Taller riders will feel more at home on either the Honda or Kawasaki, though the Hondas seat, like its suspension, is too spongy. KTM 450 EXC with some 200 hours on it when youre new to dirt bikes. We couldve ridden them back and forth to Albertsons all day and been done with it, but we had more ambitious plansan approximately 100-mile backroads loop to the top of our local mountains and back. Im just attempting to shine a light on the possibilities and scenarios the KLX has to offer and fits into. Hey John, How are ya? The suspension is adjustable via a 43mm cartridge fork with 10.0 inches of travel in front and a 9.1-inch Uni Trak rear suspension setup. Like the clutch spring or clutch cable end heats up and expands or something, then its more difficult to find neutral. I readjusted it back where I had it. It is enjoyable to ride something that is easy to handle and easy to maintain! Its seat height is two inches lower than the Hondas and three inches lower than the Kawasakis. I was actually more interested in either the KLX250 or even the D-Tracker250. The Nissin brakes are strong. Couple that with a 6-speed transmission and the 77mph top speed has to be electronically limited? My go fast days are behind me. Front sprockets for YAMAHA WR 400, made of high carbon steel. It comes fit with a Trail Tech Voyager GPS and handguards. Weight difference The TW200 weighs about 30 pounds more than the TTR230, so every type of riding is going to feel 'slower' with the extra weight. Christinis all-wheel-drive system uses telescoping drive shafts to power the front wheel at a reduced speed so that it only engages when there is wheelspin in the rear. It has black D.I.D rims, factory handguards and fuel-injection settings to make broad, usable power. The Honda has the advantage in the braking department. If I understand correctly, ABS is currently only available on the KLX230S. I did some camping trips with it and it was awesome. February 27, 2022 in What Motorcycle Should I Buy? Bridgestone Trail Wing TW-302. Like the CRF250L, ABS is offered as an option. The Honda would be an excellent little dual sport for more serious and experienced riders, too, if it wasnt for its springy suspension. Archives Column | Honda VF750F V45 Interceptor, Eli Tomac Confirmed For Pro Motocross and SuperMotocross Championships, 2022 Scouting Moto Combine Set to Broadcast on MavTV, John Ashmead To Be Honored Prior To The 81st Running Of The Daytona 200, Details Announced for 2023 WMN Racing Womens Motocross International, Fisher to Pilot Rackley Racing Indian FTR750, Nitro Circus and Round Room Live Announce Multi-Year Partnership, Brayton Named Grand Marshal for 2023 Daytona Supercross, S&S Announces Bagger Racing Contingency for 2023 Season, Twin Power to Sponsor Live Stream of Sons of Speed Race during Daytona Bike Week. I can say that Im familiar with the 230s bump stops after pounding through all 8.7 inches of travel in front and 8.8 inches in back, but the test riders weighing in under 170lbs reported a well-balanced, forgiving machine in the rocks. Harumph! Definitely not interstate as I've found.. Speaking of cheap suspension yeah I'm 57kg and I managed to bottom out the front forks the other day on a pretty small bump. It has a 37mm fork with 8.7 inches of travel. The 23 models have several great improvments. Its just not enough for that. Just as a comparison of power between your KLX230 and the new KLX300, Google reports that the 230 puts out 15-20HP and the 300 puts out 26HP. Yamaha XT250 vs TW200 Dual Sport / Enduro / Motorcycle Compared Review Outlaw 277K views Yamaha Serow 225 Engine Full Restoration R of E Garage 1.9M views My Dual Sport Setup on the Yamaha XT. Tornado 2 Boots:REVIT! The biggest problem facing the KLX is the smallest thing about it. Not sure how a DRZ400 would be. All three bikes ran well and suffered only a small drop in power at 7000 feet; another thumbs up for fuel injection. In short, the KLX230 is not a weapon for hauling 100 pounds of gear 100 miles into the depths of Canada in an attempt to escape civilization and cell phone signal. The KLX makes sense in a lot of ways for some riders but not all. We traveled from 1350 feet elevation to 7000 feet via roads, of which 90 percent was dirt, of which about five percent was probably more suited for healthy mules. I hear a lot of negative stuff from non-owners mostly. It seems to be more prevalent when its hot. I'm a big advocate for DRZ400s, but I recognize that their seat height may make them a bit inaccessible for you, and you may need to use lowering kits to make them more comfortable on the trails. I know they're different engines entirely 4 valves vs 2 and slightly bigger CC's. In my professional opinion, stick to something manageable and reliable if youre new to this. One new winner* is announced every week! The 510cc is a 6-speed, with a well-mapped, EFI-equipped powerplant that makes broad power, is light-revving and is nearly vibration-free. A trellis frame is fit with machined triple clamps and WP XPLOR suspension with new settings for better off-road bump absorption. If you cant imagine how much fun having a reliable, small, quiet, four-stroke motorcycle would be in college, then the KLX might not be for you; as you might not know how to have fun. Then after riding it for a day. Stopping to not only kill the motor, but turn the ignition off and back on again, seemed to allow it to readjust. People are always staring at it. Yamaha must have enlisted a small child to design the XTs shift lever. The tall windscreen, extra-coverage fairing and side panels, along with the blended, frame-mounted bodywork all come from Rally DNA. But Ive been chomping at the bit over the new KLX300? without gear. Yamaha XT250 model year 2008. Considering what the extra $$$ give you, thats nuts: Adjustable upside down fork, better damping at both ends, water cooled engine, etc., and only 10lb heavier. There is no interstate-capable-trail-friendly-dirt-bike out there. (Dont worry, we didnt forget about it entirely in this comparison, nor Kawasakis new KLX230.). My bike still only has about 5000K on it. Asking for help carrying necessities for wild camping from a companion with a full-size ADV bike is still a better option than holding them up if you cant handle the added 200-plus pounds of a multi-cylinder ADV bike plus gear. