The more I keep thinking about a "road bike" and start researching these. The more I realize I should probably just buy a Harley for the highway and keep the TW for everything else. I rode my buddies Low Rider S the other day and it was nearly life changing dude. I could not BELIEVE how incredibly different of an experience that was to a TW 200. I immediately understood why people love Harleys so much. It was amazing going 80 down the highway no problem.
Dude, I love my Harley! There is nothing like it at all. I was a Harley Tech for about 5 years and I am still a fan even after working on them. Working on Harleys and then working on the metric bikes (honda, kawi, suzuki and the others) Harley fit and finish and even the quality is way better than those other companies.
Appreciate your content Matt. I own a 230s. Yes seat bad. Fuel tank bad. Tip over or drop bike shut off bad. ABS annoying. But I love her for the back road twisties, the way I can grab her between My knees and hold My hands up to the sky for such a fun ride. Not killing My back when I drop her. Being that the seat was so poorly made, I used carpet under layment and re-apolsterd it. I only get about 100mpg comfortably doing 60 mph all day.
Hey Red!! I am extremely grateful for your comment! I am working on the Seat Concepts seat foam on it right now, I didn't even think of the carpet foam. It is a great bike and I really gotta stop nit picking on the thing. Thanks again for your comment and I just gotta go and enjoy the bike. Ride Safe!
I picked up a 2023 in the spring. I love this bike. It’s by no means perfect but it’s impossible to get a bike that you’re happy with everything. I never understand when people complain about mirrors. I see fine with the stock mirrors. On my other bikes I just duck my shoulder or whatever I have to do to see. Just the way it is. The seat is hard. I’ll never understand why manufacturers don’t use better quality foam. It can’t be that much more expensive. I’m 60 and 155lbs but I hardly ever stay on hard roads very long. I’ve ridden x country on a zx9 r with a stock seat so I find if you move around a little it’s tolerable. The fuel gauge is ridiculously inept but you just have to deal with it. The only 2 things I’ve done to the bike is zip tied the front brake line loosely to the clutch cable to pull it back out of my line of sight of the dash. And I put an aftermarket klx 650 adjustable kickstand on. I felt the stock one was too straight up and down and the bike was unstable on it. Made a world of difference for me. All the tabs were in the same places so it was a direct swap. Very happy with this bike. I’ve been searching for the right dual sport for a long time. These are the bikes I went through and got rid of before settling on the klx Yamaha xt 225 Honda crf 250 Suzuki dr 200 I still have a Kawasaki kl250 Super Sherpa and think it’s a keeper. Plus I got it cheap.
Enjoyed your video. If you could acquire one I’d love to see you do a shootout between the Kawi and a XT250. Acceleration, top end comparison head to head. Plus trail and street running. Seat comparison lol. The year of the XT wouldn’t matter as long as it’s a fuel injected model. After all it’s been fuel injected for 10 years now. Thanks again Matt. Of course you being a Yamaha man, you may wind up trading that Kawi for a XT and add another tuning fork to your fleet.
Thanks Gary!! I would have bought the XT250 if they had one at the dealership when I bought the KLX230......I would love to have the XT to do videos with. I think it would be way better than the KLX230S
Never too late buddy. Might be a Kawi man (or woman) out there willing to trade. Honestly as long as Yamaha keeps selling everyone they make, why would they change the T-Dub? Thanks again for your time and effort. That and your childlike approach to the T-Dub. Feels like you’re living Christmas Day everyday.
This bike is growing on me man. I don't like the lack of ground clearance (as if I do trials, or ever climbed the Widowmaker, etc.), but I like it. Also, you made me laugh, I like your editing at about 1:07, you had to have been thinking that you need to be sure to edit out where you didn't stop at that sign...right?! Ah, the luxury of a small town. Anyway great info, great scenery, great yield at that stop sign, and another great video.
I feel the same about the seat, an the mirrors. Put a seat-concepts some what better, an also install double take mirrors. Much better. I'm getting around 145miles per tank of fuel. At this point I'm wanting to sell it.
My DRZ has the worst seat I've ever tried on the street. I have Seat Concepts now, and it helped, but after a 100 miles or so I'm done. You can put a Mad Dog Amazon Topper on that Kaw and it will help. It straps to the existing Seat . Take care, Clark
As for the (hard) seat, I must admit, it hasn't bothered me too much yet - perhaps I'm simply used to sitting on hard, narrow road and MTB bicycle seats! I can see how the hard-ish seat can be an issue for some, however at the same time, if this bike is ridden in its ideal environment off-road, the seat may be less of an issue, especially if one stands on the pegs for a good portion of the time.
@@MOBStreet83 something else I'm kind of blown away by is the precise handling of the KLX 230 - it goes exactly where you point it! I'm fortunate enough to own a Honda CRF 300L as well, and if I had to choose, this (KLX) is the bike that I'll take off-road! In my opinion, the KLX definitely handles more accurately. I'm not sure if it's the 8 kg (18 lb) lighter weight or the geometry of the KLX that's making the difference? Of course, getting to the off-road or woods, the CRF has it over the little KLX on the blacktop, but, how much more than 60 mph does one really need?
Not the best bike to do more than say 95 km/h (60 mph) comfortably, and although it will do it reasonably well, it is much more at home in the 'dirty stuff' or on quiet backroads. In town, as a commuter, it does exceptionally well! It is nimble, and fuel economy is outstanding.
@@MOBStreet83 Matt, have you ridden your 230S at night yet? I am very impressed with the low beam for riding in urban environments, but curiously, the high beam is just about useless! Low beam does the job, and maybe this bike was not meant to be ridden fast in the dark?
Usually when you’re riding a gas station isn’t close so I think it’s nice that it flashes at a half because we all like to keep pushing it past E lol. I agree that seat is horrible my ass was sore after riding 25 miles home
Our Xterra was in an accident, so I've been commuting on my KLX300. Without the Maddog seat cover, I'd be crying every day. Those KLX seats are horrible.
The seat is a bummer, Maddog seat cover and workout mat shaped like the seat, makes a huge difference, it’s a little taller but worth the 40 bucks or so. Try it you’ll like it…be safe
These bikes are a tool for people in poverty that need to get from A to B affordably. Have to be honest, so much whining and bitching, first world problems. The biggest issue is your size for such a small bike.
Yeah, that is why I mention my weight in the video. I understand that it is a different market here, but we have them and we ride them so I review them.
