2022 Kawasaki KLX230 SE—Special Edition Dual Sport Fun
To accompany its KLX230 dual sport bike, Kawasaki is introducing something special for 2022. The 2022 KLX230 SE special edition version of the motorcycle promises to entertain riders on both pavement and dirt.
Like its basic model brother, the KLX230 SE takes design and performance cues from Kawasaki’s KX motocross lineup. But the special edition comes with multiple Kawasaki Genuine Accessories to improve the overall riding experience compared to its sibling.
The new goodies on the SE include new hand guards, a tapered handlebar, a skid plate, frame covers, black-coated rims, and new Special Edition colors and graphics. All these upgrades are available also on the KLX230, but they come standard on the SE.
The tapered handlebar, with a 1-⅛-inch steel-clamping diameter, provides improved ride comfort through a narrower grip area. This configuration allows for controlled flex that absorbs shocks that would otherwise be directed to the rider’s hands and arms. The handguards, for their part, protect the rider’s fingers and hands from rocks and other debris.
The durable plastic frame covers protect the side rails of the bike’s high-tensile steel perimeter frame. Meanwhile, the skid plate covers the bottom rails and features an oil drain hole to make changing the oil simple without removing the plate.
Finally, the black front and rear wheel rims combine with the Oriental Blue and Firecracker Red colorways to give the KLX230 SE a sportier and more aggressive look.
Built on a Solid Base
These new accessories add to the reliable basis that the SE’s sibling provides. Like the KLX230, the SE features a four-stroke air-cooled single-cylinder 233cc engine.
With a SOHC two-valve design, it provides an easy and reliable riding character. The powerplant’s long stroke delivers robust mid-range torque that makes handling the bike easy and comfortable even on rocky trails
A six-speed transmission provides comfortable riding on both street and trail. Meanwhile, a fuel injection system with a 32mm throttle body delivers precise response, and the bike is to start up thanks to an electric starter.
The steel chassis has a low center of gravity and a short 54.3-inch wheelbase for good maneuverability and agility. A 37mm fork with 8.7 inches of travel and a UniTrak rear suspension with 8.8 inches of travel suck up bumps and dips in the trail. The bike also has a single rear shock absorber with adjustable preload.
To slow the KLX230 SE down, it features petal disc brakes. A twin-piston caliper clamps onto a 240mm front disc, while in the rear a 220mm disc is gripped by a single-piston caliper.
The 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel nimbly climb over most obstacles, further aided by the bike’s 10.4 inches of ground clearance. To improve riding comfort, the KLX230 SE has a low 34.8-inch seat height, a flat design for both the seat and the two-gallon fuel tank, and a pair of passenger foot-pegs for two-up riding.
A large 60/55 watt headlamp illuminates the road ahead. And if a pesky rock manages to slip by the light’s beam, a lockable toolbox compartment on the left side of the bike makes it easy to carry tools with you for field repairs.
The 2022 Kawasaki KLX230 SE is available at retailers at an MSRP of $4,999.