Sounds like you want to take the Versys so I’d go with that, don’t forget that where you’re going there a lots of people who use motorcycles for their every day transport and very few will be adventure style ones.

If you’re worried about reliability then how about chopping in your old Versys for a new one then just take service items such as filters and brake pads etc and, perhaps a cable.
It’s a small jap twin - just routine services for 30K miles, if not more

Google Geals in west Africa
A story of 2 guys who circumvented Africa - one on an old 1150gs and one on a new Jap/Chinese 125 bought in Africa. The 1150 had some problems but it was old and the guy hadn’t really planned to go right round Africa so had done no prep. The 125 was trouble free.
It a brilliant read by both riders.

This is what I have done. I haven't upgraded too much on the Versys (just a skid plate and a tall windshield) because I wasn't sure if I will sell it soon.

It is currently the top contender.

I am worried ofc. The Versys only has 20k km right now. But it will probably be closer to 50k before I can start my journey to Africa...

I left home on a KLR with almost 50k miles (~80k km), rode it all over Central, South, and parts of North America, returned home and sold it at just under 100k miles (~160k km). Its new owner is still riding it around my town. It gave me some trouble from time to time, but certainly no more in its second 50k than it had in its first 50k. One distinct benefit: if I'd had to abandon the KLR for any reason, it had by then very little market value.

If I'd owned a Versys, I'd have taken it instead. No matter what you're riding, there'll be times you wish you'd chosen differently and times it serves you perfectly. The real point is to just go...then make the best of it.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

The Versys will be great. 50k kms on a thumper is ok, you can do another 100k - but start out with a new clutch (in addition to your typical - like brakes, tyres, etc, and consider also overhauling the top end as well

I would have invested in pannier racks and hard panniers for that trip. Holan seems equivalent to Touratech in quality, but cheaper. The panniers you take with you on your next bike, the rack sticks with the old bike.

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It a 300 twin, more revvy than a thumper but still should be fine.

At 50K I’d price up a good overhaul, as Wheelie says a new clutch, new brake master cylinders and cables all round as well as the usual. Then compare this to chopping in for a new one.
Have you considered approaching Kawasaki for sponsorship? I don’t remember reading about anyone who’s done this kind of thing on a Versys before, you never know - Honda have been generous with the CRF in the past.

Main thing is it looks like you’ve got your bike choice sorted

FlipFlop makes a good argument. Putting your Versys in top notch will cost time and money, especially so if you farm out the work. When it came to swap my clutch on my F650GS dakar at 50k, I was too busy and unmotivated at that time for such a time consuming job, and farming it out just didn't make economical sense compared to selling it and getting something else. I ended up selling it and never regretted it. Had it happened now, with less work on my plate, I might have gone down the route of looking high and low for a good deal on good parts and doing the work myself - but probably not.

When you sum up all the parts and labor (put a value on your own time if you are to do it yourself). How much further would you have to dig into your pocket to get the bike that you want, and how much would the resale value be of that bike compared to the versys - after the trip?

Now, I'm not the best advocate as of what to do here. I opted for completely overhauling and kitting an old classic 200 cc Vespa scooter to participate in the Budapest Bamako Rally (ended up in Guniea Bissau). With 12 hp, 10 inch wheels, virtually no ground clearance or shock travel, very unreliable - it is fair to say that it was unsuitable (but capable). Conscidering I had the Dakar and a 250 enduro bike in my garage - I understand what it means to ride what you love. I also understand that for every km you ride, the less preoccupied you will become about bike legacy and senitmental attributes, and the more you will come to desire the most suitable functional attributes for the ride you are on. To put it short - for such a long trip. Get the most capable bike your time and budget allows for.

The Versys will be a good bike if you put it back into shape - but following FlipFlops argument, the Versys might not be the most sensible choice still. If you go for the Versys, you won't make a very wrong decision though, just not necessarily the most optimal deciscion.

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All great points, however, riding a motorcycle is a an emotional choice not a logical one - as you say, hence the Vespa

I had a choice to make a few years ago. My 1100gs had 115K miles on the clock, it was still running but needed some work. Do I spend the money on the bike or change it for a newer model?

At the time I was doing a 500 mile a week commute + other usual rides - it was a 500 mile round trip to see my mum. I decided to spend the money on the bike, which was around £2K less than upgrading to the bike I wanted. I went on to do another 65K miles by which time my long commute stopped. I then sold it, for not much money, and upgraded to a bike which isn’t piling on the mileage - I average about 12K a year now (not with Covid, obviously)
This was a logical decision which turned out to be a good one - the emotional bit comes that I chose the same bike, just a newer model.

My wife had a bike that she never really jelled with - even though she did 30K miles in under 4 years. It had a repair that was going to cost around £1K, she ended up paying a hell of a lot more money to upgrade. She absolutely loves the bike she has now.

