Kawasaki Launches Two New Dual-Sports To Lure American Enthusiasts

The Kawasaki KLX230 has been an extremely capable entry-level dual-sport in the US for years. But for MY26, it is getting better than ever. How? With two new variants that make it more accessible for a variety of riders. Both have their own set of changes over the standard bike, without costing too much extra moolah. Let’s dive into it.

The KLX230 Sherpa S Aims To Be The Most Easy-Going Model In The Lineup

Seat height is a big issue with dual-sport bikes. After all, they have long-travel suspension and high ground clearances. That’s what Kawasaki’s new KLX230 Sherpa S aims to solve. It makes small compromises on suspension travel and ground clearance to enable a manageable saddle height of 32.5 inches. This is 0.8 less than the standard KLX230.

Other differences are design-oriented. You get different tank shrouds, a small bashplate, a new headlight cover, and muscular handguards. An earthly Whitish Beige livery rounds things off, complete with blacked-out suspension. Features and performance are unchanged, which we’ll tell you all about in a bit.

KLX230 Sherpa S Key Highlights

• Whitish Beige livery
• Small bashplate
• New bodywork
• Lowered suspension travel
• Handguards

The KLX230 DF Brings More Off-Road Abilities Than The Sherpa

We’re not sure what ‘DF’ stands for, but the headline difference here is the extra off-road abilities over the Sherpa. The suspension travel matches the standard KLX230, so do the other dimensions like ground clearance. The latter is an inch more than the Sherpa, in case you’re wondering.

Other than that, you get an extra luggage rack and engine crash protection here. This is topped with a Medium Cloudy Gray livery, comprising all-black mechanicals (engine, spokes, spoke hubs, suspension, and chassis). Everything else is the same as the Sherpa, which makes you wonder why it’s called the ‘DF’ and not ‘Sherpa’ without the S suffix.

KLX230 DF Key Highlights

• Medium Cloudy Gray livery
• Small bashplate
• New bodywork
• Handguards
• Engine crash guard
• Luggage rack

A 233cc Single-Cylinder Engine Is Common Between The Two KLX Bikes

At heart, the two bikes have the same mechanicals. The 233cc, single-cylinder engine (also seen in the W230) is the highlight, which is good for 13.3 pound-feet at 6,400 RPM. It sits inside a steel perimeter chassis, suspended on telescopic forks and a monoshock. A set of 21/18-inch spoke wheels round off the package, where the rear has a tubeless tire while the front does not.

You should also know both these versions weigh more than the standard KLX230. The Sherpa tips the scale at 299.9 pounds wet, whereas the DF is 302.1 pounds wet. In comparison, the base bike weighs 293 pounds. Fuel tank capacity is the same between all three (two gallons), meanwhile.

Both New KLX230 Models Sell For Over $5,000

The standard KLX230 sells for $4,999 for the non-ABS model and $5,299 for the ABS model. With both the Sherpa and DF featuring more components and ABS as standard, the prices are understandably higher here. Kawasaki has priced the Sherpa S at $5,699 while the DF boasts a $5,799 MSRP. For the changes, we think the extra $500-600 is somewhat justified. What do you think?

2026 KLX230 Sherpa And KLX230 DF Key Specifications