BIKETEST KAWASAKI VERSYS:Easy steering, perfect balance and a keen pace made riding the new Kawasaki a joy, until Geoff Hill hit diesel
THINGS, I could not help but think as I slid down the road on my side, were not exactly going to plan.
The day had all begun so well, too; nice bowl of hot porridge for brekkie, then out with IAM instructor Paul Sheldon for a final lesson before my advanced bike test next week.
"You're doing grand. Good luck, but it shouldn't be a problem," he said, shaking my hand and riding off into the mist and rain.
He should have wished me good luck for the afternoon. I rode down to Phillip McCallen's in Lisburn and found the Versys waiting for me.
I'd already ridden and enjoyed the 2008 version, a fine little machine which won a Best in Class award from MCN and which had now been beautifully revamped.
The acceleration hadn't been rocket-like, but was entirely adequate, even if the 63bhp engine got very irritated indeed when I placed unreasonable demands on it at low revs.
Handling, with a combination of light weight and great balance, made it the perfect commuter bike; narrow and light enough to work through traffic, yet comfortable and powerful enough to purr down the motorway for hours on end.
In fact, my only complaints were that the combination of a clutch that wasn't as smooth as it could be and a close-ratio six-speed gearbox meant that my initial progress down the road resembled that of an epileptic kangaroo but, to be honest, it was nothing that a bit of practice didn't cure, and before long I was very tempted to give myself a pat on the back for my progress, if I hadn't been worried that I'd fall off while doing so.
Not that it would have done much damage, I remember thinking at the time, since bits like the indicators are very cleverly tucked away to avoid the sort of stupid damage that comes from dropping bikes at low speed.
Ah, if only I had known then what I know now...
I started up, and the quiet burble of the little 650 twin was much the same as ever.
Riding off, and the clutch was as sharp as always, but either I was getting better or the gearbox was smoother than the original Versys, for this time progress was a lot more civilised, especially as the engine felt as if it had a touch more torque than the original at low revs, giving stately but hardly thrilling progress.
Until, that is, the rev counter hit 6,000rpm and the engine showed that once you wind it up a little, this little bird can really fly, which I found out when I glanced down at the speedo to find a reading which would have elicited some considerable interest from the boys in blue.
Like all engines around this capacity, it's fairly sleepy at low revs but on A and B roads, working between fourth and fifth gear and keeping the revs between 6,000 and 9,000, you can crack along at a sprightly pace.
Handling, as it was on the original Versys, is a delight, with a good riding position, perfect balance and featherweight steering meaning you can fling it around corners and potter through town with equal aplomb.
Splendid. I set course for home, and was just looking forward to a nice cup of tea back at McCallan's when the lorry in front braked and indicated right. I steered left to pass him on the inside, touched the front brake, and the next thing I knew I was sliding down the road.
I should have remembered that this was a road used by trucks and buses awash with diesel, I thought, getting to my feet and hauling the Versys upright to find it disturbingly bereft of pegs, brake and indicators on the right hand side.
Still, at least the engine started, and with my right foot dangling in space, I rode carefully back to Phillip's. "Don't worry about the bike. Are you all right?" said Will, who'd handed me the keys an hour before.
"I'll be fine," I said, nursing a bruised shoulder and hip. "At least I fell on my right side, so I'll have a set of bruises to match the ones on the left side from falling off in Colombia on the way to Alaska."
Ho hum. I rode home feeling somewhat chastened, and then played volleyball for two hours. As a result, I can hardly move, and I am typing this with one finger, the only bit that doesn't hurt.
Factfile
Engine: 649cc liquid-cooled fuel-injected parallel twin, DOHC, eight valves.
Maximum power: 64bhp @ 8,000rpm.
Maximum torque: 61Nm @ 6,800rpm.
Top speed: 115mph (estimated), average fuel consumption 48mpg (estimated).
Brakes: front, dual 300mm petal discs; rear, single 220mm petal disc.
Transmission: six-speed gearbox, chain final drive.
Suspension: front - 41mm inverted telescopic fork with stepless adjustable rebound damping and adjustable preload; rear - offset laydown single-shock with 13-way adjustable rebound damping and seven-way adjustable preload
Tyre: front - 120/70ZR17M/C; rear - 160/60ZR17M/C.
Brakes: front - dual semi-floating 300mm petal discs; rear - single 220mm petal disc.
Dimensions (LxWxH): 2,125mm x 840mm x 1,315mm
Wheelbase: 1415mm
Seat height: 840mm
Fuel capacity: 19l
Wet weight: 206kg, or 209kg with ABS
Price in Republic: €8,350 for non-ABS version. Bike World, Tel: 01-456 6222.
Price in NI: £5,499 or £5,849 with ABS. Test bike from Phillip McCallen, Lisburn,
Tel: 028 92 622 886; philipmccallen.com.