Step up, step up, and step up. The Kawasaki KLX140 and its two other variants, L and G, suit varying heights with increased wheel dimensions and ground clearances for an approachable trail platform. Its 144cc single-cylinder four-stroke engine places it in the middle ground between average playbikes (125cc and below) and full-size dirt bikes, making it suitable for newer riders who have sights set on local trails. In fact, this dirt bike is suitable for newer adult riders seeing as Dirt Rider stated that the G, for example, has “big bike feel in a fun-sized, minibike package.”
Upon riding the 2017 KLX140G, our Dirt Rider test rider stated, “It’s obvious the engineers worked to make this bike friendlier to new riders by shaving off the heavyweight feeling that most bikes in class have.…… The narrow frame really makes the bike’s appearance stand out from the standard wide-trailbike look, and Kawasaki even noted that it was designed with inspiration from the KX motocross bike.”
Competition for this dirt bike includes the Honda CRF125F/Big Wheel ($3,099), Yamaha TT-R125LE ($3,349), and Suzuki DR-Z125L ($3,299).
No key updates were announced for 2020. The KLX140 comes in three variants: base ($3,099), L ($3,399), and G ($3,699). The L sees an increase in wheel diameter to 19 and 16 inches and therefore increases the dirt bike’s ground clearance. The G increases to full-size off-road 21- and 18-inch wheels.
