Is The Kawasaki KLX230 Dual-Sport Motorcycle Good For Beginners?
The KLX230 Dual-Sport is one of Kawasaki's most affordable motorcycles for beginners. Meanwhile, its larger stablemate, the KLX300, remains one of best dual-sport motorcycles for beginners. One characteristic that the KLX230 and other dual-sport style motorcycles share with the best motorcycles for new riders is its familiar upright riding position.
The 2024 Kawasaki KLX230 S is available with or without ABS. The non-ABS model carries an MSRP of $4,999 and the ABS model is priced at $5,299 and both are subject to a dealer specified "Destination Charge that Kawasaki suggests is $300 but could vary depending upon your dealer. Color choices applied to the seat trim, headlight bezel, fenders, radiator shroud, and side plastics include Lime Green or Battle Gray. The Battle Gray option still receives the standard KLX graphics containing splashes of Kawasaki's Lime Green here and there.
Other important details that beginners should note include the 2024 KLX230 S' 33.2-inch seat height and its 291+ pound curb weight. The tall seat height (still lower than the 2023 KLX230's 34.8-inch saddle) could make it hard for shorter riders to place both feet firmly on the ground, but taller beginners may find its full-size frame fits them better. At under 300 pounds, the 2024 KLX230 S isn't excessively heavy compared to other Japanese dual sports.
Is the Kawasaki KLX230 S a good motorcycle for beginners?
Kawasaki introduced the S model KLX230, essentially a lowered version of the standard KLX230, in 2023. The 2023 KLX230 S had a seat height a full two inches lower than the standard model and gave up the same amount in ground clearance.
A Cycle News review found the 2023 KLX230 S offered a lower center of gravity which essentially lowers the motorcycle's tipping weight. This aspect makes the S model more forgiving and allows the rider, beginner or experienced, more room for error when leaning into a turn.
The 2023 KLX230 S gave up over two inches of suspension travel front and rear but the 2024 model gained nearly all of that back along with an inch more ground clearance. In addition, the 2024 KLX230 S seat height only increased by half an inch over last year's model. Ultimately, this all means that the 2024 KLX230 S should be just as forgiving and beginner-friendly as the 2023 KLX230 S tested by Cycle News with the benefit of extra ground clearance in case you plan to exercise the bike's dual-sport capability.