Just as the Kawasaki Versys 1000 finally manages to overcome it’s “adventurer or tourer” identity crisis, the team at Bike Magazine decide to try and use it as a track bike!
In their December 2015 edition, John Westlake takes the 2015 spec bike to Donington to dice it up with a grid full of sportsbikes, and showing up a few other riders in the process. At least Kawasaki have now swapped the dual sport rubber for genuine, high performance sport touring tyres in the shape of the Bridgestone Battlax T30’s – as used by Ron Haslam Race School on their fleet of track bikes for coaching sessions.
With a few wry smiles and smirks from onlookers, John says:
“Key to the enjoyment is that though the Versys is too heavy, too softly suspended and too underpowered to be properly quick on track, it’s easily good enough to feel in control while you push on and improve your lines. Sure, the forks dive so much braking for the Foggy Esses that they set the ABS off at the bottom of their travel, and the pegs go down while the sportsbikes around me are barely off upright, but it all happens smoothly enough that I never have a moment of worry. The brakes are strong and consistent, there’s loads of low down torque to drive out of corners with, and the traction control is a useful safety net rather than an annoyance.
After three sessions, I hit peak joy. I’ve remembered to let some air out of the Bridgestone T30s so grip improves (it was already good, but the front felt skittery down Craner Curves) and I’m used to how much the Versys moves on it’s suspension. Bizarrely given it’s weight, braking is the highlight. I can’t work out if it’s the centre of gravity, long wheelbase, upright riding position or long travel forks – or all of them – but it’s hilarious, at one point outbraking a gaggle of timid S1000RRs at the hairpin.”
With rain clouds approaching, John eventually let’s his head overrule his heart and heads home. Let’s just hope he pumped his Bridgestone T30 tyres back up to the correct pressures before he left.
Find out more about the Battlax T30 & T30 EVO.
