New Kawasaki Versys 900 (2027) – Clever, Capable and Competitively Priced. But Has Kawasaki Got Its Priorities Right?

The new Kawasaki Versys 900 and 900 SE have arrived with a 122 PS inline-four engine, radar-assisted safety technology and a surprisingly attractive price tag. On paper, there's plenty to like. But in an increasingly competitive sports-touring market, has Kawasaki spent its money in the right places?

There's something rather exciting happening in the motorcycle market at the moment, and for once, it doesn't involve another 200bhp superbike that costs as much as a decent second-hand car.

The sports-tourer is making a proper comeback.

We've recently seen Honda enter the fray with its CB1000GT, Yamaha continues to develop the excellent Tracer range, Triumph has its Tiger 900 GT Pro, and now Kawasaki has thrown another contender into the mix with the all-new 2027 Versys 900.

And do you know what? I'm all for it.

For years, it felt like manufacturers were obsessed with building bigger, heavier and increasingly expensive adventure bikes, many of which would never see anything more challenging than a gravel car park.

Now we're getting motorcycles that recognise what a huge number of riders actually want. Something comfortable, reasonably quick, practical enough for a weekend away, entertaining on a Sunday morning and, crucially, affordable.

The new Versys 900 looks like it could tick quite a few of those boxes.

But having spent some time looking through the specification, I'm left with a slightly odd feeling. Kawasaki seems to have thought of absolutely everything when it comes to keeping you safe, but perhaps overlooked a few things that might actually make you enjoy riding it more.

First things first. It's not exactly pretty, is it?

I'll get my biggest criticism out of the way early.

I don't think it's a particularly attractive motorcycle.

Now, beauty is subjective, obviously, and Kawasaki has never exactly been frightened of producing something that looks a little unconventional. But to my eyes, the new Versys 900 is a slightly awkward collection of angles, panels and shapes.

Kawasaki describes the styling as its new 'Aero Edge' concept, with flowing bodywork intended to give the bike a more sporting appearance.

Fair enough. I can see what they're trying to achieve.

But put it next to something like the Honda CB1000GT and I know which one I'd rather have parked outside my house.

That said, I don't buy motorcycles purely on their appearance, and I've ridden plenty of bikes that looked fantastic but were thoroughly disappointing once you got them moving.

So let's see what Kawasaki has actually given us.

A proper four-cylinder engine. That's a good start.

At the heart of the Versys 900 is Kawasaki's familiar 948cc liquid-cooled inline-four, producing a claimed 122 PS (approximately 120bhp) at 9,500rpm and 97.3Nm of torque at 8,000rpm.

That's a healthy amount of performance for this sort of motorcycle.

It's not going to trouble a superbike, but that's rather missing the point. A sports-tourer needs accessible power, a decent spread of torque and enough excitement to make overtaking something you look forward to rather than plan three miles in advance.

Kawasaki's four-cylinder engines have traditionally been lovely things, and I suspect this one will be no exception.

The new steel trellis frame has also been developed around a claimed 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution, with 17-inch wheels at both ends.

That's particularly interesting because it suggests Kawasaki is genuinely targeting road riders rather than pretending this is some sort of globe-conquering off-road machine.

Good.

A balanced chassis, decent suspension travel and proper road tyres could make this a very entertaining motorcycle on the sort of roads we actually ride in Britain.

Of course, whether it delivers on that promise remains to be seen until I've ridden one.

There's plenty of equipment to get excited about.

Kawasaki certainly hasn't been shy with the technology.

There's a five-inch full-colour TFT display with Bluetooth smartphone connectivity, integration with Kawasaki's RIDEOLOGY app and turn-by-turn navigation.

That's the sort of functionality I like to see on a modern touring motorcycle. I don't necessarily want a giant tablet stuck to the handlebars, but I do want clear information and straightforward navigation without having to bolt another expensive gadget to the bike.

The height-adjustable seat is another excellent inclusion, offering settings of 825mm and 845mm.

It's one of those features that seems so obvious on a motorcycle designed to cover serious distances, yet not every manufacturer bothers.

Cruise control, a quickshifter, an assist and slipper clutch, multiple riding modes and traction control are also included.

And the SE gets heated grips, handguards, auxiliary lights, a centre stand and additional protection equipment.

That's a genuinely useful collection of kit.

A centre stand in particular is something I think far too many manufacturers have started treating as an optional luxury. On a chain-driven touring motorcycle, it's practically essential.

So far, so good.

But have Kawasaki gone a little overboard with the safety systems?

Here's where things get interesting.

The Versys 900 introduces a whole collection of advanced rider assistance technology, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, blind-spot detection and an emergency stop signal.

The blind-spot system uses radar to detect vehicles approaching from behind and illuminates warning indicators in the mirrors.

Now, I'm certainly not going to criticise a manufacturer for making motorcycles safer. If technology can prevent an accident, that's a good thing.

And I can absolutely see the appeal of adaptive cruise control when you're spending several hours on a motorway.

But I do wonder whether Kawasaki has focused a little too heavily on this area.

My suspicion is that a substantial proportion of people buying a 900cc, 120bhp sports-tourer will already have a fair amount of riding experience.

They'll have developed their own observation techniques, their own road positioning and their own habits over thousands of miles.

That doesn't make them immune to mistakes, of course. Experienced riders can still benefit from safety systems, and radar might spot something a rider hasn't.

But are these necessarily the features those customers would put at the top of their shopping list?

Personally, I'd rather have electronically adjustable suspension than a warning light telling me there's a car in my blind spot.

