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RIDE REVIEW I 2025 KAWASAKI KLX230R & KLX230R S
K
awasaki made significant
changes to its KLX230R line of
"green-sticker" entry-level off-
road motorcycles, the KLX230R and
KLX230R S. The R and the RS are es
-
sentially the same motorcycles but
with different seat heights; the RS is
a little more than an inch lower than
the R model. Previously, a lower-seat
version of the all-dirt KLX230R was
not offered, unlike the street-legal
KLX230 and its lower-seat sibling,
the KLX230S. Kawasaki understands
that seat height is a crucial factor for
beginners and novices, and anyone
with a shorter inseam, recognizing
that seat height alone can make
or break a sale. By offering more
seat-height options for their off-road
KLX230R, Kawasaki increases its
chances of sealing the deal. A win-
win situation for you and Kawasaki.
The KLX230R is already a well-liked
and popular play bike, but even a
great motorcycle needs a refresh, and
the KLX230R certainly received one.
Several updates were made to the
engine, concentrating on delivering a
smoother and even more user-friend
-
ly powerplant. The new fuel-injected
233cc air-cooled four-stroke engine
features an electric start and a single-
axis primary balancer that minimizes
vibrations throughout the rpm range.
A revised cylinder head has a nar
-
rower intake port and smaller intake
valve, enhancing usability in the low-
to midrange power.