Versys owners checkin

cool thanks. something i like to have. my ride home can easily vary by 35 degrees in the summer over 40 miles.

Here are a few seat pics. Green bike has Sargent and the black bike is seat concepts. Foam feels about the same but the Sargent defiantly has a wider passenger seat. The seat concepts sits you up about an inch higher than stock. Both way better than stock but first impressions are seat concepts is a much better value but Sargent is much quicker and better customer service. It was ordered weeks after seat concepts and arrived sooner. (A week from order date) May have to get my wife out for a couple rides to test passenger comfort.

Different seat foam, better seat angle and slightly wider seating area are all good but in the end it is a platform width that matches your seating area that provides long-term riding comfort. If an aftermarket seat re-do like Sargent or Seat Concepts works for you - fine. But if not, it's Russel Day-Long or Terry's Custom Seats for the win.

Always on the search for the ultimate setup indeed. In the end, it's probably not going to be a Kawalski. I'd like to try a Bonneville or Triumph Scrambler as the seat is longer and rather basic. Perhaps someday. I have logged 36,000 miles on a Versys, and my primary complaint is always the seating. It's that danged hump in it for the passenger that most of us never carry. It's too far forward for many, as it is for me.

I guess this is part of my point - everyone can check their seating needs before they do any trial-and-error purchases. Just sit on a decent hardwood dining room chair and measure the contact area at the back (or even have someone photograph you from the rear sitting on your bike). There is a reason why Police Department motorcycle saddles the world over are designed the way they are and why much of the saddlery you see on the showroom floor isn't - they are designed for bike appearance and sales.

Looks like you cant get along with much at all. Lol.

Has anyone tried the spencer seat

Had an awesome time today, the gameland roads and fire roads turned into something very different once we ventured further. A riding buddy on a KLR 650 lead. Had an awesome time, though parts turned into pretty much single track, deep sand etc. Makes for a good morning ride.

Thanks, but I'm trying to fit it to a 2008/first gen. Versys.
The first gen's were not "drilled" anywhere, no knock-out panels for cig. sockets.
I know from oldy-time posts that some, back in the day, were using the socket I depicted, but I am not sure where or how they parked it, but I know they were not drilling any panels.

Maybe no one rides first gen's anymore
Mine won't seem to die, I was just doing some wiring upgrades and had been meaning to upfit that socket someplace clever.

no panel drill WP socket mount for the top of the 1st gen Versys bar mount. easy to fab in aluminum, simple spacers and longer M8s required. fab, paint, mount, might take an hour...if you're clever.

I'm still riding mine.. although I did upgrade it to the Finicky Italian Edition... also know as the Faux Six-Fiddy (or maybe the f649 in some sexy font)

Edit: I recently added a twin usb plug with voltage... just drilled the correct size hole in one of the black dash panels. Had to wire it to a keyed positive because it sucked the battery down in a few days hooked directly, but I'm good with that.

I still ride my '08, but I am old school. No electronic accessories other than a heat jacket harness connected straight to they battery...

Gustavo

Hey guys, my 09 has started being touchy to start, acts like the tip over sensor has tripped. When I go to start it cranks, then fi light, then cranks , then fi light. If I turn off key, and switch back on it usually starts, though it has been doing it more often. Any ideas? 56k on the deer flipped versys, but all is good other wise. Recently replaced a stuck thermostat.

Atalanta... that tan paint looks nice.

Do you hear the fuel pump come on when you switch it on? Problems starting are often related to the switch, which corrodes and has issues making good contact, but then the lights won't come on or will go off when you hit the starter.

Gustavo

Just went out and tried, heard pump both times I tried, and it started. Next time it fails will try and pay attention to pump noise.
The week before I did have bad fuel, and had to run two tanks to clear it, thinking water in fuel. Felt like a clogged fuel filter and bogged down, and then would suddenly go. Could this be related?

Hey everyone, I have a question. My bike has been running great and has experienced no heat problems in 90+ degrees here in Tennessee. I have read you should replace coolant every 3 years or 20 thousand miles. The bike has 12k miles right now and I’m not sure if the previous owner had changed the coolant. (I got the bike at 7k miles). My question is should I change the coolant even though it seems to be doing fine? Bike is a 2012

It's possible that there is some debris in the tank that is partially clogging the pump inlet at times. Just in case, empty the tank and inspect it, clean the filter if it looks like there is any debris around. IIRC, the filter is built into the pump and not a replaceable part on it's own. That doesn't mean you couldn't replace it, just not with an OEM part.


Gustavo

In the automotive world, you can do 2 tests to see if coolant really needs to be replaced; litmus test for acidity and specific gravity test (floating balls) to see if the mix would cool/not freeze properly. Given the small amount of coolant volume it comes down to how much aggravation it is to get to the radiator. If it is a pain, then it is just as easy to drain/refill as it is to test.

Also in the automotive world the regular changes are 5years or 100k miles and I can’t see motorcycle coolant being that much different as in it probably all comes from the same factory and just put in different bottles