So here’s the thing. Every time we talk about “adventure bikes” in South Africa, the conversation swings straight to the big bruisers. It’s like nobody even remembers that not everyone wants, or needs a two-wheeled behemoth just to head up a gravel road on the weekend.
Enter Kawasaki’s Versys-X 300. It’s been quietly lurking in the background for a long time now, minding its own business, selling quietly, just waiting for people to realise that adventure riding doesn’t have to be 250 kilos of bike and a monthly instalment the size of your bond…
We have ridden them a lot and can tell you… this little green machine might just be the most underrated lightweight adventure bike in South Africa right now. Let me explain.
When you walk up to it, the Versys looks like a “real” adventure bike. Not a toy. It rolls on 17″ Spoked wheels, has a tallish stance, proper tank, beaky front end… Nice!
Climb on, and the ergonomics are spot on. You sit upright, commanding, with wide bars and a relaxed reach. The seat height is tall enough to feel adventurous but not so high that you need stilts to stop at the robots. The average 1,75cm/1,80cm rider can easily be flat footed when stopped. For new riders or those intimidated by tall adventure bikes, this is already a win.
Now, 296 cc doesn’t sound like much when your mates are rolling out 1200s, but here’s the kicker, Kawasaki dropped in the same parallel twin that powered the Ninja 300. Which means it’s smooth, rev happy, and surprisingly eager.
You’ve got to work it, sure – the magic doesn’t really happen until you get the tacho swinging past 7 000. But when it wakes up, it pulls with a grin inducing enthusiasm that makes you want to wring its neck just for fun. It’s not going to win traffic light drags against the big boys, but it does sit comfortably at 120 to 130 km/h without breaking a sweat. We even pushed it up quite a bit higherbut she’s not made for that. While you do get some buzz through the bars, it’s stable and happy enough at higher speeds.
Handling… here’s where the Versys really starts to shine. On tar, it feels planted. It doesn’t wobble or wander, even at speed. The suspension is set up on the softer side, which means it soaks up our wonderful pothole infested roads and bumpy side roads with ease.
On gravel? Honestly, we have always been impressed. It’s not a Dakar weapon, the ABS stays on permanently, so you can’t really slide the back wheel around too much, but on hardpack gravel, dirt tracks, and farm roads, it feels confident. The spoked wheels and the geometry give you a bit of give and wobble forgiveness, so you can let it dance underneath you without panic.
Light weight is the game changer here. At under 180 kilos wet, the Versys is a breeze to handle when things get sketchy. Drop it? Pick it up. Need to paddle it through a tight spot? Easy. Compare that to trying to hoist an adventure battleship out of the mud.
Adventure bikes live and die by how far they can go on a tank, and here the little Kawa punches way above its weight. With a 17 litre tank and fuel economy that makes scooters jealous, we have comfortably gotten over 300 km before even thinking about the next petrol station.
The seat is surprisingly good. Not sofa plush, but not a plank either. After a few hours, you’ll want a break, but by then the tank is begging for a sip anyway. The screen does a decent job of keeping wind off your chest, and the riding position keeps fatigue to a minimum. It’s not a Gold Wing, but for long weekends and even some touring, it’ll do the job just fine.
Here’s where we think the Versys-X 300 deserves more love. It’s not just a weekend toy. It’s actually a great all rounder.
Commuting? Absolutely. Light, narrow, sips fuel, easy to thread through traffic.
Weekend blasts? Hell yes. Wind it up on the back roads and you’ll be surprised how entertaining 300 cc can be.
Light adventure? That’s its sweet spot. Gravel roads, farm detours, scenic routes, it eats them up.
It might not be the bike you’d choose to cross Africa two up with luggage, but for 90% of the riding most of us actually do? It’s damn near perfect.
And then there’s the kicker: the price. Right now, Kawasaki South Africa has them listed at R89 995. Read that again. A brand-new, twin-cylinder, Japanese-built adventure bike for under ninety grand.
That’s cheaper than some smaller bikes. It’s cheaper than a lot of used bikes. It’s literally the price of a pannier set and crash bars for some of the big adventure machines.
Which makes us wonder why more people aren’t snapping these up. Honestly, it might be the bargain of the year.
So who should be buying this bike?
New riders who want something approachable but still capable.
Commuters who like the idea of an adventure styled bike with actual legs.
Weekend explorers who want to hit the gravel without remortgaging the house.
Experienced riders who’ve had the big adventure bikes and are tired of wrestling hippos through the bush.
It’s not perfect, the ABS thing is a small gripe for the more serious and experienced rider, but ideal for the newbie, and at highway speeds you’re not going to mistake it for a litre bike on top end, but it has plenty grunt to quickly whip out and pass slower moving traffic, and in every other respect, it punches way above its weight.
The Kawasaki Versys-X 300 is the little bike that can do just about everything. It’s not flashy, it’s not dripping in electronics, and it’s not going to win you braai fire bragging rights.
But if you want a bike that’s fun, practical, light, economical, and genuinely adventurous, this is it.
It’s the bike that makes you realise you don’t always need more. More weight, more power, more money… sometimes less is more.
Underrated? Absolutely. In fact,we’d go as far as to say it’s the most underrated adventure bike in South Africa right now. If you’ve been overlooking it, do yourself a favour: throw a leg over one. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