That's not because I think the latter is useless. It's simply a question of priorities.

Which brings me neatly to my biggest issue with the new Kawasaki.

Where's the electronic suspension?

The Versys 900 SE doesn't appear to offer electronically controlled suspension.

And that's disappointing.

Particularly when you consider what else is available for similar money.

On a motorcycle intended to carry passengers, luggage and cover everything from smooth motorways to battered British B-roads, electronically adjustable suspension can make a meaningful difference.

Being able to alter the damping or preload to suit your journey, without reaching for tools or fiddling with adjusters, is genuinely useful.

Honda has managed to include its electronically controlled Showa EERA suspension on the CB1000GT at £11,999. Kawasaki wants £11,799 for the Versys 900 SE. That's just £200 between them.

Yes, Kawasaki gives you radar-assisted rider technology that the Honda doesn't have. But Honda gives you more power and electronically controlled suspension.

And from a purely riding-focused perspective, I know which I'd be more interested in.

The Kawasaki may ultimately prove to be the better motorcycle on the road. That's entirely possible.

But when you're spending nearly £12,000, these are the comparisons that matter.

And what about the luggage?

Here's another slightly frustrating omission.

The Versys 900 doesn't come with hard luggage as standard.

Kawasaki has developed an integrated accessory luggage system, including 32-litre panniers and a 47-litre top case, and there are Tourer and Grand Tourer accessory packages.

But they're additional purchases.

And that changes the value proposition.

Because while £11,799 looks extremely competitive for the SE, by the time you've added the luggage you'd expect to have on a touring motorcycle, the price starts moving closer to — and potentially beyond — the Honda.

That's not to say everyone needs panniers. Plenty of riders will use these bikes for commuting, Sunday rides and occasional trips away.

But if we're calling something a sports-tourer, luggage provision should be a fairly significant consideration.

There's also the question of the windscreen.

The launch information describes the screen as designed for wind protection, and reports suggest it has seven adjustment positions. That's reassuring, although I'll want to see how easily it can be adjusted and how effective it actually is at motorway speeds.

Because there's little more irritating than buying a comfortable touring motorcycle and discovering that the screen directs every bit of turbulent air straight at your helmet.

Two versions, but would you really buy the standard one?

Kawasaki is offering two main versions of the new Versys 900.

The standard bike starts at £10,899, while the SE costs £11,799.

I like that approach.

Not everybody wants every accessory under the sun, and giving customers a more affordable entry point is a sensible decision.

But personally, I think the SE is going to be the one most people choose.

For an additional £900, the extra touring equipment makes a compelling argument.

Heated grips, handguards, a centre stand and additional protection are all things I'd want on this sort of motorcycle anyway.

And if I were buying one, I'd rather have them fitted from the outset than start working my way through the accessories catalogue.

In fact, I suspect Kawasaki might have made the SE such an attractive upgrade that the standard version could struggle to find buyers.

Time will tell.

The competition is getting seriously interesting.

The Kawasaki isn't arriving into an empty showroom.

Honda's CB1000GT has arguably reset expectations of what you can get for around £12,000, while Yamaha's Tracer 9 GT and Triumph's Tiger 900 GT Pro offer well-established alternatives.

And the differences between them are fascinating.

The Honda brings outright performance and electronic suspension at a remarkably aggressive price.

The Yamaha offers its characterful triple-cylinder engine, electronic suspension and a strong touring package.

Triumph has its own distinctive three-cylinder character, excellent touring credentials and a more adventure-oriented riding position.

Kawasaki, meanwhile, is offering a smooth four-cylinder engine and a particularly comprehensive suite of rider assistance systems. There's no obvious bad choice here.

Just different priorities.

And that's exactly how the motorcycle market should be.

My verdict: A great motorcycle on paper, but perhaps not the one I'd choose.

I actually think Kawasaki deserves credit for the new Versys 900.

The price is competitive, the engine should be excellent, the chassis specification is promising and the level of standard equipment on the SE is impressive.

I love the adjustable seat, the 50:50 weight distribution, the connectivity, the quickshifter and the fact that Kawasaki has remembered that a centre stand is useful on a touring motorcycle.

But I can't help feeling that the engineers have been given a slightly unusual shopping list.

Radar? Yes.

Blind-spot warnings? Yes.

Forward collision alerts? Absolutely.

Electronic suspension? Apparently not.

And that's where Kawasaki loses me a little.

Perhaps I'm being old-fashioned, but I still want a motorcycle that prioritises the riding experience above everything else. Give me a brilliant engine, a fantastic chassis, quality suspension and enough comfort to spend all day in the saddle. The rest is a bonus.

The really encouraging thing, though, is that we now have so many genuinely capable sports-tourers competing at prices that don't require a second mortgage.

For riders who want one motorcycle to do almost everything, without the weight and expense of a giant adventure bike, this rejuvenated market segment is brilliant news.

And I suspect the next couple of years could get even more interesting. Would I buy the new Kawasaki Versys 900 SE over the Honda CB1000GT? Based purely on the specification and pricing, probably not.

But would I like to ride one and find out whether Kawasaki has created something special?

Absolutely.

Because a specification sheet only tells you so much.

And I've been wrong about motorcycles before.

What do you think?

Would you choose the Kawasaki Versys 900 SE, Honda CB1000GT, Yamaha Tracer 9 GT or Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro?

And more importantly, would you rather have radar-assisted safety technology or electronic suspension?

Let me know in the comments.

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