The inclination towards adventure-focused and off-road-ready motorcycles has gained traction in recent years. While there are many options in the premium segment of this genre of motorcycles, there are surprisingly limited options to pick from on the other side of the range. So far, the most affordable option in the market is the Hero Xpulse 200 4V, followed by the Yezdi Adventure, the more road-biased Suzuki V-Strom SX, and then some more. Seeing the scope for a opportunity here, Kawasaki India is set to launch a road-legal version of the KLX 230 Rs off-road vehicle, the KLX 230 S. Set to be launched on October 17, the brand had been working on localising the manufacturing of the motorcycle as spy images of the bike had been reported earlier.
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Compared to the KLX 230 Rs, the road-legal KLX 230 S will feature a headlamp, indicators, mirrors, dual-purpose tyres and registration, allowing it to be legally ridden on paved roads. The design remains similar to its off-road cousin, but changes have been made to make it more road-friendly. In the international market, where the KLX 230 S is already on sale, the motorcycle offers 198 mm front and 220 mm rear suspension travel, has a seat height of 843 mm and a ground clearance of 239 mm. Now, for the Indian market, Kawasaki seems to have reworked these figures to make the motorcycle more suited for Indian riders. Exact specifications will be known at the time of launch. Furthermore, internationally, the KLX 230 S tips the scale at 133 kg, which is likely to go up by a few kilograms with the addition of the saree guard and front number plate. For reference, the Hero Xpulse 200 4V tips the scale at 159 kg, making the Kawasaki the lighter bike of the two.
Moving to the powertrain of the Kawasaki KLX 230 S, the dual-sport bike is powered by an air-cooled 233 cc single-cylinder mill that is capable of producing 19.73 bhp at 8,000 rpm and 20.3 Nm at 6,000 rpm, mated to a 5-speed gearbox, right in the territory of the Xpulse 200 4V. The motor sits within the high-tensile steel, box-section perimeter frame and is suspended by a 37 mm telescopic fork at the front and Uni-Trak linked monoshock at the rear. The bike rides on 21-18 wire-spoke wheels with dual-purpose tyres. Meanwhile, braking is handled by disc brakes at both ends.
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The KLX 230 S will be the first road-legal dual-sport motorcycle to go on sale from a Japanese brand and will be the third offering localised by Kawasaki after the Ninja 300 and the W175. Knowing that Kawasaki has opted to localise the manufacturing of the KLX 230 S, which is a required approach to make the motorcycle relevant, we expect its price tag to be in the ballpark of around 2 lakh ex-showroom. At that price point, the Kawasaki KLX 230 S will compete against the Hero Xpulse 200 4V, Yezdi Adventure and the road-biased Suzuki V-Strom SX.
