Scoop: Kawasaki Versys 650 to come with ABS

Earlier this year we reported that Kawasaki had imported a Versys 650 for homologation in India. There has been a lot of speculation regarding its launch and enthusiasts have been eagerly waiting for the launch of this Kwacker. And it is good news for these moto maniacs as our sources close to the company revealed that the Versys 650 will come to India with Antilock-Braking System (ABS). The absence of ABS has been a common criticism that the Ninja 650 and the ER-6n have received especially knowing that smaller bikes like the Honda CBR250R, the KTM 390 Duke and the RC390 come with ABS. But in the Versys 650, Kawasaki seems to have addressed the problem.

The Japanese bike maker recently brought in an update to the Ninja 650 and the ER-6n. Considering that the Versys 650 will come with ABS, it makes us wonder why the same system has not been installed on the other two middle-weight offerings.

While mechanically the Versys 650 will be more or less similar to the Ninja 650 and the ER-6n, Kawasaki has made some changes to suit its adventure tourer DNA. Aside from the inclusion of ABS, the Versys 650 will also come with adjustable suspension springs up front as well as at the back. The tyres too are rumoured to be different from the ones on the Ninja 650 and the ER-6n. The Kawasaki Versys 650’s heart, though, will be the same as the one on the other Kawasaki 650s on sale in India. It will sport a 649cc parallel twin liquid cooled motor that is good for 72PS and 66Nm. All of this power is sent to the rear wheel via a 6-speed transmission.

In the looks department, the Versys 650 will look identical to its litre-class sibling. The dual headlamps, quarter fairing and the large wind screen gives it an aggressive look up front. At the back, it gets LED taillamps and large grab rails for the pillion rider.

Kawasaki is expected to launch the Versys 650 in India next month. Expected to be priced at around Rs 6 lakh, the Versys 650 will compete against the Benelli TNT 600GT in the Indian market.