Kawasaki Versys X 300

The 296cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin motor makes 40PS at 11,500rpm. Torque is 25.7Nm at 10,000rpm. It gets a larger airbox and revised intake that gives the motor a stronger mid-range. A larger rear sprocket gives the Versys-X 300 better initial acceleration. The engine is mated to a six-speed gearbox. The front telescopic suspension gets 130mm travel and the rear gas-charged, preload adjustable monoshock has 148mm of travel. The Versys-X 300 gets dual-channel ABS assisted 290mm petal disc up front and a 220mm petal disc brake at the rear.

The Versys-X 300 is an entry-level adventure tourer, with the engine derived from the Kawasaki Ninja 300. In the flesh, the Versys-X 300 looks larger and more intimidating, owing to its adventure ready proportions. The front gets a nearly vertical windscreen, knuckle guards and two LED fog lamps mounted on a large crash bar that wraps around the front of the bike. Interestingly, the Versys-X 300 is 5mm longer and 100mm wider than the Versys 650! Features include a set of LED auxiliary lights, front crash guard, knuckle guards, a single hard pannier and rear luggage rack. The 815mm tall seat is narrow so it is easy to place both feet on the ground. Parts quality and fit/finish are top-notch and the bike feels built to last. The semi-digital instrument cluster feels a bit basic and dated.

Royal Enfield Himalayan: The Himalayan is the most affordable ADV you can buy in India. Built from the ground up it features a tubular frame with long travel suspension and styling that can be termed functional. The all-new 410cc air and oil cooled fuel-injected single cylinder motor is a torquey unit which serves well for off-road excursions. The Himalayan is not exactly known for its reliability and refinement but makes sense if you love occasional off the trail adventures.

BMW G 310 GS: The G 310 GS brings with decent off-road ability as the equipment on offer doesn't make it a hardcore adventure. Instead, it comes across as a more potent tourer with some trailing capabilities. Priced at Rs 3.49 lakh, its the most affordable BMW adventure tourer you can buy. But it's also the most expensive single-cylinder 300cc adventure bike on offer in India. If you are purely looking for a badge value and don't intend to do heavy off-roading, it makes for a good package. But the pricing is still a bit hard to digest.

The Versys-X 300 makes for a great proposition when compared to the premium-priced BMW G 301 GS. The Kawasaki Versys-X 300 is a lightweight ADV with good off-road capability. It is equally effortless in the city but feels stressed on the highways due to the short gear ratios. To top things off, it impresses in terms of quality, refinement, comfort and overall ability too.