Kawasaki KLX 230 S Test Mule Spotted Again; Localised Parts Spotted

The Kawasaki KLX 230 S has been spotted again in India being tested and this time the camouflaged road-legal enduro sport bike was in Pune. This is the second time the bike has been spotted doing the test rounds with a lot of parts on the bike highly likely to be localised. Thus, it would become the first potential road-legal dual-sport motorcycle from the Japanese brand to be made and launched in India. 

What Is The Kawasaki KLX 230 S?

An initial glimpse at the test mule here presents a very hardcore, off-road-centric bike. It might have decent on-road mannerisms as well which should make it quite a lot well-rounded. Its closest rival will likely be the Hero XPulse 200 4V. 

Already on sale in global markets, the Kawasaki KLX 230 S is powered by a 233 cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine that is good for 19 bhp and 20 Nm. The engine makes a bit more power and torque than the XPulse’s mill and hence highway dashes shouldn’t feel like a daunting task, as is the case with the Hero bike at times. Transmission duties are taken care of by a 6-speed gearbox, but the measly 7.5-litre fuel tank is its biggest Achilles heel. 

Kawasaki KLX 230 S Updated Recently

Kawasaki had recently updated the KLX 230 S for global markets introducing some major changes to the chassis department. These include a new rear subframe that is now longer than before. Consequently, the seat has also gone longer, but the enduro-styled single-piece design has been retained. 

The chassis is suspended by a 37 mm telescopic fork and a new Uni-track linkage shock with preload adjustability. Both get 200 mm and 226 mm travel, respectively, thus making the KLX 230 S quite capable on broken roads. Making matters further adventurous is the fact that it rolls on 21-inch and 18-inch aluminium wheels. These wheels were spotted running on MRF dual-sport rubber. Braking duties are carried out by a single 240 mm petal disc brake with a 2-piston calliper at the front, and a 220 mm petal disc brake at the rear clasped by a single-piston calliper. 

The styling of the bike is derived from Kawasaki’s KX series of enduro bikes, keeping matters rugged and yet minimal are the fewer body panels and that upswept exhaust setup. Feature-wise, the Kawasaki KLX 230 S gets a full LED lighting system. The instrument cluster is a fully digital LCD display that supports Bluetooth connectivity via the Rideology app. Additionally, the KLX 230 S also allows you to record lap timings, and track your journey with GPS-informed logs. 

Given the fact that Kawasaki will localise the production of the KLX 230 S, we expect its final ex-showroom price to be somewhere in the region between ₹2-₹2.5 lakh. Yes, it will be a premium product than the Hero XPulse 200 4V.

(Source: hrishimandke/Instagram)