Kawasaki has a long and storied history with dirt bikes. It first built a motorcycle to compete on dirt over 60 years ago, and it was the first of the Japanese Big Four to build one specifically for off-road competition in the B8M. It was also the first to give us disc brakes on a dirt bike, among other tech innovations. The 70s saw the first KX (the KX250), which became a landmark model to be designed from the ground up as a competition machine.

By 2005, Kawasaki had launched the KLX series of off-road models that were more suited to enduro rather than motocross tracks. And fast-forward to today, this KLX lineup also functions as the more affordable alternative to the full-fat KX racers. That is not to say that they aren’t competent off-road bikes, as you can definitely do hardcore off-roading with them. This is precisely why we think the KLX230R deserves the title of the "most affordable Kawasaki dirt bike for hardcore off-roading". Let's learn about it more.

To ensure accuracy, the information compiled in this article was sourced from the manufacturer, as well as other authoritative sources such as Cycleworld.com, Motorcycle.com, Motorcyclenews.com, and Visordown.com.

Most Affordable Kawasaki Dirt Bike For Hardcore Off-Roading: KLX230R

MSRP: $4,999

The 230R belongs to the KLX series of off-road motorcycles from Kawasaki. We know we’ve stated that before, but it is worth reiterating that being a KLX means that it isn’t an all-out race machine. That’s a good thing since this is supposed to be a learner machine for those dipping their toes into hardcore off-roading (and most likely their faces into a patch of mud). It therefore eschews quite a bit of tech from the KX series like exotic materials for the frame, the four-stroke engine, water cooling, and short gear ratios. All that comes for an MSRP of just $4,999. Serious value for the money, isn't it?

Employs A 233cc Engine

The Heart Of The Matter

The KLX230R, as its name suggests, has a 233 cc single-cylinder engine. It sports fuel injection, a two-valve head, and a single overhead camshaft. Liquid cooling is notably absent. Translation: it won’t have the kind of power and torque that will be segment-leading, but you also won't have to remember to top up, replace, and choose coolant.

It is a nearly square engine, with a bore of 67 mm and stroke of 66 mm. This suggests a broad torque spread and not-so-peaky power delivery, making it easy for anyone to get it going while riding off-road. Getting it in the wrong gear won’t be much of a problem either, despite the relatively wide ratio gearbox. To sum up, it does what it says on the tin: has a broad torque spread and has just enough tech to not need special attention while being with the times.

Cheap And Cheerful Underpinnings

Chassis: Perimeter; Suspension: Showa

Spoiler alert: the KLX230R doesn’t have expensive components. It keeps things simple and low-cost. However, that's not to say it's not capable. There's a perimeter frame made of steel--something no motorcycle in the off-road market currently offers at a lower purchase price. The suspension is simple; only the rear has adjustment for spring preload, while the front has no adjustability at all. Does it really need any more? Well, not exactly. It doesn’t need better suspension for what it is intended to do. We’re perfectly okay with what Showa has to offer here. ABS is an option that adds $300 to the price, and it is switchable for off-road applications.

Interestingly, you get a larger 265 mm front petal disc if you get the ABS in place of the standard 245 mm rotor. There is a model with a lower seat height thanks to suspension with less travel called the KLX230R S (see below), too. Its price is $400 over the base KLX230R, or $100 more than the ABS version. Wheels are off-road-standard 21/18 inches diameter front/rear spoked rims shod with knobby tires. The KLX230R’s frame and suspension echo the engine’s brief: offer enough tech to keep the user happy, but not so much that ownership becomes a pain in the wallet.

KLX230R and KLX230R S

Lowering The Difficulty (And Seat Height)

Diving deeper into the variants, you can have the KLX230R in two distinct flavors: the standard one that we have talked about already, and another version called the KLX230R S. The ‘S’ alludes to the fact that it is lower than the standard. The seat height measures 1.2 inches less (34.4 inches to the standard’s 35.6 inches), achieved by giving up some suspension travel. To be precise, you get a suspension setup with 8.7 inches and 8.8 inches of travel front and rear, which is 1.1 inches and 1.0 inches less than the standard bike. Ground clearance is also reduced by 0.8 inches, dropping from 11.4 inches to 10.6 inches. That is a small sacrifice to make to get a much more comfortable seat height, especially for those getting their first few off-road hours in.

The Competition

What Else Should You Consider?

Since we’re looking at cheap and cheerful, we aren’t even going to look at European brands like KTM and Husqvarna – they cater to the opposite end of the spectrum. That leaves us with the big four Japanese brands. Suzuki doesn’t have a horse in this race, opting to stick with pure motocross models or dual sport stalwarts like the DRZ400S and DR650S. Yamaha offers the TT-R230 that is priced slightly lower than the KLX230R but lacks features like fuel injection, a rear disc brake, and a perimeter frame.

Honda’s CRF250F is a much closer match with an identical sticker price and quite a few identical features like fuel injection. It does offer two more valves than the Kawasaki as well. However, the trade-off is its 5-speed gearbox, and an inch less suspension travel than its Kawasaki rival. With the perimeter frame, 6-speed gearbox, optional switchable ABS, fuel injection, and most importantly, Kawasaki’s Rideology app that pairs with the KLX, it is difficult to recommend anything other than the Kwacker as the default choice for someone who wants to do hardcore off-roading on a budget.

Kawasaki KLX230R Specifications