If launched, the KLX230 will rival the Hero Xpulse.
According to numerous automobile media outlets, Japanese motorcycle manufacturer Kawasaki is planning to launch a dual-sport motorcycle in India. The model in question is the KLX 230 S, which was recently spotted testing but with India-centric accessories such as a saree guard and a front number plate. For the record, the KLX 230 is a dirt bike, and therefore, it is sold as a non-legal road bike in various countries. However, in India, the motorcycle will be launched as a road-legal vehicle.
While nothing is known about the Indian specific motorcycle at the moment, the KLX is expected to be powered by a 233cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine with power figures in the 19bhp and 20.6Nm zone. The KLX is likely to be an extremely lightweight motorcycle, weighing around 140 kilogrammes and built on a perimeter frame with a wheel combination of 21-inch at the front and 18-inch at the rear, coupled with disc brakes on both ends and ABS.
Given that India has never been a significant market for dual-sport motorcycles or dirt bikes, in the following paragraphs, we have listed motorcycles from both road-legal and non-road-legal categories.
The Hero Xpulse is powered by a 199.6 cc air-cooled engine, which produces a peak power of 19.17PS at 8,500rpm and a maximum torque of 17.35Nm at 6,500rpm. As of now, in India, if there is any motorcycle that can be legally ridden on the road and can be used as a dirt bike as well, the Xpulse 200 is the one. Priced at INR 1.46 lakh, ex-showroom, the motorcycle has a 13-litre fuel tank. Not to forget, a rally edition of the Xpulse is also available for hard-core dirt bike enthusiasts.
A non-road-legal version of the KLX, the 230RS, starts at a price of INR 5.21 lakh, ex-showroom. Powered by a 233cc air-cooled engine, the dirt bike produces 20PS at 8,000rpm of maximum power and a peak torque of 20.6Nm at 6,000rpm. Given the motorcycle’s nature, it only weighs 115 kilogrammes despite being a 233cc motorcycle—much lighter than even some scooters found in India. The motorcycle is armed with 6.6- litres, which may seem like a small amount, but it is enough for motocross competitions or trail rides.
Kawasaki offers another dirt bike in India named the KX 250, which is a more powerful version of the KLX230S. The 250 is powered by a four-stroke, 249cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine that produces a peak power of 39.6bhp at 13,200rpm and a maximum torque of 24.9Nm. The motorcycle only weighs 107.3 kilogrammes, with a suspension travel of 314mm at the front and 316mm at the rear. This, too, being a dirt bike, is not a road-legal motorcycle and has a hefty price tag of INR 7.43 lakh.
To be honest, the KTM ADV 250 should not be on this list because it is not a dirt bike but an adventure tourer motorcycle. However, components such as a long travel suspension of 177mm, dual-purpose tyres, and a wheel setup of 19-inch/17-inch make it a motorcycle that can be taken off-road but cannot be used for motocross purposes. A road legal motorcycle, the ADV 250 is priced at INR 2.45 lakh, ex-showroom.
