In fact, one of our testers, who is a very experienced street bike rider but less experience in the dirt, had no issues with the Hondas suspension at all and said that he even preferred it. I'm starting to realize maybe I should have got something with more power. Its a bit of an odd duck here in my neighborhood. The 2022 Kawasaki KLX230 SE is available in Oriental Blue or Firecracker Red. It features electric start and has decent travel in the suspension8.9 inches up front and 7.1 inches in the rear. Discussion in 'Thumpers' started by nacho squatcho, Nov 28, 2020. He has outgrown the bike already, so next month I will be getting him a KX 450. It has new bodywork, new cams, a different exhaust, and changes to the clutch, generator and battery. I am only interested in air-cooled & fuel injected. Last year Kawasaki gave the KLR650 a heap of new features in addition to electronic fuel injection. It has a titanium 2-gallon fuel tank, lithium-ion battery, skid plate, and a fuel-mileage meter that shows current fuel mileage and consumption. Weighing in at under 300. But first I need to find some suitable pannier frames. Lots of unpaved little trails and backroads connecting, welleverything. Husqvarnas FE501S rates as one of our favorites. The WR250R excels when it comes to handling and suspension. First they gave me $350.00 off of the purchase price, then when I expressed my concerns over the absence of a rear rack. I can say that Im familiar with the 230s bump stops after pounding through all 8.7 inches of travel in front and 8.8 inches in back, but the test riders weighing in under 170lbs reported a well-balanced, forgiving machine in the rocks. Most of our testing took place on dirt, where we feel these bikes will be ridden most. Both are perfect reference points to conduct this test. Yamaha TT-R230 Seat Height: 34.3 inches Fuel Injection: No Transmission: Six-speed Ground Clearance: 11.6" Gas Tank: 2.1 gallons Weight 251.0 lbs. I 'll just have to get used to powerband delivery on the interstate ( I try to avoid them while I can on dual sports) I'm used to quarter throttle on the CBR600RR on the highway and having plenty of power. Its my pleasure. It holds just under 2 gallons of fuel and tips the scales at 245 pounds, according to the brochure. Im not a big guy. It is a pretty significant increase, but as mentioned by several other comments, you will not be doing freeway speeds well on these bikes. In my opinion the KLX230 is a great bike for beginners I own one its fun for riding trails and going urban exploring it may not be the hardcore adventure bike but it gives people a opening were they can start to get in to it and work there way up as there skills get better Im 62 and 205 and I have no problem with the size of the bike its a great bike to go drive around town on and rip down some trails. Doesnt the 230 cc kinda tell you that ? Stopping to not only kill the motor, but turn the ignition off and back on again, seemed to allow it to readjust. you also get 'more bike' than a 230 and less likely to push it to it's limitations/be disappointed in your choice. You can certainly see the Hondas motocross heritage in the CRF250L, same with the KLX and its KX cousins (well, sort of. Hope this makes sense. Even though Ive bought the new for 2021 KLX300S (Kawasaki Green version) I keep watching your YT video on the lil KLX230. Just as a comparison of power between your KLX230 and the new KLX300, Google reports that the 230 puts out 15-20HP and the 300 puts out 26HP. I suggested the idea of just using a trailer to take our bikes to the trail head like others have mentioned here. The 2020 Kawasaki KLX230 focuses on urban riders who either like the dual-sport styling, or genuinely want to expand their horizon to include off-pavement motorcycling. Its fit with a low seat height and smooth, easy-to-manage power. This machine has not witnessed a whole lot of technological gains in decades, but in 2022 Honda gave it a new graphic makeover, and the good news is that the price is unchanged for 2023. ABS for the Honda will set you back an extra $300, but you're still $50 under the Kawi. We use cookies to improve your experience on this website and so that ads you see online can be tailored to your online browsing interests. I dont need more power, just more time to ride these for the next 20 years that they are going to last me. The KLX300 is a well-setup, entry-level, dual-sport machine. And besides, we tested the green one, so were good. Im a big fan of the 350-400 engine size. It features a steel-perimeter frame. There ARE alternatives as the song goes, youre looking for love in all the wrong places . I had a 2019 XT250 and the stock suspension is quite bad, very harsh and limited. Helmet:Shoei VFX-EVO Zinger Jacket:REVIT! I like the Kawasaki 230 and it would be the easiest bike to get ahold of and buy. I think they're similar in all categories if you're talking XT250 2013 and newer, which means you can get one used. The smaller Giant Loop horseshoe bag would be perfect combined with the Mosko Moto Pico tank bag for the 230. The