India-Made KLX 230R S Deliveries Commence: 3.02 Lakh cheaper Than The Imported Version

Kawasaki left many surprised by starting local production of the KLX 230 off-road motorcycle. This meant that the bike would receive massive price cuts here. And with the new GST revision in place, the prices have fallen drastically. With an ex-showroom prices of 1.84 lakh, the KLX 230 now offers terrific value. Making things sweeter for enthusiasts, Kawasaki also launched the made-in-India KLX 230R S in August, at Rs 1.79 lakh, ex-showroom. It has now started commencing deliveries of this motorcycle. A video shared on the official Instagram handle of 'India Kawasaki' shows India's first customer delivery of the 2026 230R S.

The Video

If you didn’t know it yet, the KLX 230R S is a purpose-built off-road bike, and hence is not road legal. The customers here, arrive at the Pune dealership in a Toyota Hilux pickup truck. They are received by the dealership staff. They then unveil the motorcycle and pose for pictures with it.

The clip then shows religious rituals being performed on the bike, after which it is moved to the Toyota’s cargo bed. This is done carefully, under the close supervision of the dealer’s staff. As seen in the video, the Hilux can comfortably accommodate this motorcycle in its loading bay.

More About The KLX230R S

Kawasaki now has two different versions of the KLX230R S on sale here- the 2024 model (international spec) and the 2026 model (the made-in-India bike). These are priced at Rs 4.81 lakh and 1.79 lakh, respectively! Why the massive disparity? Well, the international spec is a CKD import.

The made-in-India 230R S has its frame finished in high-tensile steel. The global-spec has an Aluminium swingarm. Kawasaki has put over 95 per cent localisation into the 2026 KLX 230R S. Likely due to its increased use of Steel, the new bike is 14 kilos heavier than the CKD version. Both versions are powered by the same 233cc, air-cooled, fuel-injected engine that produces 19.57bhp and 20.6Nm. The transmission is a six-speed unit.

Image: International spec KLX 230R S (CKD import)

The new KLX 230R S has a suspension travel of 220mm at the front (thanks to the 37mm telescopic forks) and 223 mm at the rear. The rear end gets a link-type mono-shock. It has a ground clearance of 270mm, and the seat height is 900mm- very suitable for the trails. The front and rear gets 21-inch and 18-inch wheels respectively, shod with knobby tyres.

The international spec differs slightly in specifications. The seat height here, is more- 925mm. The fuel tank capacity is 6.4L (on the India-built bike, it is 7.6l)

The KLX 230 Is A Great Buy Today!

Now, let’s talk about the standard KLX 230- the road-legal dual-sport version. The price revision has made it an extremely compelling option in the segment. In India, affordable off-road (dual-sport) bikes enjoy great demand. Models like the Hero XPulse 210 dominate this segment.

However, if you are looking for a capable dual-sport bike with Japanese reliability, the KLX is the only option available! Yes, we do have the likes of Suzuki V Strom SX, but it isn’t as good as the KLX 230 when it comes to exploring trails.

As is obvious by now, the only real rival of the KLX today is the Xpulse 210. The two are priced closely, under GST 2.0. The XPulse starts at Rs 1.66 lakh, ex-showroom, while the KLX now has an ex-showroom price of Rs 1.84 lakh.

Talking of other details, the KLX 230 is powered by the same 233cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine as its trail sibling. On the road version, this is in a slightly milder tune and produces 18bhp and 18.3Nm. It comes mated to a six-speed transmission. The bike weighs just 139 kilos and the power-to-weight ratio is thus impressive.

The front end offers 240mm of wheel travel and the rear gets 250mm. The ground clearance is 265mm, 5mm lower than the trail version. The front wheel- a 21-inch unit, gets 265mm disc brake while the 18-inch rear has a 220mm disc. A dual-channel ABS is offered on the motorcycle. Kawasaki has given this bike an LCD instrument cluster with integrated smartphone connectivity.

The smart packaging and the compelling pricing are likely to make the KLX 230’s sales spike in the upcoming years.