Bought a used versys, few maintanance questions.

[Marcel1]

Yesterday I bought a used versys 2011 from a Thai guy. Transferred the green book, no problem. The guy himself was a nice bloke, had a few bikes at his home and after his second kid he didnt used it much anymore. He seemed to know quite a lot about bikes and all the service was done as needed.

Now my question as my knowledge about maintanance from big bikes isnt too good. Here on the forum seem te be quite some knowledgeble people and also some versys owners.

The last oil change was 1.500 km ago but also a year ago, change it?

How about the filters?

The chain still looks good, oiled well and about 2.5/3 cm playspace in the middle

Battery change would be a good idea as well I guess since he didnt use the bike much and he has alternative lights and a phone/gps charger installed.

After 3 years and 7500 km a tire change would be also good right? Any recommendations for street, long life tires?

Thanks guys.

[RubberSideDown]

As far as the oil goes, most service manuals recommend changing it at a distance interval or one year, whichever comes first. I would immediately change the oil in any used bike I bought (and the filter should be changed as well).

[apetley]

You won't go wrong with Pirelli or Michelin. Michelin are cheaper and last longer than Pirelli in my experience but not quite as grippy.

Edited January 8, 2015 by apetley

[guzzi850m2]

As far as the oil goes, most service manuals recommend changing it at a distance interval or one year, whichever comes first. I would immediately change the oil in any used bike I bought (and the filter should be changed as well).

+1 for above and the most important to do asap.

Tires can normally go more than 7500km but don't know how good the stock tires are but off-course the tires are extremely important since they are your bike's contact points to the street, some work well in dry conditions but not so good in the wet, so be careful in the beginning and test carefully. If the bike have been sitting out of the sun most of the time that is the best for the tires. Seen car tires that started to have small cracks all over after +2 years due to sitting out in the sun a lot.

A battery can last from 3 to 5 years here, if you suspect it's dogy, change it.

Sprockets & chain should be able to do min 15k km depending of how well they have been maintained before.

[dave_boo]

If you're planning on doing some light off-road (dirt track or loose gravel), the Pirelli Scorpion Trail, which come stock on the Honda CB500X and Ducati Multistrada 1200S, are a good choice. I got ~13,000 km out of mine on the CB500X.

I then switched to the Pirelli Rosso Corsa due to lack of OEM tyres in stock. Good choice also for on road use only; I've gotten over 7,000 km on the so far and they're holding up pretty well.

[Marcel1]

Thanks for the anwers so far guys, change oil and filters is the first plan it seems and Ill take some time to scope out a new set of tires, they're still pretty good but after three years a new pair of shoes would be nice

[sup3r1or]

I had one before if not mistaken stock tires are Dunlops as on cbr500. I changed mine to pirelli diablo rosso 2. Great grip. I got 12k out of stock dunlops on my cbr500.

But i agree with guys here if going a bit off road pirelli scorpion is excellent choice

[Kf6vci]

Marcel, I'm not a tinkerer. But I would have the oil and filter changed. Tires? Q: how many mm are left? I would keep riding till they are really due to get replaced. Then get a pair based on tests. Longevity, grip, wet performance...

Battery? How is it, subjectively? When you replace it, get a gel one.

Congratulations, Marcel. May you have many happy hours on the Versys!

[Can samui]

Bought a used Versys about 6 months ago and the first thing I did was take it in to the local Kawasaki factory shop for a 100% check and fluid change? I always like to know my baseline and work all of my routine maintenance from there.

Where are you located? Might be a good plan to start a history with the local Kawi shop anyways.

Enjoy the bike...I love mine!

[wantan]

I would also change the brake fluids and the cooling liquid. Even if the service book says its all done properly you cannot expect this to really be done.

[Marcel1]

Thnx, ill do a 100% fluid change soon. I bought a new ninja 300 from realmoto kawa dealer but since the versys was origi ally bought and maintained at motoaholic ill go there for the versys.

