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I knew we’d be friends the moment I saw it. Positioned in the courtyard of a funky California-coast motel was a lovely pair of “Battle Gray” Kawasakis: the standard KLX and the slightly smaller star of this show: the 2023 KLX230S. This discretely diminutive dual-sport is Kawasaki’s response to dealers and consumers who requested a bike that catered to a shorter, less-experienced demographic. The 2023 KLX230S is a fine-tuned, entry-level bike engineered in honour of riders who may have smaller strides but the same big dreams.
The team of testers was an array of riders with different skill levels who ranged in height from about 5’3” to 5’10.” At 5’4” with minimal and outdated off-road experience, I represented the intended audience well. My first time off-street was a motocross bike that was so terrifyingly tall, it had to be held up by two people who helped me push off and catch me after a harrowing ride around the track. As such, I understood Kawi’s motivation to offer this cut-down machine. When you’re new to the sport, the ability to plant both feet while seated inspires confidence because it eliminates one of the most common sources of anxiety of newer, smaller stature riders. Less worry leaves more brain space to focus on riding the bike.
The star of the show: the 2023 KLX230S Photo: Kevin Wing
Not just a lowering kit
Typically, shorter riders who want to flat-foot have the following options: learn to adapt, find smaller displacement bikes, or—at their own great expense—have the bike lowered with an aftermarket kit of some kind. The problem with lowering a bike after production is that it messes with the ergonomics, and often negatively impacts suspension and agility.
In the case of the KLX230S, the engineers at Kawasaki carefully calibrated the chassis to produce the right amount of rigidity and balance,shifting the position of the engine to create a lower center of gravity. Lowering the standard seat height of the KLX230 from 34.8 inches to 32.7 for the KLX230S was achieved through shorter wheel travel of the front and rear suspension: 6.2 inches in the front forks and 6.6 inches in the rear.
“Enough about ergos, let’s ride!”
Before tackling the trails we headed to the town of Los Alamos, which was an excellent choice. On local roads we got a chance to get acquainted with the bikes, and even make small adjustments at our first stop. The bike’s shifting is smooth; the engine is quiet, with plenty of available acceleration for city streets. Within the first hour riders in the group were already popping wheelies and drifting testing the boundaries of balance and traction without bothering the locals.
Next we progressed from fire roads and eventually to some good and gnarly paths that featured jagged rocks, wash-outs, sand, mud, steep drop-offs, twists, turns and puddles. Thanks to the revised ECU settings that offer lower fast-idle speed and improved power at higher altitudes there was no change in the bike’s responsiveness, even as we climbed toward the cloud line. In fact, it seemed like the harder the riding, the better the bike performed. This dual sport knows where it wants to be, which is exactly when you want it to feel it’s best.
Digging into the dirt on the 2023 KLX230S Photo: Kevin Wing
Allow me to digress …
While I was reacquainting myself with how to ride dirt, the difference between off and on-road riding hit me. It comes down to the relationship between wo/man and machine. For optimal results, my street ride and I must become one; we find the apex and merge. We lean together in the corners, my legs and arms hugging the bike for maximum effect. The alchemy comes from blurring the lines between the two entities. It’s about precision and control. We trust one another but only when we’re as close as possible.
Dirt is almost entirely opposite. You are along for the ride. The bike does it’s best work when you give it space. Elbows out, legs loose, you know where you want to go, but you let the machine dictate its course. The more challenging the terrain the more room you give it to dance. I love this about dirt riding; trusting the bike to get the job done.
The KLX230S is best friend material when you ride it this way. When a muddy wash-out threatened to throw me onto the trail, I remembered to let the bike take over, giving it a quick twist of throttle to reaffirm my faith. My heart didn’t even skip a beat, and yes, it helped to know that the ground was within reach of my feet.
Back on track!
More-seasoned riders may want to take advantage of one of the other added features available on the 2023 KLX series: easy access to disable the ABS while they’re ripping through the trails. For others of us who might not welcome a dirt drift, some help managing a slide comes in handy. When I grabbed too much brake early on in our tour, the ABS kept me out of the ditch and gave me the chance to remember how to feather the clutch and let the engine handle downhill deceleration.
Ride by on the KLX230S. Photo: Kevin Wing
The home stretch
After our lunch stop we took to the highway. For almost an hour, the 230S had a chance to prove itself at the top of its range. The six gears and responsive shifting prove even more valuable when the speed limit is higher and you’re sharing the road with cars. What is less exciting is riding top speeds with knobby tires. Not much Kawasaki can do about the realities of riding on road with off-road tires, but it’s good to know before you feel a wobble at 75 mph.
There’s this one thing
It might not matter to everyone, but I’m a fan of a descriptive instrument panel. The KLX230S dash displays your speed, the time, and even has a gas gauge, but I would have preferred some other features, most especially a tachometer with a neighboring gear indicator. When getting acquainted with a new bike, these have always played an integral role in building my relationship with an engine’s power band. Perhaps it has something to do with being a less experienced off road, but I find those reference points allow me to better navigate the terrain with my brain. I know it’s more important to “feel” the bike, but why not make that easier?
An instrument panel that left me wanting. Photo: Kevin Wing
In closing
The KLX230S is a very supportive machine. Repeatedly, over the course of the day, the 230S kept up with my learning curve, and gave me the confidence to take on new challenges. It’s a comfortable, agile, and fearless bike that quietly hold its own on all types terrain, with style and grace. The suspension responded well, even when this less-seasoned dirt rider slammed into certain obstacles instead of lifting us over them. The gentle “pffff” let me know we’d landed hard, but safely. Congratulations to Kawasaki and on behalf of this petite off-road enthusiast, “Thanks!”
If I missed anything and you have questions, throw them in the comments below. I’ll keep an eye out and answer as best I can.
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