So 2 different stories, both with happy endings - which probably won’t help with your decision

My plan is to do some off-road days on various different bikes over the next 2 years. Honda, Yamaha and BMW offer them in the UK plus there are places you can go with your own bike. Then I’ll probably just take my own bike

I am getting some mixed advice . So my current plan is to ride the Versys for now, then when the CRF 300 Rally is available I will test ride it. If I fall for her, I will buy one. Else I'll just keep my first love the Versys.

You will usually allways get mixed advice. I guess, when it comes down to it, your choices - they are all good. So, we are probably just mostly talking about minute differences in personal preferences and priorities. You can't go truely wrong with any of the options mentioned - they are all more than capable, and all fairly suitable. If you think the Versys is best - go for it. I personally would have chosen the Honda for myself - but then again, I am not you and I have never walked in your shoes. But, I would be more than happy to cross africa on the other options as well - in addition to a whole list of other favorites of mine:

• Yamaha WR250R - has a very large adventure bike cult following all across Australia, and in many other places in the world. It has proven itself in spades. It has made many RTWs, it is very reliable, it is very capable on the technical bits, and kitting it for long distance creature comforts won't cost too much. Besides the small displacement options you mentioned, this one also makes the list of my favorite light bikes.
• BMW F650GS Dakar - throw some panniers on and go. It's a bit old now. It's reliability is decent. It has proven itself RTW. It is fairly light for its class.
• BMW F800GS - more touring comfort than the Dakar. Heavy, but capable. Reliability less good, but still acceptible, and the large quirks of the early days has been ironed out.
• Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports (or regular) - preferably 2020 or later with DCT automatic transmission with wheelie control. Heavy, but very capable. All the riding assistance modes you need for a powerful and heavy adventure bike that carries lots of luggage... but it is expensive. If I could have any bike in the world, and only one - I would be hard pushed to choose between this and the T7
• Yamaha XT660Z Tenere - very capable, slightly heavy, very reliable, affordable.
• Yamaha Tenere 700 (T7) - all the mods you would have done on the XT660Z is now standard on the Rally Edition. No other bike of this size comes close to give you as much bang for buck for this kind of travelling. They've omitted all the things you don't need - that you usually find on other large adventure bikes. Hence it is more affordable to both buy and maintain, it becomes lighter and more reliable, its easy to use... I bet this will become the most popular large adventure motorcycle in africa this coming decade.
• Husquarna 701 Enduro - kit it for another 5-6-7 grand and you got an extremely capable bike. Not a very economical option maybe. And reliability and serviceability? But it would be fun as hell on the technical bits.
• KTM 690 - as with the Husqvarna

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A most excellent plan I think

Take what you have and know well. Spend the extra money on traveling longer, or be able to splurge once or twice along the way. It’ll give you way more joy. Switching will cost you, equipping the new bike will cost you, learning to maintain the new bike will cost you. Re money, see above, re your time and energy, spend it on figuring out visa, routes and backup routes.

(I’ve done Africa and Asia on a KTM LC4)

Edit: some of the bikes suggested above are awesome. WR, T7, 690R/701LR... if I had unlimited money out of these a rallye equipped 701/690 is the best bike hands down (for me). BUT: it will cost you between 6,000 and 10,000 EUR extra over what you have, which is 6-10 months worth of traveling Africa.

When you are there, you’ll make your versys work and the adventure will be great. No matter what bike you have, there are always 3-5 days when you curse and wish for a lighter bike, and there are always 3-5 days when you wish for a better tourer, but the other 200 days you’re smiling.

I went and test rode the T7 today. Did some highway, gravel and light off road.

Comparing vs my Versys:

Upsides

- great power and an absolute blast to ride, can overtake people very easily, you are almost always the fastest thing on the road.

- very stable on the highway

- Engine is more quiet at highway speeds, revs stay low

- Nice big wheels and ground clearance makes it easy to drive over bumps

Even:

- The vibrations at highway speed are about the same as my VX-300

- Longer valve clearance, shorter engine oil interval


Downsides

- clutch lever is a lot stiffer, hard to go back to something like this after the VX slipper clutch

- cant flat foot it, lowering removes upside of ground clearance

- heavier, top heavy, harder to pick up

- not as nimble, harder to 180 turn - especially on a hill (happens quite often when I explore small roads that end abruptly)

- smaller fuel tank


My thoughts:

It's not clear to me that the T7 is an upgrade. Maybe if you are a lot taller and stronger than I am, it might be a better bike for you. Or if you ride in a group and don't worry about picking it up or getting stuck.

It is more fun than my VX-300 for sure, and that counts for a lot. But for me the VX is a better choice.

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Hopefully going to test ride the 300 Rally next week.