As I wrote in my post Four years on a Kawasaki Versys (and the previous Two years on a Kawasaki Versys), this inexpensive bike has been a reliable ride.
I guess it had to end sooner or later. There’s one common problem I know of with this model of motorcycle, and it finally bit me, a little over five years and 53,450 miles into the journey.
The weak point on the original Versys 650 is the stator. Heat eventually damages the insulation on the wiring, it shorts out, and the electrical system dies a quick death. I knew this from reading about other Versys owners with burnt stators on the Versys forum.
It became far more than an academic issue a few weeks ago as I was riding home on a Sunday evening after a great weekend in Indianapolis for the MotoGP race. I was a little more than 40 miles from home on I-70 when I noticed that my digital dash was blank and the tachometer said the engine was at zero, even though I was flowing along with traffic at about 70 mph. I hoped it was a fuse or something and pressed on, with darkness not far off. Moments later, I signaled a lane change and noticed the turn signal looked very weak. That’s when I began to suspect I was not going to be lucky enough to get away with something as simple as a burnt-out fuse.
I got into the right lane, prepared to make a quick exit from the rather heavy traffic flow, if necessary, and it soon became necessary. The bike sputtered and died and I coasted to a stop under an overpass in Ohio farm country.
The good news was that I was only about 40 miles from home, and my AMA roadside assistance pays for 35 miles of towing, so I had to pay little out of pocket to get towed home. Having put more than 400 miles on the bike over the weekend, going to Indy and back, I would have had fewer and less convenient options had the bike died earlier.
The next day, the battery charged up as normal, which added credence to my suspicion that I was the latest to join the burnt stator club. I was able to ride the bike to my mechanic on battery power and they confirmed a burnt stator. About $300 later, I was back on the road.
You can see where the heat melted right through the insulation, exposing bare wire.
On my Four years on a Kawasaki Versys post, a reader who was moving to eastern Europe asked about potential mechanical weak points, since he didn’t know what mechanical support or parts availability he’d have there. Too late, I thought about mentioning the stator. It has left a few dozen Versys owners stranded, though usually ones with an above-average (by U.S. standards) mileage.
Now I can add personal experience to theoretical knowledge. Are you an owner who wants to know more about the odds of a burnt stator on your Versys? The best place to start is the sticky burnt stator thread at the Versys forum.
I love that you did 2 follow-ups. I just bought a 2010 Versys with 3k miles on it. It’s practically new. I plan to a journal too. I’m fairly new to riding and touring. What is your tip on avoiding a burnt stator? Is there anything I can do now to stop it from happening? Also do you have any suggestions on panniers?
The best way to get an education on the stator issue is to read the thread at the Versys Forum. Some have installed an upgraded regulator rectifier to try to avoid the problem. As for panniers, I have the Givi E21s, as you can see in the reviews. They are small, but I pack light. I also really like top-loading panniers, and most other options are side-loading, except for the heavy aluminum adventure-touring boxes. The Givi V35s are bigger, can be obtained color-matched through a Kawasaki dealer, and look slick, but they’re wider. Plus, the V35s use a different bracket than other Givis. Other Givi bags can be interchanged without changing the brackets. There are lots of other options, too. Again, a search of the Versys Forum will turn up loads of photos and suggestions.