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. All three are fun little around-town go-getters and decent commuters, as long freeways arent part of the equation. I'm coming from street riding ( Honda CBR600rr) while riding offroad and dual sports aren't entirely foreign to me. It has proven to be very reliable. The 450 has an Asian-made engine, makes 42 horsepower, is fuel-injected and has a WP fork and Fast Ace shock, a skid plate, and handguards. Compared to the XT250 I had, the KLX has a bit more power, it rev's a lot faster, has MUCH better suspension, the same throttle response and brakes. Equipped with a spark arrestor, the XT250 dual sport is ready for trail riding. Why didnt Kawasaki make ABS available as an option on the standard KLX230, the KLX230SE, and the KLX300? I don't think the 20 cc will matter much at freeway speeds. Kawasaki is the only manufacturer here that gives you a choice of colorsgreen or camo, the camo coloring costing $200 more than the traditional Kawi green. Even though the WR250R has not changed over the years, its price tag has crept up to its current $6699 MSRP. The Kawasaki has a slightly higher base price of $5399. The KLX has an extra gear which is nice, a gas gauge, .6 gallon less gas, and a taller seat height. It sells for the same price. A sub all about riding dual sports or dual sporting rides. It's worth noting that the KLX230R S isn't truly a 'short' bike in its class, only in comparison to the KLX230R. If your focus is trail riding, you have an excellent motorbike to enjoy. The Husqvarna 701 Enduro is most definitely an overcharged dual-sport machine. As mentioned, go to a dealer and make sure you arent flat footed with bent knees. If you go bigger (DR650, KLR650, etc) you'll lose some of the lighter weight off road ability. Its an easy and unintimidating motorcycle to ride both on- and off-road, and you can get it with ABS. It is a carbureted 5-speeder with a manual clutch and weighs 328 pounds. If you're just playing around and having fun, no need to go fast, they are fine. Trying to make up for a lack of skill with power is never a good idea. That is exactly what the XT250 is made for. Kawasaki did and the obvious answer to why is for the Asian Markets. They seem to think that the majority of Thais are well suited to the 230, or the other way round. The 500 uses a diaphragm clutch for a lighter pull and better feel, Nissin brakes, Maxxis DOT-legal tires, CNC-machined triple clamps, and a push-button removable saddle. Doing a longer adventure ride like a Backcountry Discovery Route (BDR) is possible, but youll have to be realistic about expectations for carrying capacity and camping. It holds 3.4 gallons of fuel and has good range for those long rides with generous sections of tarmac. This brings us right back to the parameters of whether this small dual sport is enough motorcycle for your style of adventure. $4000-4100, out the door was $1000 less than what I had planned on spending. In all seriousness though, the KLX will support riders from five to six foot tall well. ( we both have KLX230s). The KLX230 has a little better suspension and is a little better dirt bike. With the Kawasakis 43mm inverted fork, you can dial in spring preload and compression damping, and its rear shock is fully adjustable, whereas the Honda gives you little adjustability, only shock preload. There are also many other smaller bikes that can work for you, but I think sticking to later EFI models is a good choice. The Hondas suspension, however, is a little disappointing. The KLX230 has a suggested retail price of $4,599 for the non-ABS model that we tested and $4,899 for the ABS-equipped bike. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. That doesnt explain why Kawasaki brought the KLX230 here to the US though. Im sure Ill get years of service from the bike. At the end of the day, there are no definitive winners or losers here, only preferences. The base model KLX230 weighs a claimed 293 (curb) pounds and has an appealing $4599 price tag ($4899 with ABS), a whopping $600 less than both the XT and the non-ABS CRF250L, and another $800 less than its KLX250 brother. Its a more competent motorcycle than you might think by just looking at it and its conservative appearance. Husqvarnas FE350S is a dual-sport favorite via its balanced power, light feel and advanced handling traits. The Yamaha XT250 is a motorcycle made by Yamaha Motor Company . With a low seat height and a torquey motor, the KLX230 is an around-the-town scoot with just a pinch of off-road DNA. And this bike will be my new daily. It is counterbalanced to keep vibrations down. Yes, Absolutely agree. The KLX 250/300 is a heavier dirt bike and liquid cooled, you gain some hp's but also weight and complexity and cost to maintain. I go through gas on the KLX230 much faster than he does. 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