[Can samui]

Best of luck and happy, safe riding.

[jonnyscot]

Best of luck marcel, I also purchased a 2012 year versys just yesterday, looking forward to a few short trips up to kan and Nakhon sawan from my base in Suphanburi until I get the feel, more than 30 years since I did the weekend off-road stuff on the manual clutch trials bikes back home, been getting too lazy with the auto clutch

quote name="Marcel1" Thnx, ill do a 100% fluid change soon. I bought a new ninja 300 from realmoto kawa dealer but since the versys was origi ally bought and maintained at motoaholic ill go there for the versys.

[Marcel1]

Thnx Jonny, wish u loads of fun too on your bike! I'll be heading for erawan, sinakharin lake and those areas for two and a half days tomorrow, first good ride on the versys!

[jonnyscot]

Great stuff, I would have enjoyed joining up for the trip to Kan but after being missing in action all day yesterday bike hunting in Bkk and driving the bike home, today I had the day away up around Bunchawak, better keep in the good books of the wife and kids and spend this Sunday with them, as I plan for a couple of trips during next week before I'm off to work the following week,

[jonnyscot]

Hope you enjoyed ur trip marcel, surprisingly the wife wanted to join me today on the bike after sending the kids to school, so had a trip from Suphan to Nakhon sawan, visited the kawa shop there and invested in 2 new helmets, I see they have a 1000cc versys there was kindly offered a test drive but didn't take them up on it, tomorrow heading up to kan from Suphan with a friend for lunch after we drop off the kids at school,,, really enjoying the short adventures on the bike to date, (apart from the sore bum today) think the Suphan to Sawan would be just about our max daily distance unless I build some muscle in areas I didn't know had muscle,,,,,

[Gweiloman]

Thnx Jonny, wish u loads of fun too on your bike! I'll be heading for erawan, sinakharin lake and those areas for two and a half days tomorrow, first good ride on the versys!

I recently put up a simple ride report of a trip that taninthai and I took. Both of us were on Versys 650. We went from Kanchanburi to Sisawat (from Sisaway, you can loop back to Kan via Bo Phloi) but we went across the dam on a barge to Sangkhla Buri and back down to Kan the next day.

Absolutely the best riding roads close to Bangkok. Hope you enjoyed your trip

[Gweiloman]

Hope you enjoyed ur trip marcel, surprisingly the wife wanted to join me today on the bike after sending the kids to school, so had a trip from Suphan to Nakhon sawan, visited the kawa shop there and invested in 2 new helmets, I see they have a 1000cc versys there was kindly offered a test drive but didn't take them up on it, tomorrow heading up to kan from Suphan with a friend for lunch after we drop off the kids at school,,, really enjoying the short adventures on the bike to date, (apart from the sore bum today) think the Suphan to Sawan would be just about our max daily distance unless I build some muscle in areas I didn't know had muscle,,,,,

Invest in an AirHawk - end of sore bums. Get a pillion AirHawk for your wife as well so that she will enjoy riding and encourage you to ride more.

[ll2]

Thnx Jonny, wish u loads of fun too on your bike! I'll be heading for erawan, sinakharin lake and those areas for two and a half days tomorrow, first good ride on the versys!

I recently put up a simple ride report of a trip that taninthai and I took. Both of us were on Versys 650. We went from Kanchanburi to Sisawat (from Sisaway, you can loop back to Kan via Bo Phloi) but we went across the dam on a barge to Sangkhla Buri and back down to Kan the next day.

Absolutely the best riding roads close to Bangkok. Hope you enjoyed your trip

absolutely. best twisties ans scenery around bangkok. especially up to Sangkhlaburi.

[Marcel1]

Thnx Jonny, wish u loads of fun too on your bike! I'll be heading for erawan, sinakharin lake and those areas for two and a half days tomorrow, first good ride on the versys!

