Kawasaki KLR Vs. KLX: Which Dual-Sport Bike Is Better For Daily Use?

As a major motorcycle brand, it makes sense Kawasaki has something for everyone, and that includes dual-sport bikes. Kawasaki has both the KLR and KLX lines listed as dual-sport, but it's easy to see that one is better for commuting than the other. The KLX line is mostly focused on being a dirt bike that is street legal while the KLR is more akin to a road bike that has off-road abilities. As for which one is better, it comes down to how you plan on using your bike. If you want something that focuses on the trails first, then picking up something from the KLX line is a better choice. For riding to work on a highway, the KLR line is a better choice.

Using the base options for every bike for the sake of this article, it's easy to see why the KLR 650 is your daily commuter. It has a six-gallon gas tank and can hit close to 90 mph — two things that make highway riding doable. Compared to the strongest KLX dual-sport, the KLX 300, we're looking at a two-gallon gas tank, and while it could go beyond 80 mph, the small two-gallon gas tank doesn't make it a great option for going far. While that's a tough obstacle to overcome, the KLX dual-sport bikes do have some things working in their favor.

Kawasaki sells the KLR 650 dual-sport bike, one of the best Kawasaki motorcycles ever made, and it costs $6,899. For KLX dual-sports, not to be confused with the regular off-road KLX bikes, you have two choices. The KLX 300 is the stronger of the two picks, but it comes in at a higher price of $6,199 compared to the 230's $3,999 price tag, and the latter is a good bike for beginners. For trail riders first and foremost, it could be worth saving a good chunk of cash and going for the KLX bikes over the KLR option. Both are street legal and while they don't have the bigger gas tank or the same top speed, they'll be plenty enough for riding around a city. 

At the end of the day, as long as you're aware of the limitations of these bikes, all of them work for daily riders. The KLX bikes excel at off-roading, but that doesn't mean you can ride them to the store or work — just make sure you don't take it somewhere you need to hit high speeds. If budget isn't a concern and you want something that's a jack of all trades, the KLR 650 is a fine choice. If you need to reign in your budget, the KLX 230 is a good performer on the trails and it cuts the price down significantly, but its gas tank is a third of the size.