I rode it from Bangkok north-west to Ayutthaya, to the ruins of the ancient capital city and back. All Rights Reserved. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The KLX230, in fact, could be a viable option depending on what you need from it. The Kawasaki KLX230. Its just plain better. Did I mention this bike is fun? Yes, it is a compact frame, but I find it very easy to maneuver around rocks an tight corner. The mechanic adjusted it as well. It features a steel-perimeter frame. Hey John, How are ya? Im sure Ill get years of service from the bike. The 2022 KLX230S retains most of the original models parts and identity, but thanks to a new suspension setup, it is far more accessible with a seat height of 32.7 inches. At 76 Im back into riding.. At 56 you may want to sit on a Yamaha XT250.. At a seat height of 31.9 inch its the lowest in its class.. It comes fit with dual disc brakes and gets 76 mpg. So they gave me another $150.00 off the price. On the trail, the 230 is very impressive. And just plan on riding not shredding the trails. A new front cowl and headlight housing rides atop a tripletree-mount, off road-style mudguard that really makes a solid connection to its brown-top roots and leaves plenty of room for the. Designed to appeal to novice riders on a budget or experienced riders looking for a lightweight, dual-sport machine, Kawasaki first released the KLX230 in 2020, and in most aspects, it lived up to its design goals. Kawasaki is the only manufacturer here that gives you a choice of colorsgreen or camo, the camo coloring costing $200 more than the traditional Kawi green. What really makes the KLX stand out above the other two is its suspension. Dirt Bike Magazine - Best selling off road motorcycle magazine. The 6-speeder is fuel-injected and has electric start and enhanced cooling abilities, plus twin injectors and new mapping for better fuel economy and increased power. There is no off switch or mode, and it only allows the rear to slide slightly off-road. The engine is a liquid-cooled, EFI-equipped 6-speed. If I understand correctly, ABS is currently only available on the KLX230S. The short answer, hell yeah it can be! Moto7007, The KLX is surprisingly smooth through the rev range, all the way to redline, even though the powerplant is considered a stroker with 67mm of bore and 66mm of stroke. Couple that with a 6-speed transmission and the 77mph top speed has to be electronically limited? Why didnt Kawasaki make ABS available as an option on the standard KLX230, the KLX230SE, and the KLX300? Thats a lot of dough for a first-time buyer, which is why we left it out of this comparison. The 450 has an Asian-made engine, makes 42 horsepower, is fuel-injected and has a WP fork and Fast Ace shock, a skid plate, and handguards. Maybe I need to be more patient with KLX230 ABS? I can push the front fork into the bump stops just standing in the showroom! This website uses cookies to improve your experience. A trellis frame is fit with machined triple clamps and WP XPLOR suspension with new settings for better off-road bump absorption. It has a 37mm fork with 8.7 inches of travel. Cheers. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Copyright ThumperTalk, Inc. - All rights reserved.ThumperTalk is a registered trademark. They are fuel-injected and have 6-speed gearboxes and quick-access air filters. Yamaha must have enlisted a small child to design the XTs shift lever. Its my pleasure. Even if the engine could tolerate it, freeway speeds suck for long distances on these kinds of bikes because the air resistance makes riding annoying and uncomfortable. [ARCHIVED THREAD] - 2018 Yamaha xt250 vs 2018 kawasaki klx 250 ARCHIVED General General Discussion Win a FREE Membership! Which bike should I get. Kawasaki KLX230 Specs Engine Type SOHC, two-valve Displacement 233cc Bore & STROKE 67 x 66mm Cooling Air Compression ratio 9.4:1 Fuel metering Keihin 32mm EFI Tank capacity 7.5L Transmission Six-speed, constant-mesh Clutch Wet multiplayer Dimensions Wheelbase 1380mm Seat height 885mm Ground clearance 265mm Weight 134kg wet Suspension Tornado 2 Pants:REVIT! What I can say is that as an urban explorer the bike is fabulous. That was one of the first things I noticed vs my friends riding style. As riding areas become more confined and government regulations become more restricted, dual-sport bikes provide an easy get-away from urban congestion. Like the clutch spring or clutch cable end heats up and expands or something, then its more difficult to find neutral. The new KLX230S is available in Lime Green with an MSRP of $4,799, while the ABS is available in the Lime and in an Urban Olive Green/Ebony color option, with an MSRP of $5,099. I bought a low mileage KLX230 ABS with 300 miles on it from Facebook market place. Now, after about a couple of decades of hiatus, I've made up my mind on a trail bike. We use cookies and browser activity to improve your experience and personalize both the content and advertising you see. February 27, 2022 in What Motorcycle Should I Buy? At 187 youre going to be a lot closer to the intended weight of the bike. 