2020 Kawasaki KLX230, KLX230R, KLX300R First Ride Review

"Get out and play." That's Kawasaki's slogan for its three newest dirt-focused machines, the KLX230 dual sport and KLX230R/300R recreational trailbikes. On paper they offer great value, so we went up to southern Oregon to see how the performance translated from paper to dirt.

Of the three new Kawasakis, the KLX230 is the only street-legal option that will allow you to connect trails with some pavement. It shares its namesake motor with the 230R, a 223cc fuel-injected air-cooled thumper with a single overhead cam and two-valve head. Mind you, Kawasaki also offers a more advanced KLX250 dual sport, but the new 230 is all about being easy to live with: easy to buy, easy to maintain, and easy to ride.

Emphasizing the last point are two pieces of technology that Kawasaki has implemented for beginner riders. The 230 features Team Green’s first-ever incorporation of “Dual-Purpose ABS,” which is simply ABS that permits a slight slide before engaging. It’s a $300 option, but you better be sure that you want it, as it cannot be turned off once installed. In addition, the idle will automatically adjust to minimize the possibility of a stall. At normal operating temperature, the idle is 1,800 rpm. But when the motor is warming up or when a rider is letting the clutch out after having engaged a gear, the idle increases to 2,400 rpm. Experienced riders may find this behavior to be a little odd, but the system works and the KLX230 is nearly impossible to stall.

On pavement, the KLX230 is well behaved and will take you up to a redline-limited 75 mph, with less vibrations that you’d expect from a simple single. It starts to run out of steam around 65, but it will hold that speed for as long as you need. On dirt, you’ll be rewarded with a plush ride and the feeling that you can go nearly anywhere as long as you keep a relaxed pace. Push hard and you’ll easily bottom out the soft suspension—the 37mm RWU fork is nonadjustable, while the Uni-Trak shock only offers adjustment for preload. If you’re spending most of your time on the dirt, you may want to steal the shorter 46/13 final drive ratio from the 230R. Otherwise you’ll find your motivation in second gear to be underwhelming.

There aren't many options for small-displacement air-cooled dual sports at this price point (think Suzuki DR200S and Yamaha TW200), but the Kawasaki is the new king of the hill. It's a lot of bike for very little money—the sub-$5,000 KLX230 could genuinely take you around the world.

In this case, the suffix of “R” means this bike is for off-road use only. It shares several components with the non-R: the frame, motor, and adjusting idle, to name a few. But there are also several improvements: a 40-pound diet, improved suspension with more travel, and an aluminum swingarm.

Kawasaki calls the 230R a “recreational trailbike,” which sums it up quite nicely. Along with the 300R, it fills a giant hole in Kawi’s lineup for riders who were ready to graduate from the KLX140G but didn’t necessarily want a MX bike like the KX250 or KX450. Now Kawasaki can keep said riders on green bikes with an easy-to-ride off-roader that is low-stress thanks to a manageable 254-pound weight, light levers, and a motor that produces predictable, usable power that tapers off nicely up top. For the purposes of exploration, I preferred the power delivery of the 230R over the 300R, despite the noticeable drop in peak horsepower.

California models get a steel fuel tank with lockable cap and keyed ignition. Other states get a plastic fuel tank (no cap lock) and a push-button ignition. Either way, you’ll have a bike that’s well suited for both beginners who want to learn on something easy to ride as well as experienced riders who want some simple fun.

The most powerful of the trifecta is the 300R, and it’s not just due to a displacement bump. The 300 gets liquid-cooling, a four-valve head, DOHC, and a hefty increase in compression ratio from 9.4:1 to 11.0:1. It also delivers power in a much different way: While the 230 is best down low, the 300 should be revved to bring the most joy.

Other upgrades include a larger gas tank (2.1 gallons), more suspension travel (11.2 inches front and rear), bigger brakes (270mm front and 240mm rear), and the Ergo-Fit adjustable handlebar system from the KX motocrossers. The larger size, adjustable bars, and gear drive engine balancer made this the more comfortable option for my 6-foot-2 frame.

Kawasaki calls the 300R “the ultimate high-performance off-road trailbike,” which is being a bit generous. But the $5,499 machine is an interesting hybrid between a playbike and a racer at a displacement that no other major manufacturer is tackling with a four-stroke. The only other 300cc four-strokes are made by Sherco, but those are $10,000 motorcycles, and you’re looking at even more money for the 350s from KTM/Husqvarna. Those bikes justify their price premiums with top-of-the-line components, but if you’re more interested in playing than racing, the KLX300R makes a lot of sense.

There’s something refreshing about this new Kawasaki, which is just about perfect for a recreational rider who’s honest about what they’re looking for in a motorcycle. It can be nice to feel like you’re on the same bike that your racing idol competes on, but what if you just need a full-size, competent-but-not-crazy off-roader to ride with friends and family? The 300R provides almost all the joy of the hard-core trailbikes at roughly half the price. Hard to argue with that.

With this latest release, Kawasaki has done a good job of providing options to keep dirt enthusiasts in the Team Green family. The 230 gives you the freedom to explore both on and off road, while the 230R and 300R successfully balance user-friendliness with dirt capability. No matter your preference, each of the three all-new motorcycles represents excellent value for money for those of you looking to get out and play.

Helmet: Arai VX-Pro4 Goggle: 100% Accuri Jacket: Alpinestars Bionic (old version) Jersey: See See Ranker Moto Gloves: Fox Legion Pant: Klim Mojave Boots: Sidi Crossfire 2