I recently put up a simple ride report of a trip that taninthai and I took. Both of us were on Versys 650. We went from Kanchanburi to Sisawat (from Sisaway, you can loop back to Kan via Bo Phloi) but we went across the dam on a barge to Sangkhla Buri and back down to Kan the next day.

Absolutely the best riding roads close to Bangkok. Hope you enjoyed your trip

absolutely. best twisties ans scenery around bangkok. especially up to Sangkhlaburi.

Completely agree guys, Gweiloman it was indeed an impressive report, good read.

Almost at the end of the days now, kanchanaburi for lunch and then back to bkk will write a report with pics/vids soon. Can take a few days since just bought the cam too and I am not so technical hehe.

[jonnyscot]

Thanks gweiloman, yes read your interesting and well written report, just arrived back home from kan, taking the day off tomorrow to clean up the bike, not quite so bad a sore bum today on the shorter ride to kan,, planning the next one up close by where the wife's family live beside dan Chang, kill two birds with one stone and probably drop in past them for a visit

but definitely interested in that air hawk,,, anywhere close by to Suphanburi I can find a stockist of the air hawk or is it a mail order job?

Thanks

[Gweiloman]

I bought mine mail order via the States and had a friend bring it to me. Dave_Boo also has one, not sure how he got his.

Just one thing to note, especially on the Versys. The bike is high as it is and an airhawk will add just slightly under an inch as well.

Give us a shout the next time you're planning a ride. Would be nice to have another group ride with TV guys.

[dave_boo]

I bought mine mail order via the States and had a friend bring it to me. Dave_Boo also has one, not sure how he got his.

Just one thing to note, especially on the Versys. The bike is high as it is and an airhawk will add just slightly under an inch as well.

Give us a shout the next time you're planning a ride. Would be nice to have another group ride with TV guys.

Revzilla!

The problem is now the post office knows me and stings me for tax each and every time...

[ll2]

i think panda rider have ari hawk models, check it out.

[jonnyscot]

yep I see panda have on their website, cheers for that,

gweiloman, I'd love a trip sometime with you guys, but looking at some of the vids posted I think ill be just about arriving for my first beer (or fruit juice) and you guys already on your second one,,,, hehe

[Gweiloman]

yep I see panda have on their website, cheers for that,

gweiloman, I'd love a trip sometime with you guys, but looking at some of the vids posted I think ill be just about arriving for my first beer (or fruit juice) and you guys already on your second one,,,, hehe

No way mate. When we ride in a group, that's what we do - ride in a group (unless you feel that anything above 80 kph is too dangerous).

As I have stated on many of my previous posts, I generally cruise between 100-120 (conditions permitting). Sure, there are times when the road is abundantly clear and safe (based on my over 30 years of motoring experience) in which case we might push up to 140-150 kph. However, when approaching city limits, riding through towns, speeds drop to 80 kph and below. When riding through moobans, 60 kph or so (and less if I see dogs on the side of the road, intersections etc).

Now, ll2's a bit different. He likes the rush of the wind on him so he goes on ahead a bit, wait up for the others, drop back and then let it rip again. Ultimately, we all arrive at the destination at the same time. That's what group riding is all about.

[jonnyscot]

Cheers for the feedback gweiloman

Ok I'll definitely take you up on that, that's approx speeds we did kan the other day, of course the cornering I'm still running myself in, quite a difference to the trials bikes I enjoyed so many years back, like you say adjusting the speeds to the conditions,

pity I can't say the same about myself driving a car, sadly I'm a total nutcase according to my wife's own admission, and here was me just thinking I'd adopted well to the local way of driving

Edited January 27, 2015 by jonnyscot

[ll2]

guys, lets do a TV ride soon:)

[Gweiloman]

I'm off to HCM today and back only on Sunday. We could try for a trip next weekend if there are takers.

[Marcel1]

Cant promise but I like the idea... any route ideas?