Due to the aforementioned traffic impediment and an additional slowdown near Bracebridge due to construction, I was far behind my schedule but decided to stop in North Bay for the night, since the air grew frigid and fog rolled in as the temperature sunk to the low single digits. A four o’clock am start the next morning was initially a difficult proposition but proved a worthwhile undertaking as it resulted in witnessing a truly beautiful sunrise. Mental note: Summer gear is for summer riding, buy warmer gear.

The 17-inch tarmac-friendly tires wrapping the six-spoked wheels may stifle a rider’s plans to challenge more daunting trails. (Photo: Rob Stimpson)

Designed for low- to mid-range grunt, the Versys is quick out of the gate, which came in handy not only while battling weekend traffic, but also climbing rugged trails and crossing rocky streams. The six-speed transmission mated to the 649cc mill assists in offering spirited acceleration when starting from a standstill or even at triple digit speeds.

Thanks to the 180mm ground clearance and suspension with adjustable damping and preload front and rear, the Versys may be ready to tackle anything but the 17-inch tarmac-friendly tires wrapping the six-spoked wheels may stifle a rider’s plans to challenge more daunting trails. Swapping them for a pair of knobbies would prove easy enough and would allow riders to tackle far more challenging riding conditions.

The instrument panel has an analog tachometer and digital readout for the speedometer, fuel gauge, odometer, trip metres and a clock along with white LED backlighting for increased visibility at night, which certainly came in handy for me as much of my trip took place after sunset and prior to sunrise. One missing element, on this trip in particular, was the availability of heated handgrips, which are standard on competitors such as the BMW F650GS. It wouldn’t be too much of an investment in time or money to add aftermarket ones though.

Venturing off the main highway a number of times in search of the squiggly lines on the map, I discovered some incredible roads with tarmac as smooth as ice and not a taillight to be seen anywhere. Sparsely inhabited by cottagers, native peoples and year-round inhabitants, on several occasions I rode uninterrupted for over an hour without even coming into contact with another soul.

The instrument panel has an analog tachometer and digital readout for the speedometer, fuel gauge, odometer, trip metres and a clock along with white LED backlighting. (Photo: Dustin A. Woods/Moto123.com)