While Team Green created headlines by revealing the Ninja 500 and Z 500 at the EICMA 2023, it hasn’t ignored us either. Never mind if these motorcycles are not compliant to be ridden on our normal roads. Instead, these motorcycles are meant to be the perfect motocross tool for you. The Kawasaki KX85 is for budding riders looking to develop their skills around the dirt-track, while the KLX300R is for the more experienced riders.
Understandably, both motorcycles lack any form of lighting, but let’s talk about what else they offer. Starting with the KX85, which is powered by a 84 cc two-stroke (yay!) liquid-cooled engine. However, power and torque specifications remain unknown as of now. Underpinned by a tubular semi-double cradle frame, it makes use of 36 mm USD front forks with 275 mm of wheel travel and adjustable compression, along with a KYB-sourced fully-adjustable monoshock. Braking is taken care of via a 202 mm front and a 165 mm rear disc setup, and it wears Dunlop MX33 tyres, with a 17-inch and 14-inch wheel setup at the front and rear respectively.
The KLX300R is the more grown-up one here, packing a 292 cc liquid-cooled four-stroke engine with 28.6 bhp and 2.7 kgm of torque on offer. It also gets a 21-inch front / 19-inch rear wheel setup, and in terms of braking, it receives a 244 mm front disc and a 215 mm rear disc. Suspension details remain unknown, but the KLX300R claims a wheel travel amount of 285 mm on both ends. The handlebar also receives upto four levels of adjustability, in order to various kinds of riders.
Neither the KX85 nor the KLX300R have any direct rivals in India, but we do wish for the existence of a road-going version of the KLX300R at least. Kawasaki, are you listening?