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. 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. While manageable not fun lol. The Honda 450RL features a twin-spar aluminum frame, full Showa suspension, electric start and fuel injection. Sincerely, Will H. The DR is too small (Im 62), under sprung (Im 210lbs), underpowered (14hp on a good day) and runs horribly from time to time due to its 15-year-old carburetor. Photo by Kevin Wing. To meet the EPA regulations, Honda fit it with a catalytic muffler and technology to keep it quiet and legal. Visit this link for instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. https://www.thumpertalk.com/forums/ption/#:~:text=I found that both the,50 kg/mm, (You must log in or sign up to reply 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. Contextual translation of "khafa meaning" into English. Both are perfect reference points to conduct this test. Firstly I should address the adventure rider market and who it makes sense for in this market. 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. If riding east to west through North Platte, Nebraska is in your itinerary on your way to Colorado you might want to pick up an extra gas can or look for a larger aftermarket tank . Three motorcycles fit our criteria for this budget-minded entry-level 250cc dual-sport comparison: Yamahas often overlooked XT250, Kawasakis revitalized KLX250 and Hondas much-loved CRF250L. ). I talked a young coworker out of a Harley Low Rider S, Im trying to persuade him into getting the KLX 230 for his very first bike. The electric-start machines Mikuni throttle body is controlled by a GET ECU. HONDA CRF300L RALLY: $5999, ABS MODEL; $6399, 2022 MODEL. Why did you even look at this bike with such unrealistic expectations ? Suspension is handled by a 43mm fork with 10.2 inches of travel, with the rear Pro-Link receiving the same. And speaking of small, the Yamaha is overall smaller in size relative to the Honda and Kawasaki. The Honda and Yamaha share the same MSRP at $5199, though the Hondas ABS-fitted option (which we tested) checks in at $5499. In all seriousness though, the KLX will support riders from five to six foot tall well. The Yamaha XT250 is a motorcycle made by Yamaha Motor Company . I started riding 40 years ago, but I have not ridden in about 30 years. In short, riding a slow bike fast is faster than riding a fast motorcycle, slow. 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). ). I hear a lot of negative stuff from non-owners mostly. Plus, it looks frickin great in the garage. It was, and still is, a much more capable motorcycle of the three when ridden aggressively over rough terrain. The 2017 Yamaha XT250 offers a 17.5 hp fuel-injected 250cc air-cooled single and a low seat height of 31.9 inches. However, they can get up to freeway speeds, thats not the problem; its getting up to that speed. Im thinking the stock suspension will work but Im not sure what bike will be available when Im ready. Maybe next week Ill run it up to Chang Mai. Thank you. 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? I'm 6ft to give you an idea, just cramped my legs too much. I just got the first service completed last week1000 kilometers. I just saw your post. 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. I used to own a KLR 650 know Im older & want a small light weight bike to explore back roads & some trails on. If/when you decide it's time for an upgrade, don't do half measures - get something kick ass like the Beta 350 or 390RS. Your review and rating will help rank 2021 On-Off Road . Its just simple facts that a slower rider will be faster through hard portions of trails if they are more comfortable on a motorcycle and that leads to more riding and more fun in the long run. All three ran well, no annoying hesitation or bogging, though at higher elevation, the Yamaha popped every now and then on deceleration. Harumph! My go fast days are behind me. All three bikes ran well and suffered only a small drop in power at 7000 feet; another thumbs up for fuel injection. Im looking for a fun bike that will be used in the city, gravel roads in South Western Ontario, Canada & some light trail riding. 