I just had my new Versys serviced for the first time. The service at Kawasaki Chiang Mai was typically good, efficient and friendly. The cost for the service was 1500baht using the highest quality oil.
However..................!
When I bought my bike (368,000baht), it was fitted with a variety of accessories including a rear mudguard directly above the tyre. Within 500klms, this guard had cracked and I noticed it was a poor fit and not centered above the tyre. By the time I took it to Kawasaki for the service, the guard was badly cracked. I pointed it out to the service bloke, and said I wanted it replaced under warranty. He indicated this would be no problem.
While waiting for the service to be completed, the young boss of the organisation (nice bloke) came to me and told me he could replace the guard with a similar one at no cost, but, he said, it would crack again because the locally manufactured guard was junk. He told me he would replace it with a good quality product but that would cost me an extra 4000baht. I told him to go ahead and do it. The new one looks better, fits better (even though it is attached at one point with a cable tie rather than a bolt) and I expect it will last. The retail cost of the new guard is apparently 6,500baht..he gave me a discount equal to the cost of the original guard at 2,500baht.
The problem is; why did he fit junk to a motorbike with a cost of almost 400k?...and he fitted it knowing the item was junk and that it had a history of cracking.
However, if you are going to buy a Versys, ask specifically if the rear guard is ABS plastic (good) or fibreglass (junk). Also take note of hand guards and crash bars. The good stuff is SW Motech, the cheap Thai made knock off (admitted by Kawasaki) is of significantly inferior quality.
I am not saying there is any rip-off, just that you get what you pay for and it seems there is, for the moment at least, a policy of fitting rubbish if the genuine article is out of stock.
I was met in Chiangmai by a fellow GT rider, who showed me great courtesy, good company and took me for a nifty lunch and guided me through CM. My ride home to Pai was terrific as I can now hook-into-it with more than 4000rpm. Yay!!
Oops...nearly forgot. The kick plates above the footpegs were marked and the paint was worn through after less than 1000klms (and I wear soft shoes). It looks daggy and is a big let down for what is otherwise an excellent product. I have pointed out the problem to Kawasaki Chiangmai and have been told they will work on it. Meanwhile, perhaps there is someone who can manufacture a billet cut item to replace the factory s-h-one-t.
However..................!
When I bought my bike (368,000baht), it was fitted with a variety of accessories including a rear mudguard directly above the tyre. Within 500klms, this guard had cracked and I noticed it was a poor fit and not centered above the tyre. By the time I took it to Kawasaki for the service, the guard was badly cracked. I pointed it out to the service bloke, and said I wanted it replaced under warranty. He indicated this would be no problem.
While waiting for the service to be completed, the young boss of the organisation (nice bloke) came to me and told me he could replace the guard with a similar one at no cost, but, he said, it would crack again because the locally manufactured guard was junk. He told me he would replace it with a good quality product but that would cost me an extra 4000baht. I told him to go ahead and do it. The new one looks better, fits better (even though it is attached at one point with a cable tie rather than a bolt) and I expect it will last. The retail cost of the new guard is apparently 6,500baht..he gave me a discount equal to the cost of the original guard at 2,500baht.
The problem is; why did he fit junk to a motorbike with a cost of almost 400k?...and he fitted it knowing the item was junk and that it had a history of cracking.
However, if you are going to buy a Versys, ask specifically if the rear guard is ABS plastic (good) or fibreglass (junk). Also take note of hand guards and crash bars. The good stuff is SW Motech, the cheap Thai made knock off (admitted by Kawasaki) is of significantly inferior quality.
I am not saying there is any rip-off, just that you get what you pay for and it seems there is, for the moment at least, a policy of fitting rubbish if the genuine article is out of stock.
I was met in Chiangmai by a fellow GT rider, who showed me great courtesy, good company and took me for a nifty lunch and guided me through CM. My ride home to Pai was terrific as I can now hook-into-it with more than 4000rpm. Yay!!
Oops...nearly forgot. The kick plates above the footpegs were marked and the paint was worn through after less than 1000klms (and I wear soft shoes). It looks daggy and is a big let down for what is otherwise an excellent product. I have pointed out the problem to Kawasaki Chiangmai and have been told they will work on it. Meanwhile, perhaps there is someone who can manufacture a billet cut item to replace the factory s-h-one-t.
