[YEN_POWELL]

I'm still running in the Versys, I've generally been keeping under 4,000 rpm for the first 500 miles which is a pain on the motorway as it's only 70mph which is the only speed traffic doesn't do there, they are all slower or faster. Now I'm supposedly allowed to do 5,000 rpm which is a much nicer 80-85mph, much more user friendly. I go above occasionally just to let it know who's boss, the engine is a dream, instant acceleration in any gear, or ride as slow as you like.

What is better than the Varadero it replaced.

The engine, especially low down pull. Overtaking is a doddle in any gear.
The light weight and low centre of gravity, especially when pushing it about in car parks.
The seat (better than the Honda seat rather than the Corbin I had)
The clutch, very light to use.
The ability to see all linkages and shock absorber unlike the Varadero, of course now I can get at them more easily they won't need touching.

What's not as good
Feel like I'm leaning forward
I'm getting into 6th gear before even leaving a small slip road onto the A roads, then looking for another gear.
Fairing not quite as protective at the top, BUT my legs are staying dryer in the rain.
I miss having two big lights up front, just because two sounds better than one rather than any lack of illumination.

 

[Sohoeasy]

Saw one at the London show. What a corker,and what value too ! (I'm guessing your's will be one of the first "high milers" in a year or so ?) report back next year please. :thumbup:

 

[YEN_POWELL]

Up to just under 600 miles at the moment.

I have never had a bike with a hugger before. This one seems to keep the shock, linkages and back of the engine clean, but not the upper rear end of the bike.

I have been a brave boy and fitted the fenda extender. By brave I mean drilling the week old front mudguard, as I am murder when it comes to keeping a dill going in the right direction. The hardest bit was taking the mudguard off in the first place. The bolts are a doddle, but how you are meant to fit the guard through the forks without taking the wheel off I have no idea. The clamps for the brake lines make this really difficult, can't remove them as they are riveted on.

Lots of squeezing, scraping and scary 'breaky' type noises from the guard and I managed to remove it for a wash and brush up in the kitchen sink before getting it ready to drill.

I have given the front pipes a wipe over with WD40 and a cloth to see how long they stay cleanish.

 

[YEN_POWELL]

1100 miles on the clock as of today. Been up to the ton a few times, bike is a lot more stable since turning the rebound down on front and rear suspension, the preload is still as per the hand book.


Just fitted my 1970s style mud flap tonight after my top box and rear light got another coating of rain, slime, mud and road salt today. Hopefully the British weather will not let me down next time I ride to see if it makes any difference.


My handle bar risers have arrived, I can't see much slack at all in the cables/brake hose, so I may put them on and then have to take them off again.

 

[YEN_POWELL]

 

[alias]

that's looks grand I taugh you got hold of the mad looking one with the star on them like every ****er with a Honda cub 50 had them fitted around hear and a royal blue stadium #8 piss pot wobbling up the road drunk as **** with a *** hanging out of their mouth and 2 large bottles of Guinness in the pockets of their donkey jacket :happy6:

 

[fatowl]

What's not as good
Fairing not quite as protective at the top, BUT my legs are staying dryer in the rain.
I miss having two big lights up front, just because two sounds better than one rather than any lack of illumination.

Doesn't the Versys have twin headlights? or does only one come on for low beam? Will You be replacing the fairing at all, to get better protection?
I've been looking at the Versys for a while now, so I'm following your thread with interest!

 

[YEN_POWELL]

Doesn't the Versys have twin headlights? or does only one come on for low beam? Will You be replacing the fairing at all, to get better protection?
I've been looking at the Versys for a while now, so I'm following your thread with interest!

I believe that EEC rules that came in a few years ago stop new bikes having twin headlamps lit on low beam, in case other vehicles think we are a car a long way away. I may be wrong, sure I've seen that somewhere. I think it came in at the same time as compulsory day time lights and the loss of the off position on the switchgear.

I've started to notice that most new twin headlamped bikes coming towards me only have one bulb lit.

The new Versys has two permanent running lights (small and inoffensive, always on, hard to notice) and the right headlight on when in the low beam setting, the second left hand lamp lights up as well on the high beam setting. Both headlamps have the same bulb type, only the reflector is different.

 

[fatowl]

How did it go with the bar risers? What rise do they have?
I see you've put a givi monokey plate on the rack - were you able to use the same parts as for the V1K, or are they different on the V2K ?

 

[YEN_POWELL]

How did it go with the bar risers? What rise do they have?
I see you've put a givi monokey plate on the rack - were you able to use the same parts as for the V1K, or are they different on the V2K ?

The risers fitted (25mm rise) sort of, but the bolt holes were not quite far enough apart so I had to remove them again as I couldn't bolt them down. I think if I run a drill down them they should fit.

The Givi plate for any of the earlier Versys fits straight on to the new one, as does the fender extender and the various after market screens, foot rests and side stand foot plates. The things that won't fit are side pannier frames (rear frame is a little different I think) and crash bars (because the fairing is in the way compared to earlier versions).