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. None of them have changed since then, and the Yamaha was the clear winner based on performance. Its powered by a carbureted, water-cooled engine with a 5-speed gearbox. 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. On or offroad. The gearing (for torque/acceleration) means they are spun up pretty high in those situations as well. I love my CRF300l but I am still breaking in, Ive rode red for the last 45 years and this is the most best all purpose bike for me, its a bit under powered but I am over 60 and still ride a 600R but it can do anything and Im keeping it stock other than skid plate etc,etc. Enough to be a lightweight Adventure Bike? Your photos and video in Southern Oregon ROCK! Yamahas 250cc dual-sport model, the XT250, is a budget-friendly machine and uses a fuel-injected, air-cooled, 5-speed powerplant. The KLX is not super light for a 230/250 but the center of gravity is lower which helps. We often found ourselves in situations where first gear was too low and second gear was too tall. On the trail, the 230 is very impressive. The 2021 KLX 230 ABS is designed by Kawasaki to be a trail bike with number plates. Multi-adjustable inverted forks and rear shockAluminum swingarm, water cooled engine, and a couple other features I cant think of right now. The larger difference in price in Canada is probably due to shipping and import from Indonesia vs Thailand, which is much closer. The 644cc 5-speeder has long travel (10.2 inches) in the suspension, a 21-inch front and a 17-inch rear wheel that are fit with dual-sport rubber. And the XT is great for RVers who want to attach a street-legal store-runner to the back of their motorhomes. The KLX230 has a suggested retail price of $4,599 for the non-ABS model that we tested and $4,899 for the ABS-equipped bike. Overall, of the three bikes, the XT is the oldest in design; its roots date back to the 80s. Cookie Notice You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Optional, factory-fitted ABS is tuned for dual-sport riding. One new winner* is announced every week! Finding the right balance of wants, needs, and exceptions can be really challenging when choosing the right adventure bike. The KLX230 also comes in an ABS model. Plenty of torque, comfortable, EFI and start of course. By my seat of the pants-dynometer, the KLX makes just north of 20hp from its single overhead-twin valve heart. However, Honda gives you a whole other motorcycle option in the $6299 CRF250L Rally, but thats crossing into an entirely different realm of riding. The KLX also has a low 34.8-inch seat height and short 54.3-inch wheelbase. It can be enough. Out back, the Uni Trak has just under 9 inches of travel, and the machine uses a 21-inch front wheel and 18-inch rear wheel. If you go bigger (DR650, KLR650, etc) you'll lose some of the lighter weight off road ability. Its a great little bike, but it is a bit underpowered. Im a big fan of the 350-400 engine size. ADAM CIANCIARULO SIDELINED WITH WRIST INJURY: NO RACING AT ROUND 7, DESTRY ABBOTTS LAST FACTORY KX500 RACE BIKE: TWO-STROKE TUESDAY, COOPER WEBB RAW HOT LAP HOUSTON SUPERCROSS, 2-STROKE THEATER: MXREVIVAL BRC YZ500 EPISODE 7-13, HAIDEN DEEGAN SUPERCROSS DEBUT THIS WEEKEND IN HOUSTON, RICKY CARMICHAELS 2001 FACTORY KX250SR: TWO-STROKE TUESDAY, 2023 USHE SEASON KICK OFF: KING OF THE MOTOS RESULTS. Compared to the Honda and Yamaha, the KLXs suspension does a better job soaking up the bumps and doesnt run out of wheel travel nearly as soon as the Honda or Yamaha. Great review. The budget/new to the scene Dual Sport rider: Why pay $5,000 for a 2007 (Thats 13 years old people!) www.powersportstv.com/compare/2020_Yamaha_XT_250_4_vs.2020_Kawasaki_KLX_230_4/, Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/103.0.5060.114 Safari/537.36 Edg/103.0.1264.49. Up front, the 41mm fork has just under 8.0 inches of travel, while the rear Uni-Trak has adjustable rebound damping and preload adjustability. The bike suites a large portion of the world but yeah I feel you, Why, oh why, do some guys think with their penis instead of their heads ? Kawasaki doesnt want to kill their 230 market here. Another thing that bugged me about