The 223cc single-cylinder air-cooled 2V engine on Kawasaki KLX230 is a rather simple unit with just 18.1 bhp and 18.3 Nm
Ever since Kawasaki has been operating in India, we have seen quite a few off-roaders on sale. But they weren’t road legal and enthusiasts craved a good offering from Team Green. Kawasaki has responded with the launch of KLX230 in India that has been priced at Rs 3.3 lakh (Ex-sh), which is around twice the cost of a Hero Xpulse 200.
Kawasaki KLX230 Launch
With Indian automotive market evolving, more and more enthusiasts have been adopting premium vehicles. Within motorcycling realm, ADVs and off-road bikes have seen a lot of love from enthusiasts. Hero MotoCorp, Royal Enfield and Yezdi have been catering to this niche. Now, Kawasaki has just entered the race with the KLX230.
This is not the higher-spec KLX230S that we were hoping. At Rs 3.3 lakh (Ex-sh), KLX230 is more expensive than Himalayan 450. Looking at the motorcycle’s specs and features, Kawasaki KLX230 directly rivals to Hero Xpulse 200 4V and Xpulse 200 4V Pro that are priced at Rs 1.51 lakh (Ex-sh) and Rs 1.64 lakh (Ex-sh) respectively.
Diving right into the specs, Kawasaki KLX230 is powered by a rather simple 233cc, 2V, air-cooled engine with around 18.1 bhp of peak power and and 18.3 Nm of peak torque, mated to a 6-speed gearbox and complying with BS6 P2 emission standards. It is Kawasaki’s 3rd localized product in India after Ninja 300 and W175.
Where componentry is concerned, KLX230 launched in India rides on wire-spoke wheels with 21-inch size at the front and 18-inch at the rear. It gets conventional 37mm RSU telescopic front forks with 240 mm of suspension travel and a rear mono-shock unit that has 250 mm of suspension travel. Both suspension setups are not adjustable.
It gets dual-sport tyres to achieve impressive off-road performance. Braking setup includes single petal rotors at both end with dual-channel ABS as standard. Exhaust is up-swept with a heat shield finished in Silver and body-colour elements on top. Front suspension gets fork gaiters too.
Low 139kg Kerb Weight!
The most impressive aspect of Kawasaki KLX230 is that it weighs just 139 kg, which could prove very beneficial, when compared to Xpulse 200 4V Pro that weighs 161 kg. The seat height is 880 mm and Kawasaki also offers low seat height options.
Design-wise, Kawasaki KLX230 is a true-blue off-roader (or should we say true Green?). It features a tall stance with a large front beak. There’s a small headlight at the front and minimal body panels. For instrumentation, Kawasaki is offering a fully-digital instrument panel with Bluetooth connectivity.