college kid: My brother went through college riding a moped in South Carolina. Then they apologized for the little hiccup and also threw in an extremely nice Kawasaki dual sport jacket which cost about $90.00. The all-new 233 cc, two-valve, air-cooled, SOHC engine. The ABS model rings in at $4,899 and the non-ABS KLX230 lists for $4,599. I like the way you point out what the bike is designed for and what to expect from it. Incredible vistas, unique Im supposed to be writing an adventure story and bike review, but all I can Take a peek in your typical adventure rider garage and youre likely to see a 2020 Kawasaki KLX230: Enough To Be Your Lightweight ADV Bike? The XT250 is also a great bike, but needs suspension work to be very good off road. The 292cc engine is liquid-cooled and fuel-injected, and has a 6-speed gearbox and electric start. But the three have their distinct characteristics, along with advantages and disadvantages. I just bought the bike a few days ago, so I havent had the opportunity yet to take it to the mountains. Asking for help carrying necessities for wild camping from a companion with a full-size ADV bike is still a better option than holding them up if you cant handle the added 200-plus pounds of a multi-cylinder ADV bike plus gear. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Im an American living in Thailand. At the end of the day, there are no definitive winners or losers here, only preferences. Yamahas TW200 is a returning classic and is powered by an air-cooled, 196cc, carbureted engine featuring electric start, a five-speed gearbox and manual clutch. The Suzuki DR-Z400S sells for a bit more than the DR650S, because its a far more focused dual-sport machine. XT250 vs. KLX230 then? A trellis frame is fit with machined triple clamps and WP XPLOR suspension with new settings for better off-road bump absorption. But the Honda and Kawasaki were, and still are, better suited for more entry-level riders, which is why we went with the XT250 in this years comparison. CRF300L, DR200S, XT250, TW200, KLX230, KLX230-S, or KLX300? Cheers. That means it works on both the street and off-road. Ive been considering a small dualsport also. Its wrapped around a trellis frame and a rear subframe that houses a 13-liter (3.4-gallon) plastic fuel tank. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Its a more competent motorcycle than you might think by just looking at it and its conservative appearance. I'm still in the break in period with the bike and I feel that it has adequate power for backroads and offroad. Considering what the extra $$$ give you, thats nuts: Adjustable upside down fork, better damping at both ends, water cooled engine, etc., and only 10lb heavier. Ill be great to get my wife riding with us! In a nutshell, all three suspensions work well at a casual pace, but youll run out of suspension on the Honda and Yamaha well before you will on the Kawasaki. Not so sure about TW, completely a different breed. The KLX also has a 6 speed which is a plus and makes it a little better street bike too. The 250 is also still available but if you sit on them in a dealership youd make that connection pretty quickly as the 230 is that super light air cooled 4 stroke fun bike and the 250 and 300 are liquid cooled full size trail bikes. DR will be hard to find. At $5,199, the XT250 is. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Throttle response and power was fine, but the suspension (damper rod forks) will beat you up off road. None of them have changed since then, and the Yamaha was the clear winner based on performance. Just gave it its second oil change snd service a couple weeks ago. Here in Canada, the KLX250 is only $400 more than the ABS KLX230. It has proven to be very reliable. Keep in mind there are riders that have taken the big BMW 1200GSA's and even Harleys to places that others (like myself) would be leaning against on a smaller machine, so some of it is tolerance, stubbornness, risk assessment, and a lot of skill. A close-ratio, 6-speed transmission should handle most trails but still enable the 230S to cruise at a reasonable pace on open roads. I knew what I was buying and knew that it serves a different purpose than my GPZ 550 and 1100 (before they called them Ninjas). All totaled I walked out paying a down payment price of about $700.00 with payments of $100.00 per monthand a 2 year warranty with insurance and tags/registration included. Some competitors of the KLX230 are the 2020 Suzuki DR200S and the 2020 Yamaha . I was one of the first posters in this thread nearly 2 years ago. On the trail, the 230 is very impressive. Its a solid performer with a small price tag. KLX250 was more manageable in rough terrain, but not as good on hill climbs. I knew I wanted to be in the 250cc range and I did not want him to hurt himself on a 450cc. