Kawasaki KLX230SM: Supermoto On A Budget

[advrider]

Kawasaki has once again remixed one of its dual sport bikes to give us a supermoto. Fresh from the halls of the INTERMOT show in Cologne, we now have news of the new-for-2023 Kawasaki KLX230SM—a supermoto on a budget.

What you see is what you get here. Unlike the high-end braaaaptastic su-mos from the Euro dirt bike manufacturers, this is a pretty tame dual sport with a set of non-knobby tires on 17-inch rims. The front forks are also changed up, to match the new, smaller-diameter wheel. See Kawasaki’s write-up below:

WHEELS & BRAKES

The KLX230SM comes with 17-inch front and rear wheels, and they are wider than those found on the KLX230 to help riders navigate the roads with increased handling precision. A large 300 mm semi-floating petal disc front brake with a twin-piston caliper adorns the front wheel of the motorcycle, delivering powerful stopping power and adding to the sleek supermoto looks. Like its KLX230 brethren, a 220 mm disc with a single-piston caliper is in charge of slowing the rear.

CHASSIS

The KLX230SM comes equipped with 37 mm inverted forks, adding front-end rigidity and giving the motorcycle a sportier look. Like the KLX230, the KLX230SM utilizes the new Uni-Trak® rear linkage that aids in bump absorption, and the single rear shock absorber is adjustable for preload, allowing riders to easily make the necessary adjustments for their weight or for the weight of a passenger. Since this motorcycle is built for the road, the KLX230SM comes equipped with stiffer spring settings that reduce the amount of travel, offering greater overall composure while in use. Since this motorcycle is geared for the streets, the off-road rider footpegs are replaced with standard footpegs with rubber pads which adds to the rider’s overall comfort.

Kawasaki also put a new LED headlight on the front of the KLX230SM, a new front fender, and blacked out the engine, frame, swingarm, handlebars and rims.

The basic bike is still going to be very much the same as the KLX230 dual sport we tested back in 2020—see the review here.

US pricing for the bike is $5,299 without ABS, and $5,599 with ABS. It hasn’t appeared on Canada’s Kawasaki website yet, although we’re sure it will appear there eventually.

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