2021 Kawasaki KLX300 First Look Preview

Among a bevy of new model releases, Kawasaki unveiled the newest addition to its dual sport line in the 2021 KLX300. This machine comes one year after the brand reintroduced its KLX300R off-road motorcycle, and will take the place of the outgoing KLX250.

The new KLX300 will be powered by a 292cc single, featuring a lightweight piston, pin and connecting rod, electrofusion cylinder, and cam profiles derived from the 300R. Ignition timing and a gear-driven engine balancer are calibrated to reduce vibrations as much as possible, a boon to riders planning any longer trips on the new 300. The mill is mounted low in the high-tensile-steel, box-section perimeter frame, and gear ratios were chosen to hit the sweet spot between off-road capability and on-road performance.

The suspension package includes a 43mm, inverted, cartridge-style fork with adjustable compression damping. At the rear is a Uni-Trak setup with a gas-charged shock that features preload and rebound adjustment. Riders will get 10 inches of travel to play with up front and 9.1 inches in the back. The bike rolls on 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels and features a single 250mm disc and dual-piston caliper front braking package and a 240mm disc, single-piston arrangement at the rear.

Additional features include a 35.2-inch seat height, digital instrument panel, and styling inspired by other dual sports in Kawi’s line, from the angular front mudguard to the rear fender and taillight.

Notably, Kawi again provides a larger-displacement machine that weighs less than its predecessor (as the Ninja 400 achieved when it took over for the Ninja 300). According to Kawasaki specs, the new KLX300 will tip the scales at 302 pounds ready to ride while the KLX250 weighed out at 304 pounds. Not as huge an achievement as the weight savings between the Ninja 400 and 300, but still worth a mention.

The new KLX300 will start at $5,599 in Lime Green trim, while a Fragment Camo Gray colorway will run you $5,799.