2012 650 Adventure-Touring Shootout: BMW G650GS vs. Kawasaki Versys vs. Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS

It's Hard to decide but, I think the Kawasaki Versys is the most beautiful of them.

I haven't ridden for 20 + years and thinking now on getting the new vstrom 650.Any suggestions ?

I bought a V-Strom and could not be happier, it's an excellent bike. Mine is the 2015 XT ABS model.

Yet my 07 versys has abs?

Go for Wee..have the best of two..

Agree with the review but I do like the F650 looks.

please turn off that dreadful brain numbing music off - we are not all weak beer swilling morons.

American Journalism is such unprofessional consumerist crap.

it looks interesting. what's uq, invention purring what's happeninh..

The BMW dealer actually strongly discouraged me from getting the 'g' 650 gs when I told him I was also looking at the vStrom. He insisted on showing me the 700 and 800. He said that would be more like comparing apples to apples. I ended up getting a 2008 twin 650 in mint shape and saved a lot of money (privately) . However there was one hitch . The insurance was cheaper for the brand new bike (2015) compared to the 2008 f650gs. ($300 +/- difference) . I guess the insurance company sees it as an 800cc although it is detuned to 650 specs. ? (I live in the Toronto area)
Nice video! One thing about the gs in your video, it was very light and easy to Maneuver.

what about klr 650 if you do more dirt riding you choose it and if ur more road you go for the versy's so talking bad about the versy's offroad capability's is because they have a more dirt oriented touring 650.

I have an '11 Vstrom I've put 39k miles on in the past 3 years including trips to Labrador, Gaspe and Newfoundland. It's definitely the bike for long trips. Its everything people say about it. I call it my "magic carpet ride".

I also just purchased an '03 F650GS thumper. Despite same displacements, I don't find that much overlap. If I want to explore local roads the choice is clear. If I want to take a weekend trip of 800 or 1,000 miles, the choice is also clear. My choices and options have opened up with the GS. I can't always pack up for overnights or longer and the GS always finds the road less traveled....the cost of both bikes is no more than a new Vstrom. Now, the farkles: that's another matter....

The V-Strom is just so competent and comfortable, gets 55 MPG, can go to Alaska and back, and the engine is bulletproof. Versys is weird looking.

C Jayy - How full of shit you are. No wonder you have comments and replies turned off. On what planet is a single cylinder motor more expensive to maintain than the  inline twin or for that matter the V-Twin? Do you know the labor cost to adjust the valves on a V-Strom? It ain't pretty! The BMW adjust cost me $75! It's one cylinder requiring less actually than one hour to tune. I think back when I had my V-Strom the first service was like $350.

I owned a 2005 V-Strom. Comfy bike, but LARGE and bulky. Wheelie popper no doubt, but what they don't say here is that if you're not a tall rider then you should stay away from this bike as the seat height is for tall people. I'm 6'2" and throwing a leg over this bike compared to the others becomes a chore, especially if you have bags. The aerodynamics of the V-Strom suck on the highway. The windshield hits the wind like a snow plow (in any position) making the bike buffet side to side a lot. By the time I finished a 160 mile trip my wrists were sore from the constant minute adjustments required to hold a straight line. Believe me, the aerodynamics and most of this bike have not changed since its inception. I tried to take this out on a sandy trail and I about died. I turned around within 50 feet of my attempt, and that's after reducing air pressure in the tires. It's just too damn HEAVY a bike. The BMW had no problem, nor did the Versys. For being as expensive as it is these days (back in 2005 it was a good deal - not anymore) I'd say Suzuki is overweight, over-priced, and way outdated compared to the others in this compare. Oh and the nuts and bolts and header pipes started rusting quite quickly with the V-Strom. And that's from 99% city riding with the bike staying outdoors. Very cheap materials on the Suzuki.

Over 31,000 on the Vstrom battle tank. Gas, plugs and tires. Sherman tank best analogy.

What's up. Top Notch. hungry science What's your opinion about that 1!

can they all cruise on freeway with 75mi/hr?
or they are too light for that?

The more I learn about the V-Strom the more I like it, though it would be sweet to have a shaft-drive as an option.