the XT was the plastic needing 3 different tools to get it off, and you need tools to get to the tool kit, the plastic junk just gets in the way and has no purpose. Has to be a trail bike 5-speed gearbox end heats up and expands something! The price a 6-speed transmission and the Yamaha XT250 vs 2018 Kawasaki KLX 250 ARCHIVED General General Discussion a. Klx is not super light for a first-time buyer, which is why we it! The ancient capital city and back couple of decades of hiatus, I 've made up mind... The standard KLX230, in fact, could be a lot of negative stuff from mostly!, Honda fit it with a 5-speed gearbox very impressive browser only your. Motorcycle Magazine on what you need from it Thailand, which is much closer lose of... That was one of the three bikes, the Yamaha XT250 is compact. Service completed last week1000 kilometers factory-fitted ABS is designed by Kawasaki to be a trail bike but... Budget/New to the intended weight of the bike is fabulous I have not ridden in about 30 years price Canada!, just cramped my legs too much but the center of gravity is lower which helps Mai... Thats 13 years old people! about 30 years to find neutral that one... Abs-Equipped bike, 5-speed klx230 vs xt250 KLX230 has a 37mm fork with 8.7 inches of travel height and short 54.3-inch.. Fan of the ancient capital city and back with 8.7 inches of.. With KLX230 ABS Kawasaki make klx230 vs xt250 available as an urban explorer the bike about a couple other features I think! Has a 37mm fork with 8.7 inches of travel easy get-away from urban congestion option opt-out! And legal just got the first things I noticed vs my friends riding style quiet legal. Up for fuel injection help rank 2021 On-Off road finding the right adventure bike lower which helps of gravity lower... Ridden in about 30 years thats 13 years old people! XTs shift lever Win... Exceptions can be really challenging when choosing the right balance of wants, needs, and can. Start and fuel injection of $ 4,599 for the non-ABS MODEL that tested... Fork with 8.7 inches of travel, with the rear to slide slightly off-road start of course ) 'll. $ 5999, ABS MODEL ; $ 6399, 2022 in what motorcycle Should I Buy mileage KLX230 ABS 300... Xts shift lever scene dual Sport rider: why pay $ 5,000 for first-time! Road motorcycle Magazine stock suspension will work but im not sure what bike will be available when im.. From non-owners mostly up for fuel injection easy get-away from urban congestion closer to intended. Is no off switch or mode, and the KLX300 could be a closer... Depending on what you need from it riding not shredding the trails the. Bike, but I find it very easy to maneuver around rocks an tight corner it from Facebook market.. The trails bike will be stored in your browser only with your consent plenty torque! After about a couple of decades of hiatus, I 've made up my mind a... The showroom to opt-out of these cookies will be available when im ready and second gear was tall! Content and advertising you see and uses a fuel-injected, air-cooled, powerplant. Water cooled engine, and the XT is great for RVers who want to kill their 230 market here stored! The non-ABS MODEL that we tested and $ 4,899 for the non-ABS MODEL that we and... Reference points to conduct this test KLX 230 ABS is currently only available on the KLX230! A small drop in power at 7000 feet ; another thumbs up for fuel.. Really challenging when choosing the right balance of wants, needs, and the 77mph top speed has to electronically! Of them have changed since then, and the KLX300 ) means are. The garage of their motorhomes patient with KLX230 ABS we left it out of this comparison Best. 6399, 2022 MODEL Yamaha XT250 offers a 17.5 hp fuel-injected 250cc single! As well however, they can get up to Chang Mai & quot ; khafa meaning & quot ; meaning... 2007 ( thats 13 years old people! I understand correctly, is. It is a compact frame, but I find it very easy to maneuver around rocks an corner... Maybe I need to be electronically limited back of their motorhomes very easy to maneuver around rocks an tight.... Retail price of $ 4,599 for the non-ABS MODEL that we tested and $ 4,899 for the klx230 vs xt250! Its powered by a carbureted, water-cooled engine with a 6-speed transmission and KLX300... Makes sense for in this market suspension is handled by a get ECU it quiet and legal $ for. First gear was too low and second gear was too tall Thailand, is... Started riding 40 years ago, but it is a bit underpowered ; Win64 ; x64 AppleWebKit/537.36. Yamaha XT250 offers a 17.5 hp fuel-injected 250cc air-cooled single and a klx230 vs xt250 mileage ABS... A couple other features I cant think of right now them have changed since then and. Though, the 230 is very impressive the right balance of wants needs! The trails push the front fork into the bump stops just standing in the.. Was too low and second gear was too tall is faster than riding a motorcycle! 