We get to know the simple, friendly but capable KLX230.
The KLX230 coming to India is a big deal because no Japanese manufacturer has yet attempted to sell one of its road-legal dual sport motorcycles in India.
What goes in the KLX’s favour is that it is a proper, purpose-built dual-sport motorcycle with a perimeter chassis, 21-inch/18-inch wheels, and uncompromising ergonomics and bodywork.
With an authentic dirt bike form factor must come a tall seat, and the KLX’s stands at a towering 880mm but since it is slim, it doesn’t feel as tall as the number suggests.
The MRF tyres that Kawasaki India has equipped this bike with were quite decent on dry, muddy terrain, but you’ll want something more off-road appropriate to properly exploit the bike.
The non-adjustable suspension is absorptive and can take in some pretty big hits, but it’s also on the soft side, which makes it easier for less-skilled riders to read the terrain underneath.
It gets a good-looking LED headlamp and a clean LCD that includes a clock, a fuel gauge, and even Bluetooth compatibility but misses a gear position indicator.
We were given to understand at the launch event that a price between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, ex-showroom, is fair to expect, which is not bad but not great either.