 

[YEN_POWELL]

2,000 miles plus up now.

I got a new top box yesterday whilst at work. It's a bit bigger than I was expecting, but no problem, I will carry bigger sandwiches to work so they don't rattle. Picked it up from some newsagent yesterday (you can have things dropped at more convenient locations now it seem).

After arguing with the newsagent for 10 minutes because I didn't have any paperwork, I dragged this enormous cardboard box out the door across the street and up to my bike. I cut the box open with my trusty S.A. penknife, popped the ginormous top box onto the rack, made sure it had clicked on properly, then had to spend 5 minutes tearing the box into small enough pieces to go inside.

Today was the first proper warm and sunny day (15 degrees centi-wossname), so I went out to visit a sick workmate in Hertfordshire. Came back via the back roads of Essex, including a gravel green lane, the only off roading I dare do on this new bike. I can say that the bike is stable up to the ton with the box on the back.

 

[Tranman]

That certainly is one hell of a top box.

 

[YEN_POWELL]

That certainly is one hell of a top box.

I'm double glad I never got the big 52 litre one now!!!

 

[alias]

great photos I love the house I saw a show on refurbishing houses they were talking about how they were build . I wonder if its proper old of just faced off to look so old it don't matter either way . that's a fine looking box what size and who makes them ? 2000 miles wow that was quick and in the winter that's way more than a lot lads ride annually . your annual mileage must be shocking .

 

[YEN_POWELL]

great photos I love the house I saw a show on refurbishing houses they were talking about how they were build . I wonder if its proper old of just faced off to look so old it don't matter either way . that's a fine looking box what size and who makes them ? 2000 miles wow that was quick and in the winter that's way more than a lot lads ride annually . your annual mileage must be shocking .

My annual mileage has gone down from 20 to 18,000 miles because I now do a day a week working from home, where it has to be said I have got my own desk all the time instead of sharing, my own computer, cleaner toilets and I can have the telly on whilst drawing. Can't nip to my sites though if anything goes tits up.

That building is original, thousands and thousands of them in Essex once you get away from TOWIE country.

The box is a 46 litre Givi Trekker, the medium sized of the range, can be used as a pannier or a top box. Can also be top opening only when used as a pannier by playing with some internal gizmos. I will get a pair of the 33 litres when they finally get round to making mounting frames for this model of bike. After my Honda luggage I am sticking to square boxes, easier to pack.

 

[alias]

jeasus plenty of chest beating im a real biker twats who haven't ridden that much miles in their whole life . a lot of them need blue sky's and an audience to see them being a real biker or else they don't take the bike out :lol:

im planning on buying an all black varadero 1000 in the future and one of them boxes would be the iceing on the cake .


when I was a child they used to cover me in whipped cream and put a cherry on my head

life was tough growing up in the gateaux :toothy9:


I passed trough the country side in kent a few years ago while picking up a bike in Sandwich beautiful place it was I love the old houses with the plain tile roofs and yellow brick chimney stacks . while looking for old timber framed houses I found this little hobbit house all you would need is to snare a few rabbits grow a few veg and pick a big bag of mushies and your sorted :toothy10: Farmer builds a house for just £150 using materials he found in skips... and the current tenant pays their rent in MILK | Daily Mail Online

 

[YEN_POWELL]

I like a timber framed house (not much cob in Essex, despite us having super dense clay as any trail rider will tell you when he eventually escapes it), even did some plans for one a few years ago, my mate who asked me to draw them got stitched up by his client and ended up with a field full of green oak.
One of the 3D sketches for the planners/building control below.

 

[YEN_POWELL]

4,200 miles up now. Tyres show no great wear yet, weedy chain seems to be holding up and stays oily even after riding through rain???.

Tried a Givi airflow screen which was lovely up to 75mph, but when using the top box, strange air pressure developed on my head and shoulders above that speed, to the point where I arrived at work only 4 feet 2 inches tall. It also made the bike unstable at speed. Back to the Kawasaki screen again, noisier but no spine shortening effects and bike super-stable again.

Waiting for Givi pannier racks to arrive from Italy, due mid week. UK providers haven't got any yet. If the post office don't sting me for some sort of VAT or import duty, a bloody site cheaper than here as well.

Fuel consumption remains good compared to the Varadero, seem to be getting a consistent 50mpg despite flying everywhere and overtaking things cos it feels nice to do so. Followed someone to an auto jumble last week, who rode to all speed limits and got 70mpg plus an 'impatience headache'.

 

[Tranman]

Bloody hell,I'd forgotten all about those mudflaps.Quite a must have back in the 70's,I had them on all my bikes back then.Think things have moved on a bit since then,only trouble is most new bikes only have half a front mudguard now,something to do with looks so I believe.Doesn't matter about all the crap thown up all over the engine and radiator.

 

[fatowl]

70 mpg !!! wow i thought i was doing well with 57 on mine...