While we await the launch of the Kawasaki KLX 230 in India, Kawasaki just launched a new variant in Japan — the KLX 230 Sherpa. The Sherpa variant features a few aesthetic changes, along with a slightly lighter kerb weight and increased torque figures.
While most of the KlX 230 Sherpa’s components remain the same as the base KLX 230, there are a few differences, like the little black flyscreen added to the front, a new range of colourways, and the exhaust heat shield, which is now a completely separated unit, unlike the KLX 230, where it is part of the bodywork. The tank shrouds also seem to be dialled down to a more subtle and elegant look, in contrast to the loud MX-style bodywork on the KLX 230.
At the heart of the Sherpa is the same 233cc air-cooled, single-cylinder engine that does duties on the KLX 230 and the KLX 230S, but while the power figure stays the same at 17.7 bhp, the torque has gone up by a notch to 1.9 kgm from 1.87 kgm. It still gets a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel, but the ground clearance on Sherpa has gone down to 240mm, as opposed to 265 mm on the KLX 230. It also weighs 134 kg, which is 5kg lighter than KLX 230, further bettering the power-to-weight ratio.
Kawasaki will launch the KLX 230 in December at IBW 2024 at an expected price of Rs 2.2 to 2.5 lakh (ex-showroom), and it seems unlikely that it will bring the Sherpa variant right now. Would you prefer it over the KLX 230?
