Just a few days after we saw the Kawasaki Versys 1100 lineup’s existence confirmed for Europe, we now see a version of the bike is also confirmed for Canada, along with its sportbike counterpart. But alas, we will not get the cool retro W230 that American buyers are getting. At least, not for now.
Last month, we saw the Versys 1100 would go to Europe in three versions: The standard bike, the Versys 1100 S and the Versys 1100 SE. Here in Canada, we get another version of the bike for 2025, the Versys 1100 SE LT. It’s basically the same thing as the SE model, but with a set of hard panniers with 28-litre capacity per side. A USB-C charger on the handlebar makes it easier to charge your phone, which of course can tie in with Kawasaki’s TFT dash to make nav and other tasks easier.
The big-bore Versys makes about 133 hp, according to Kawasaki, thanks to a combination of a re-tuned inline four-cylinder engine that also gets stroked to 1099cc. Mid-range output is also punched up, and Kawasaki re-tuned the quickshifter as well to give you better clutch-free launching.
Kawasaki’s self-healing paint is also standard on the Versys 1100 LT SE this year, so if you’re putting in long miles, the bike’s not going to scuff up as much.
The chassis itself seems to be relatively unchanged from the previous SE model, with Showa Skyhook suspension as standard, and the bodywork isn’t much different either. The MSRP is $19,999 in Canada next year, which is pretty cheap when you consider our friends south of the border are paying $19,499 USD.
If you don’t want to spend that kind of cash, but you want a practical streetbike, the Ninja 1000SX will come in much cheaper at $14,999 MSRP, or $16,999 for the Ninja 1100SX SE. Of course this is more of a sport-tuned suspension than the Versys, but you still get that USB-C charging port, a 4.3-inch TFT dash with ability to switch riding modes and power modes through that interface, and cornering-sensitive traction control and ABS. Cruise control is standard as well. In other words, it’s more street-friendly, but it’s a motorcycle you could live with for the long haul.
If you pay more for that SE model, the Ninja gets a set of Brembo brakes (300mm discs up front with M4.32 calipers) and an Ohlins S46 shock with remote preload adjustment, as well as heated grips—more comfort, more performance. And speaking of performance, the Ninja 1100 gets the same engine updates as the Versys, so you’re looking at a big jump over the previous model.
See more details on the new bikes at Kawasaki’s Canadian website—the Versys 1100 LT SE is here, the Ninja 1100SX is here.
Wot, no W230?
Kawasaki’s American counterparts also announced a super-cool retro today, the W230. With the same air-cooled single-cylinder engine as the KLX230 (see our review here), this is not a very powerful bike. It is, however, a very cool-looking bike, with paint and lines that echo the original W-series machines of the 1960s and 1970s. EFI and ABS is standard, and it’s light (143kg curb weight) and has a low seat height (745mm). It should be an easy-to-ride bike for beginners.
But for now, it is not coming to Canada, according to Kawasaki’s Canadian office. If you want to learn more about the machine and decide if you’d like to see it here, check out the American website for more deets.
No W230 because in Canada they would charge $7900 and know nobody would pay that.