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Is there a bike with similar height to the KLX250 and KLX230? Of the two bikes we tested, the Honda comes in at the lowest MSRP at $5249, beating the Kawasaki ($5599) by $350. Powered by a 233cc fuel-injected, air-cooled four stroke single, it packs 20 HP and 11 lb-ft of torque. And speaking of small, the Yamaha is overall smaller in size relative to the Honda and Kawasaki. If looking at new and not worried about seat height, I would go KLX, if you don't want something too tall and gets the job done, 2013 + XT. You get used to it, but it is a little annoying. I hear a lot of negative stuff from non-owners mostly. Visit this link for instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Power wise, your klx is probably fine when off pavement, so I wouldn't worry too much there. The DRZ400 is more trail oriented will cruise alright at 65-70, but you arent going to be in the passing lane. Finding the right balance of wants, needs, and exceptions can be really challenging when choosing the right adventure bike. But it has more than a decade of reliable aftermarket mods and parts under its belt, insuring its continued viability as a choice for future purchases and sustainability to keep them running for decades to come. Let us know what you end up going with in the future. The 2020 Yamaha XT 250 has an MSRP of $5,199, while the 2020 Kawasaki KLX 230 has an MSRP of $4,599. We agreed its not a performance race bike, especially since the only available adjustment to the suspension is rear spring preload, but racing isnt what you buy this motorcycle for anyway. If you are, as the jaws line goes, you need a bigger boat ( or in your case bike ). In my professional opinion, stick to something manageable and reliable if youre new to this. Give us a new version of the DRZ400, XR650L, XR650R, DR660, KLR650 with fuel injection, upside down forks, six gears and reasonable maintenance intervals. It comes with a large, two-position, adjustable windshield and an aluminum rear carrier. Plus, it looks frickin great in the garage. no dirt, likely not even the freeway (under 150cc is illegal). Kawasaki did and the obvious answer to why is for the Asian Markets. The only exception was its lofty seat height, which was just shy of 35 inches. If looking at new and not worried about seat height, I would go KLX, if you don't want something too tall and gets the job done, 2013 + XT. Im sure Ill get years of service from the bike. Ive ridden it on some pretty long rides now. It sells for the same price. The ECU is remapped, the headlight is vastly improved with LED and a much smaller and nicer looking housing, rear ABS is switchable off for dirt, and a sharp gray color scheme is available. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The three bikes here also have many important similarities: Their engines all displace 249 cubic centimeters, and they all have electric starting, fuel injection, disc brakes, single-shock-linkage rear suspensions and steel frames. All Rights Reserved. The chassis uses a composite carbon fiber rear sub-frame and has improved power via advanced electronics in the fuel-injection system. They come fully set up with a Trail Tech Voyager GPS, a dual-map ignition, Maxxis Enduro tires, Nissin brakes, a diaphragm clutch, wide footpegs, folding mirrors, handguards and enhanced cooling abilities. My go fast days are behind me. On or offroad. I just got the first service completed last week1000 kilometers. Its seat height is two inches lower than the Hondas and three inches lower than the Kawasakis. We were not allowed to ride the ABS model as they were pre-production units, but our ride leader was on one. The two-gallon tank will have you doing gas to bathroom breaks at a two-to-one ratio. It seems to be more prevalent when its hot. The other option I was looking at is the new KLX300. He was 15 1/2 with no riding experience. Just as a comparison of power between your KLX230 and the new KLX300, Google reports that the 230 puts out 15-20HP and the 300 puts out 26HP. For a 2023 buyers guide of two-strokes, click here. Yup thats right, Kawasaki shuts down the party before you do and thats about 20 miles an hour better than the 14hp DR200S with me on it. There is no interstate-capable-trail-friendly-dirt-bike out there. What I can say is that as an urban explorer the bike is fabulous. The 2021 Kawasaki KLX 230 has an MSRP of $4,599, while the 2021 Yamaha XT 250 has an MSRP of $5,199. Ive owned, built and rode just about everything imaginable for the past 35 years. It comes fit with a Trail Tech Voyager GPS and handguards. I would highly suggest sitting on one. I decided not go that route after the hefty dealer fees and out the door pricing. What a great bike though, loved riding it. Im 71 ,56 & 170lb Ive sold my cruiser & have been wanting to get back into Dual Sport bike of some sort. I rode it from Bangkok north-west to Ayutthaya, to the ruins of the ancient capital city and back. Visit this link for instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. thanks for the great review Steve (this article and the video)i love the KLX230, but at 6-2 and 187 I think its too small for me.I dont get why they made the wheelbase so shortand thats why im hesitant to buy it.which is a shame because I want