Kawasaki has finally unveiled its first dual-sport motorcycle in India — the KLX 230. Yeah, the company is holding off on the price announcement till December 2024. It is likely that the price would be revealed at the India Bike Week 2024 in Goa.
The Kawasaki KLX 230 is powered by a 233cc single-cylinder air-cooled motor that makes 17.8 bhp and 1.86 kgm, and is paired with a six-speed transmission. Yeah, it may not seem much, but what should make this KLX stand out is its chassis.
With a kerb weight of 139 kg, the Kawasaki KLX 230 is almost 30 kg lighter than the Hero XPulse 200 4V Pro. The engine is cradled in a box-section perimeter frame that uses a telescopic fork and linked monoshock suspension setup. Kawasaki has armed this bike with a 21/18-inch wheel setup shod with wire-spoke rims. And finally, to drop the anchor, there’s a 265-mm disc brake at the front and a 220-mm unit at the rear, backed by the safety net of dual-channel ABS. What all of this also means is that the KLX has a seat height of 880 mm.
While the engine and the chassis are straight off the KLX 230R S, the design isn’t. For obvious reasons, the dual-sport version comes with all the necessary bits that make it road-legal. However, except for the headlight cowl and tail-light section, the bike is identical to its competition-spec sibling. Of course, with the India debut, also comes a big saree guard and a luggage carrier, which add a few kilos to the bike.
The Kawasaki KLX 230 opens up a new avenue for everyone looking for a motorcycle to hone off-road riding. With Team Green localising the bike for our market, we expect the price to be around Rs 2.8 lakh ex-showroom. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait till December to know how the KLX 230 rides, so stay tuned.
