2020 Kawasaki KLX230 LAMS Road Trail Review

Kawasaki’s KLX230 is an affordable road-going dirt bike for leaners and in my opinion is probably the best choice for new riders who are eager to spend some time on the dirt and have a sensible, putt-around bike, and was certainly the best choice of machine for the return to my grassroots. Starting with the design; with bodywork that takes inspiration from Kawasaki’s KX motocross machines, but is really quite simple and not flashy at all, however, I like that simplicity. While simple, the painted surfaces look good and the overall package is neat and tidy. It sits on big aluminium spoked rims, 21-inch at the front and 18-inch at the rear. While simple, the KLX230 still looks nice and stylish. The ergonomics of the KLX230 are relaxed and upright with a relatively low seat height, which makes the commute to-and-from work or around town a really pleasant experience. All controls are easily navigated even with street gloves on and bulky boots, which is a big positive, however I wish there was some adjustability in the levers as the clutch was engaging even with the lever all the way in. The fuel-injected, single-cylinder, 233cc four-stroke motor produces a sensible 14kW of power and 19.8Nm of torque, which greatly contributes to my opinion that this is a good LAMS choice. Power and torque feels pretty linear overall but a little stronger in the low-mid range. This motor will only let you down on the freeway, where I found the bike struggles a bit to keep up with traffic particularly on an uphill climb. For the full review click here - https://bikereview.com.au/review-2020... Thanks for watching! Jeff Ware