Kawasaki recently dropped a massive surprise by slashing the prices of two motorcycles, the KLX 230 and the Kawasaki KLX230R S. The former saw a price drop of Rs 1.30 lakh, and now costs Rs 1.90 lakh, while the more off-road focused Kawasaki KLX230R S costs Rs 1.94lakh, ex-showroom.
Kawasaki managed to trim away massive prices by localising the production in India, and sources say as much as 95 percent of the two motorcycles are made here. However, there is a small catch.
2026 Kawasaki KLX230R S CKD: What does it get?
One surprising news is that Kawasaki will sell the CKD unit and the made-in-India unit side by side. The CKD unit costs much more than the Indian made motorcycle and uses an aluminium swing arm that offers more rigidity and stiffness. The CKD unit has a weight advantage – 14kg – over the locally assembled Kawasaki KLX230R S.
While 14kg may not sound like much on paper, this makes a huge difference in the real world, especially when off-roading, a core focus of the Kawasaki KLX230R S.
2026 Kawasaki KLX230R S: How does the Indian made unit differ?
The Indian made Kawasaki KLX230R S looks identical to the CKD version, however, the biggest difference is the frame again, as the Indian version uses a high-tensile steel frame. This has contributed significantly to the weight.
The other big change is the tweaked suspension setup, which is made in India now. When both are ridden back-to-back, the differences are evident, but a customer looking for pure off-road riding will opt for a more focused dirt bike from Kawasaki’s lineup.
With the differences out of the way, now let’s look at the similarities. The CKD version of the India-made version of the Kawasaki KLX230R S is suspended by long travel telescopic forks, a monoshock at the rear, 21-18 wheels with wire-spoke rims, disc brakes at both ends, and more.
Their powertrain is also the same, as both versions use an air-cooled 233cc, single-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed gearbox. The engine makes 19.57bhp and 20.6Nm of peak torque. Also, note that the Kawasaki KLX230R S is not street legal in India.