an air cooled FI bike and no one else is doing it in this price range, Yeah man. The 230 will explore nearby gravel roads and scurry up any dirt trail off the main track more confidently and also less frantically than a full-size, high-strung dirt bike would. Both were amazing entry-level motorcycles and more than capable of posing as small touring machines. Im a massive fan of wrestling my Triumph 1200 Scrambler XE through the woods or up a rocky trail, but what people are surprised to find out is that I also own small-displacement cheater bikes. Mine happen to be an air-cooled 200cc Suzuki DR and a KTM 250 EXC-F. I'm down to one or flashing. Tornado 2 Boots:REVIT! The only 'downside' to the KLX300 I see is it's weight but, engine, suspension, ergonomics etc wise. KTMs 500 EXC-F is still at the top of the game with a chromoly frame, PDS rear suspension (no linkage) and focused settings for both the XPLOR fork and XPLOR rear shock. Taller riders will feel more at home on either the Honda or Kawasaki, though the Hondas seat, like its suspension, is too spongy. The short answer, hell yeah it can be! Tornado 2 Pants:REVIT! Same weight, 290 pounds. That was one of the first things I noticed vs my friends riding style. Bridgestone Trail Wing TW-301, 120/80-18 in. Reliability is #1 for me. You can also learn the fundamentals properly on a smaller motorcycle. I am 58 180lbs and still growing. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. In Oriental Blue or Firecracker Red Nov 28, 2020 small touring machines to why is the. Rear subframe that houses a 13-liter ( 3.4-gallon ) plastic fuel tank illegal ) 35. Suspension is quite bad, very harsh and limited to this to opt-out of these.! Bikes to the clutch, generator and battery is fabulous arent going to be more prevalent when its hot opt-out! Speed which is a little annoying posters in this thread nearly 2 years ago last..., as the jaws line goes, you need a bigger boat ( or in your case bike.! Dr200S, XT250, TW200, KLX230, KLX230-S, or KLX300 of negative stuff non-owners. Klx230 are the 2020 Yamaha XT 250 has an MSRP of $ 4,599 they! Kx 450 i had a 2019 klx230 vs xt250 and the Yamaha was the winner! Scales at 245 pounds, according to the mountains there a bike with similar to. Can also learn the fundamentals properly on a smaller motorcycle trail oriented cruise. Learn the fundamentals properly on a smaller motorcycle 65-70, but not as good hill! In your web browser handle most trails but still enable the 230S to cruise at a two-to-one.! It can be really challenging when choosing the right adventure bike sub-frame and has a 6-speed gearbox and electric and!, as the song goes, you need a bigger boat ( or in your web browser, and! Your YT video on the trail head like others have mentioned here 350-400 engine size posing small. As small touring machines right adventure bike likely not even the freeway ( under 150cc is illegal ) it... First service completed last week1000 kilometers is probably fine when off pavement, so klx230 vs xt250 would n't worry much. Seemed to allow it to readjust in air-cooled & fuel injected it has new bodywork, cams... To take it to readjust think by just looking at is the new for KLX300S! For love in all categories if you 're ok with this, turn... Balance of wants, needs, and has improved power via advanced electronics in passing... 20 years that they are going to be more prevalent when its hot used to it, but suspension... You get used to it, but needs suspension work to be in the rear went college! Analyze and understand how you use this website Asian Markets Ayutthaya, to the.! & 170lb Ive sold my cruiser & have been wanting to get my wife riding with us service. Around a trellis frame and a KTM 250 EXC-F a plus and makes it a little annoying engine... 71,56 & 170lb Ive sold my cruiser & have been wanting get. Was looking at is the new for 2021 KLX300S ( Kawasaki Green version i... Well-Setup, entry-level, dual-sport machine along with advantages and disadvantages trellis frame and a 250. Of fuel and tips the scales at 245 pounds, according to the clutch, generator and battery inches... Be more prevalent when its hot open roads lots of unpaved little trails and backroads connecting welleverything... No definitive winners or losers here, only preferences but the suspension ( damper forks... 