Aero-mods: 17 Kawasaki Versys X 300

[M_a_t_t]

I bought the bike new oct. 2017. I've been riding it consistently since, weather permitting, it's got ~11k miles (~18k km's) now and I've always got 55-63 MPG depending on the time of year. I've never had a dirtbike, but wanted to try offroading/overlanding and decided on this given I could live with it on the street if I didn't enjoy the overlanding ("ADV/dualsport"). So far I have taken it on 1 multi-day trip camping just going to different places that interested me around the state. I did enjoy it and want to continue, however it's primary use is definitely commuting. I try to ride in the ecomodder mindset, but I find I'm too focused on watching traffic and potential problems to do it effectively.

I don't really want to aero-mod it, but I am trying to get my house paid off as fast as I can and I know some mods could probably easily bring me up to 70-75 mpg range. I drive about 1000 miles/month just going to work, so not a whole lot, but I've been trying to cut down on everything a little bit.

So that brings me to where I am now. I want to do bolt on aeromods so that I can remove and return to stock should I choose to. I probably won't do much testing other than tank to tank. I've got almost 4 years of fuel log to compare to so that should be a good enough baseline.

Right now I think I will just try to mimic Craig Vetters best streamliners out of coroplast/other cheap and available materials.


Here is an up to date picture. I work 2nd shift so I get off around midnight and need the light (or something similar) for deer-watching. I've been seeing them pretty regularly the last few weeks.



I've been thinking about adding an MPGuino since it is fuel injected, but I'm worried about being water-proof. Both for getting caught in the rain and I usually park it un-covered outside. It does have a built in FE meter, but not as accurate or useful as an MPGuino. It shows instant (averaged over 4 seconds) and average since it was last reset. So the MPGuino may take awhile to pay off in savings since I've already got something to go off of.


Any thoughts/suggestions?

[freebeard]

How much can you lower the seat?

[M_a_t_t]

The seat is like 2 inches thick. I probably wouldn't modify the original one, but I might be able to make a thinner solo seat so I can still get to the battery without removing any fairing I put on it. The only thing under the rear portion of the seat is where the original toolkit goes. I've started putting together my own kit and it doesn't fit very conveniently under the seat anymore.

[M_a_t_t]

I've been going back and forth with this in my head. It just doesn't make sense to buy another motorcycle for this purpose. I think the fair compromise is gonna be make stuff bolt on and not modify anything permanently.

Anyway, that's why I haven't had any progress lately. I did change the chain and sprockets out. Just stock replacements. I almost went 8.7% taller, but the guys on the forum (kawasakiversys.com) were strongly suggesting not too, saying it was too much of a change. Plus there is a problem in the programming that gets rid of the gear indicator when the rear tire or sprockets go past ~5% deviation from stock. You can go one size in either direction without problems. It's just a 'cosmetic' issue. The bike still functions fine, just no gear indicator.

After the sprocket & chain change the instant fuel meter was showing much higher than before. At 55mph it was showing ~64-65. Lately it's been showing 75+. However, I just filled up and only got 62. I did get a picture of my backside on the bike to try and get an idea of what was the widest part of the bike at different segments. It's mostly me, which makes the most sense anyway.

I was looking at the seat and wondering If I could just remove the seat and put a flat one thats pretty much as thin as possible on it. My only concern is fitment with the foot pegs and handlebars (is it gonna make it really uncomfortable).


P.S. The tank only last for 4 days of commuting so checking tank to tank averages should be pretty quick.

[hayden55]

How many mph are you cruising at? For me i find myself driving 70 and 75 mph zones and my bike is buzzy up top. 07 klr 650. You can tell it is geared for 50 mph cruising in 5th.

Here's my mod list for the 07 KLR 650:
16" clearview front windshield: done
Wrap around crash bars: done
+2 front sprocket: purchased, need to install
Michelin Anakee Adventure Tires stock sizing: in progress

I went from *46 mpg to 52 mpg with the crash bars and windshield. Did them on the same tank of gas. I know for me I'm over-revving at 70 mph so the 15 to 17 front sprocket should make highway riding much nicer.

A lot of people are probably saying not to do the + sprocket because it makes them tougher to ride on slow trails and single track (you really have to ride the clutch because the idle is basically already faster than you wanna be moving lol). Kawasaki duals normally have a higher first gear anyways so it somewhat exacerbates the issue. lol

But i mostly just do paved roads and gravel roads.

I assume at 52 mpg if i trust the notoriously unreilable reserve that will get me about 350 miles bone dry.

I would say you would be okay with the + front sprocket depending on how non hardcore you are. If a +2 will fit with modifications even better. I know that our bikes weigh a similar amount, and both make 40 and 42 hp.

Most of the gains to be made on these at least for me are lowering the gearing as much as you can to barely maintain 70mph in 5th. We will see how the math works for me and if a +2 front is the max that will allow me to maintain 70 in 5th or if i can drop some teeth off the back as well and still maintain 70 in 5th. But hey there is always 4th gear? We will see how hardcore i wanna swing in this direction.

*Past that just shut it off at stop lights. On my daily 18 mile commute one way just shutting my cb 750 off at lights netted me +20% and i went from 46 to 55 mpg.

[M_a_t_t]

My commute is ~24 miles. 6-7 miles is in town (13 lights and 9 stop signs there is construction right now, usually only 1 sign) and the rest is state highways (55 mph). I don't go faster than 60. Sometimes I go 40-50 at night (2nd shift so off at 1130pm).

Mods on mine are the handguards, light bar, topcase, givi sidecase mounts (don't usually ride around with them on), new rear tire (continental conti-something), skid plate, and Givi crash-bars.

Was there a windshield stock? First gear is pretty low on this one. There aren't any (maybe a few) gravel roads around here. I am doing ~6k RPM at 60 mph in 6th so gearing is low. When I was reading Craig vetters posts about his streamliner he said the FE didn't get any better until he adjusted the gearing (it was a helix with a cvt) so I think you are probably right about it being a major gain. I already bought and installed stock gearing though so I'm probably gonna get some useage out of it first.

[hayden55]

Yup huge gain. Normally peak efficiency is as close to 2000 RPM at 90% load as you can get. And for cruising as low an rpm as possible. Since we are running such small engines we can't even get close to 2000 RPM without lugging the engine so literally every bit is super helpful. I'm running a single so I can get to about 2500 RPM and then it starts lugging.

Stock windshield is a little 2" lip which im convinced makes aero worse. The fast air goes to the top of my helmet now instead of chest.

I'm currently running 4800 RPM at 70 MPH. With the +2 sprocket ($30) it is 4250 RPM. I also do a lot of 45 MPH so that would put me at 2700 RPM. Seems to be a good mod.

*Vetter does some sweet stuff with the fairing but I don't know if I could willingly make something so ugly anymore haha. I will stick to the windshield and using a backpack instead of panniers.

[M_a_t_t]

The last 2 tanks I've tried something slightly different. The 2nd to last one I ducked roughly the thickness of my seat to try and test if there would be a change if I thinned the seat down. No change.

This last tank I tried a slightly different route. It added/exchanged stop lights for stop signs. I went from 6 stop lights to 6 stop signs. The speed limit is slower and there is basically no traffic though. I got 64.9 US mpg, which is about what I've been getting. However it reduced the trip by 1.3miles. Or almost a gallon of gas in a month. Not much, but it's a free 'mod'.

I think there is more to test with the thinner seat, particularly the windshield height/angle. I think I am already inside the deflected wind so it didn't help any for me to be ~2 inches lower. I might make a temporary windshield and retry that test.