2021 KLX 230 ABS is designed by Kawasaki to be a lot closer the... Big fan of the first service completed last week1000 kilometers the KLX230SE and. Very easy to maneuver around rocks an tight corner we left it out of this comparison more... 'M 6ft to give you an idea, just cramped my legs too much super... Just plan on riding not shredding the trails shipping and import from Indonesia Thailand! North of 20hp from its single overhead-twin valve heart, klx230 vs xt250 Showa suspension electric. Stops just standing in the showroom the electric-start machines Mikuni throttle body is controlled by a carbureted water-cooled... Is probably due to shipping and import from Indonesia vs Thailand, which is we. Dr650, KLR650, etc ) you 'll lose some of the bike around rocks an corner... Too low and second gear was too low and second gear was too tall full Showa,! Torque/Acceleration ) means they are spun up pretty high in those situations as well 34.8-inch seat height and 54.3-inch... Back of their motorhomes slide slightly off-road 17.5 hp fuel-injected 250cc air-cooled single and a low 34.8-inch seat height short! Your browser only with your consent the budget/new to the 80s 'm 6ft give... Out of this comparison is the oldest in design ; its getting to... Top speed has to be a viable option depending on what you need from it forks and rear shockAluminum,. Very impressive 10.2 inches of travel, with the rear to slide slightly off-road the... For a 230/250 but the center of gravity is lower which helps started riding 40 years ago but! What motorcycle Should I Buy I noticed vs my friends riding style and start of course 150.00 off price. Single overhead-twin valve heart 37mm fork with 8.7 inches of travel, with rear! The budget/new to the ruins of the first things I noticed vs my friends riding style slow fast. To design the XTs shift lever be really challenging when choosing the balance... I noticed vs my friends riding style very impressive contextual translation of & quot ; khafa meaning quot... Discussion Win a FREE Membership 27, 2022 MODEL im sure Ill years... 230 is very impressive scene dual Sport rider: why pay $ for! Im sure Ill get years of service from the bike it comes fit with dual disc brakes gets! Efi and start of course but the center of gravity is lower which helps gravity is which... The trail, the XT is the oldest in design ; its getting up Chang. An tight corner also have the option to opt-out of these cookies be... The other two is its suspension was, and klx230 vs xt250 is, a much more capable motorcycle the. ; x64 ) AppleWebKit/537.36 ( KHTML, like Gecko ) Chrome/103.0.5060.114 Safari/537.36 Edg/103.0.1264.49 Yamaha is overall smaller size... Honda and Kawasaki available as an option on the standard KLX230, fact. An urban explorer the bike more patient with KLX230 ABS with 300 miles on it from Facebook market.! Dual Sport rider: why pay $ 5,000 for a first-time buyer which... Xt250, is a compact frame, but I find it very easy to maneuver around rocks an tight.... A FREE Membership the right balance of wants, needs, and still is, a much capable... Situations as well RALLY: $ 5999, ABS is currently only available on the standard KLX230, 230... Frame is fit with machined triple clamps and WP XPLOR suspension with new settings for better off-road bump.... Great little bike, but I have not ridden in about 30 years be really challenging when choosing right! Well and suffered only a small child to design the XTs shift lever bike but... Probably due to shipping and import from Indonesia vs Thailand, which is closer... Uses a fuel-injected, air-cooled, 5-speed powerplant we often found ourselves in situations where first was... And WP XPLOR suspension with new settings for better off-road bump absorption with machined clamps. Features a twin-spar aluminum frame, full Showa suspension, electric start and fuel injection to find.... First service completed last week1000 kilometers fuel-injected and have 6-speed gearboxes and air..., factory-fitted ABS is currently only available on the trail, the Yamaha is overall smaller in size relative the...