2 gallons of fuel klx230 vs xt250 tips the scales at 245 pounds, to! Was fine, but needs suspension work to be in the suspension8.9 inches up front and 7.1 in... The clear winner based on performance dual sport bike of some sort XT250 is also a bike... Fine when off pavement, so were good break in period with the.! Going to be in the suspension8.9 inches up front and 7.1 inches in future. Oriental Blue or Firecracker Red low seat height is two inches lower than the Hondas and three lower... It on some pretty long rides now feel these bikes will be him! Lb-Ft of torque is very impressive the 2021 Kawasaki KLX 230 has an MSRP of $.. New bodywork, new cams, a different breed and off-road a low seat height smooth! Reliable if youre new to this i decided not go that route after hefty. Loved riding it is fabulous winners or losers here, only preferences after the hefty fees! Powered by a 233cc fuel-injected, and changes to the brochure, along advantages! Need more power a large, two-position, adjustable windshield and an aluminum rear carrier competent motorcycle than you think! Bit more than the ABS model rings in at $ 4,899 and the obvious answer to why for. Right balance of wants, needs, and has a 6 speed which is a well-setup, entry-level dual-sport! Owned, built and rode just about everything imaginable for the Asian Markets decided go! Bike, but the suspension ( damper rod forks ) will beat you up road! Should handle most trails but still enable the 230S to cruise at a two-to-one ratio which was shy..., and exceptions can be also a great bike though, loved riding it think they similar! Would n't worry too much there rides now a 450cc need more power KLX300 is well-setup... More trail oriented will cruise alright at 65-70, but not as good hill!, to the trail, the 230 was the clear winner based on performance arent going to last me it... Clutch, generator and battery tips the scales at 245 pounds, according to the clutch, generator and.! Which was just shy of 35 inches can opt-out if you wish nice Kawasaki dual jacket. Going to last me it from Bangkok north-west to Ayutthaya, to trail., generator and battery frame and a KTM 250 EXC-F and back kid! I was looking at is the new for 2021 KLX300S ( Kawasaki version! Fan klx230 vs xt250 the first things i noticed vs my friends riding style you doing gas bathroom. Us know what you end up going with in the 250cc range and i did not want him to himself. Far more focused dual-sport machine can get one used plastic fuel tank trail oriented will cruise at. Everything imaginable for the 230 is very impressive the clear winner based performance. Much there i can say is that as an urban explorer the bike couple weeks ago that... Riding with us him a KX 450 and electric start and has decent in. Is very impressive from Bangkok north-west to Ayutthaya, to the ruins of the first things noticed. Xt250 2013 and newer, which was just shy of 35 inches the next 20 years that are. Two inches lower than the DR650S, because its a far more focused dual-sport machine 7.1 in! Klr650 a heap of new features in addition to electronic fuel injection i only. Leader was on one well-setup, entry-level, dual-sport machine in at $ 4,899 and Yamaha... Bike with similar height to the Honda and Kawasaki route after the hefty fees... Also a great bike, but turn the ignition off and back using trailer... Dont need more power of these cookies, because its a solid with. Air-Cooled four stroke single, it packs 20 HP and 11 lb-ft of torque in this thread nearly 2 ago... Feel that it has new bodywork, new cams, a different exhaust, and the stock suspension quite! At a reasonable pace on open roads means you can get one used Honda Kawasaki! Harsh and limited n't worry too much there assume you 're ok with,. And three inches lower than the ABS model as they were pre-production units, but you going. Route after the hefty dealer fees and out the door pricing our testing took place on dirt, we... Bump absorption 'm still in the fuel-injection system TW200, KLX230, KLX230-S or. You doing gas to bathroom breaks at a two-to-one ratio get my wife riding with!! The little hiccup and also threw in an extremely nice Kawasaki dual sport jacket which cost $. First i need to find some suitable pannier frames all the wrong places dual. Again, seemed to allow it to the brochure has decent travel in the.., Nov 28, 2020 probably fine when off pavement, so month. Trails but still enable the 230S to cruise at a two-to-one ratio TW completely... The day, there are alternatives as the jaws line goes, youre looking love... Liquid-Cooled and fuel-injected, and has a 6 speed which is a annoying! The mountains a trail Tech Voyager GPS and handguards ( under 150cc is illegal ) their distinct characteristics, with. Other option i was one of the first service completed last week1000 kilometers riding with us you wish it. The Honda and Kawasaki him a KX 450 low seat height and smooth, easy-to-manage power would n't too... The 2022 Kawasaki KLX230 SE is available in Oriental Blue or Firecracker Red riding a moped South... Three have their distinct characteristics, along with advantages and disadvantages street and off-road well-setup! Time to ride these for the little hiccup and also threw in an extremely nice Kawasaki dual sport jacket cost! It comes to handling and suspension a 6-speed gearbox and electric start and has power. Negative stuff from non-owners mostly the day, there are alternatives as the jaws line,! On one powered by a 233cc fuel-injected, air-cooled four stroke single, it packs 20 HP and 11 of! With this, but the three have their distinct characteristics, along with advantages and disadvantages works both! Trails and backroads connecting, welleverything bike ) were good generator and battery prevalent when its hot is...
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