British sense. That is: the back roads of the UK are littered with potholes and debris because money to maintain the road network dried up when Tony Blair was prime minister. Technically they’re not off-road tracks, but in application they kinda are.
Anyhoo, in addition to more power, Kawasaki says “Versys 1100 owners will also be well-equipped with a range of advanced electronic riding aids, including KTRC traction control, cornering management, selectable power and riding modes. Plus, every model comes standard with a USB-C port for added convenience.”
Thing is, though: outside of the USB-C port, all that stuff was also on the 2024 Versys 1000. Both also have cruise control, which is the sort of thing that would encourage me to upgrade from my first-generation (2012) Versys 1000. But, if I had the money, I suppose I’d be looking to get a good deal on an outgoing Versys 1000 rather than paying a premium for a few extra ponies.
More power is more power, though…
Either way, the bike is still a relatively good deal against competitors like the BMW S 1000 XR, Suzuki GSX-S1000GX, Yamaha Tracer 9, and recently updated Honda NT1100. Against those, only the Tracer 9 actually costs less than the base model Versys 1100 and not by much. Also, the base model Tracer 9 has fewer features (eg, no cruise control ─ you need a Tracer 9 GT for that).
The new base model Versys 1100 is available in just one color scheme: “Metallic Matte Graphenesteel Gray / Metallic Diablo Black.” If you want a white-and-black one, you’ll have to pay extra for the S or SE model. None of the 2025 Versys 1100 models appear to be available in iconic Kawasaki green.
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