Having sat on, but not ridden both, I was surprised how different they were. The wee-Strom feels like a big sport tourer, with a nice half fairing and windshield and big fat seats. It’s also long and wide and heavy, coming pretty close in all measures to it’s 1000cc sibling.
The Versys feels and is much lighter, with less girth and a shorter wheelbase. The windshield and fairing are both smaller, so you will be more exposed to the elements. I’ve ridden the Versys and it handles like a much smaller bike (in a good way), but still feels solid and confident. It’s a cool bike that feels very natural and intuitive in its handling.
I think both engines have been detuned slightly from their SV and Ninja platforms.
As mentioned, both have large gas cans and carry their weight up high. Both remain on my list for a future upgrade to a smaller cc commuter. In the end, the wee-Strom might fit MY needs better because of the larger fairing/shield and bigger tank — but I’m just as likely to get the V because it has a cooler looking rear suspension.