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If this doesn't make you were a lot younger just starting out, nothing will

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schnellbandit

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http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2016/11/nimble-2017-kawasaki-versys-x-300-abs-headed-to-u-s-market/

What a good looking ride. No doubt this starts a lightweight ADV war between the major players. The 300cc class motos just opened up a whole new area for development. Sure, previous models of dual sport bikes set the tone but now a lot of development from larger ADV bikes is coming down into high quality feature and performance rich bikes you can practically tow around with your big bore bike.
 
Neat, will be interesting to see how much weight the suspension will hold. If it won't carry a 200-225 rider and some gear without modification that will be a bummer.
 
Curb weight and seat height are 'TBA'. It'll be interesting to see what these specs are. I have a 30" inseam. A 33" seat height is all I want to manage. The little twin should make it a much better road bike than my 250 KLX. I have a hard time feeling acceleration on it. Speed increases but it seems like the rubber band isn't twisted tightly.
 
The seat, according to reports is designed for two up so carrying the 200+ pounder seems like a possibility. Just have to remember its a 300 so power to total weight ratio comes into play, there probably isn't a huge surplus.

Like 200 HP bikes that never see a track, the ADV bikes that never see anything other than pavement and cruisers that never get past a Starbucks, the little Versys doesn't have to do anything but make those buying it happy. What Kawasaki did here I think is fire a shot across the bow of Honda and everyone else to say the lightweight segment is more than sportbike genre and that the next generation of 300cc bikes has arrived.

Big wheel scooters are selling like crazy but I bet a lot of riders don't want a scooter nor do they want a sport bike ride or mini-hooligan style bike. The Versys looks like Kawasaki is looking past the tight leather rider and more to the relaxed riding style that takes you from work commute to weekend coast ride or mountain rode getaway with a turnoff to a fire road once in a while.

One thing is for sure, by leveraging the Versys model to the 300cc class they have a seamless transition path all the way to 1000 cc, who else has that?
 
Does it come in an MX version ... nice bike with a proven power plant.

Pretty long thread on the exact same bike already
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If the internet had only "new content" it would only be 1% of the size it is.
 
I've seen this and other announcements in Motorcyclist. I think smaller displacement (250-300cc) adventure bikes are about to become a major trend.

Correction: Make that 250-40cc. KTM is already a player at the upper end.
 
A close cousin is the NINJETTE 300...which is about 362 pounds dry and $4999 MSRP.
I expect the VX to cost a little more since it's niche , and it'll weigh about the same.

This bike is being discussed on ADV forum.
And there is massive interest, judging by the post count.
I'm thinking every ADV wannabee who is under 5'10", will run out and buy one.

The market is desperate for a 250 class ADV bike.

What is better: 2 cylinder or 1 ???
 
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Kawasaki put up new pictures and MSRP.

kal2rw34.bqw.jpg
 
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TwoSmokeDS said:
I'm thinking every ADV wannabee who is under 5'10", will run out and buy one.

QUOTE]

Wannabe? Heck, I love the idea, mainly because of the weight. I wouldn't want to ride a 300cc all the way to Colorado. But if I were already there, it would be great for two-hundred-milers, and for beating up and down fire roads, but at a more manageable weight & height.

And a lot of people who won't drop nine large on an ADV bike might well drop five. Which is what the manufacturers are banking on.
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