The Versys 650 and Me
I bought a 2019 Versys 650 LT, in 2025 with 8,000 miles on the clock. As for my riding background, I am a member of the Iron Butt Association, have owned & ridden many Bikes for many years. They've ranged from 50cc's to 1,700cc's...I have also rode over 1,000 miles in under 24 hours. Add numerous advanced riding classes, and have ridden on the race track. Bikes have been, and will always be, in my blood.
At this point in my life, when I'm not traveling the Intestate for hours on end, I wanted a lighter weight bike that can handle the twisties, be a good all around ride. My search was on, and that is when I found my Versys...
This bike checked every box I was looking for, at a great price over new. A bike feels so much better when its paid for! The only feature missing is Cruise Control. Which brought me to my issues. Over the winter, I had a Knuckle replacement on the throttle hand, and now facing Carpel Tunnel surgery on the same hand. It was a brutal ride last Fall when I took a ride to the Smokey Mountains (Tail of the Dragon, Skyline Drive, Cherohala Skyway, etc.), about 1,425 miles over four days.
The problem is, when you can't ride, due to recovering from Surgery, is you start looking at what Bikes are out there, compared to the Versys. My excuse was wanting a Bike with OEM Cruise Control, so I thought. I've owned a big Sport Touring Bike (Yamaha FJR1300 @ 650 lbs.), but I didn't want the weight. I've looked at the Triumph 660, Yamaha Tracer 900 GT, Suzuki V-Strom 650 and 800, and several others...
But, except for the Cruise Control, all roads kept coming back to my Versys...I had the ECU flashed (OMG, what a difference in rideability), and a Laundry List of farkles to fit and protect the Bike to my 5'8" inseam. It truly fits like a glove. When I imagine one of those Bikes listed above, sitting in my Mancave, none of them get me so excited that it convinced me to let the Versys go. IMHO, that is why the Bike is so good. Don't get me wrong, I love a fast Bike, but for the street, the Versys is plenty fast enough. So, another month or so of recovery, and for now, the Versys remains. One Iron Butt certified ride that WILL put the Versys to the test...the Coast to Coast 50 (Jacksonville Beach, Florida, to San Diego Beach) in 50 hours or less. If my Versys 650 can endure such a ride, that will confirm the value of the Versatile System! Keep the rubber side down, Boys.