By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Sport Tourer vs Tourer
Kawasaki Versys 1000 (LZT00B) vs Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer (MY2019)
At turn-in, the 2015 Kawasaki Versys 1000 tips in off its wide bars, and it's quick to switch lines like a sporty naked. The Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer steers in on a neutral line, its weight hidden once it's rolling. It keeps leaning with clearance to spare.
So which one do you buy?
The 2015 Versys 1000 has the edge if…
Daily commuting & city riding
Slight edge: 2015 Versys 1000
Your daily ride leans slightly toward the 2015 Versys 1000. Fit and price can easily outweigh that.
The Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer has the edge if…
Comfortable long-distance riding
Narrow edge: Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer
The Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer nudges ahead once the miles pile up. The difference is better wind protection and more range per tank. Still, it's a narrow gap.
What makes each one tick
2015 Versys 1000
Hard riding comes easy on the 2015 Versys 1000 because its inline-four doesn't hide how much drive is coming. It carries 551 lb (250 kg), yet the chassis flicks from bend to bend on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Bumps land on a padded seat. Its big screen's a roof for two.
Nils rode the 2015 Versys 1000 in Austria in 2015 (NastyNils Testride).
Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer
A long day for two doesn't wear anyone down on the Grand Tourer, whose roomy seat sits behind a tall screen. Paddling its 567 lb (257 kg) backward across a parking lot isn't easy. The throttle's answer is clean pull from low revs with crisp fuel injection. Up top, the four's got real urgency.
Nils rode the Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer in 2020 (NastyNils Testride).
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The 2015 Versys 1000 has the lower wet weight: 551 lb (250 kg) vs 567 lb (257 kg).
- Cruise Control: standard on the Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer, not offered on the 2015 Versys 1000.
- Quickshifter: standard on the Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer, not offered on the 2015 Versys 1000.
Which one for the way you ride
A confidence-building first motorcycle
Both miss here
For a brand-new rider, both are the wrong place to start. Learn the basics on a smaller bike first.
Call it even on twisty roads and running costs. Choose on fit, price and the one that makes you grin.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
2015 Versys 1000
From Nils' own saddle time
Strengths
- Swallows A Full Touring Load
- Built To Run Long
- 120 hp, Plenty In Reserve
- Controls You Stop Noticing
- Willing From Low Revs
Trade-offs
- No Cruise Control Fitted
- Fork Seals Can Weep
- Steering Head Bearings Wear
- Neutral Light Plays Tricks
Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer
What owners say
Strengths
- All-day comfort with excellent wind protection
- Silky-smooth and flexible inline-four engine
- Agile handling despite size and weight
Trade-offs
- Considerable weight handicaps low-speed manoeuvres
What they share
- Seat height
- 33.1 in (840 mm)
- Displacement
- 1043 cc
- Engine
- Inline-four
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Power
- 120 hp (88 kW)
- Peak power at
- 9,000 rpm
- Torque
- 75 lb-ft (102 Nm)
- Peak torque at
- 7,500 rpm
- Fuel capacity
- 5.5 US gal (21 L)
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front brake
- 310 mm
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
- Rear tire
- 180/55-17
- Wheelbase
- 59.8 in (1520 mm)
Where the spec sheets split
| 2015 Versys 1000 | Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer | |
|---|---|---|
| Wet weight | 551 lb (250 kg) | 567 lb (257 kg) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| 2015 Versys 1000 | Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise Control | Not offered | Standard |
| Quickshifter | Not offered | Standard |
| Heated Grips | Option | Standard |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
