The 2025 Kawasaki W230 brings the retro styling of Kawasaki‘s W800 to a small, approachable motorcycle aimed at new riders. Its look draws on 1950s and ’60s British bikes, with a teardrop tank, a round LED headlight, round clocks, and wire-spoke wheels.
The 233cc air-cooled single shares its bore, stroke, and two-valve head with the KLX230 engine, though its cases are entirely different. A heavy flywheel and tuning that favors low-rpm to midrange power produce 14 ft-lbs of torque at 5800 rpm, and a counterbalancer keeps it smooth. The exhaust exits on the right side of the frame downtube, rather than the left as on the KLX230. The 6-speed transmission has Kawasaki’s Positive Neutral Finder.
The chassis is classic, with a semi-double-cradle frame, a non-adjustable 37mm fork with gaiters, and twin shocks with five-way spring-preload adjustment. An 18-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear wear IRC Grand High Speed GS-11 tires.
Braking is modern, with a 265mm front disc, a 220mm rear disc, and standard ABS. The stepped seat is 29.3 inches high, so most riders can flat-foot it at stops. The teardrop tank holds 3.1 gallons and wears a white stripe and flying W badging, and the bike carries no 230 badge.
In our review, a beginning rider found the W230 light, easy to maneuver at low speeds, and confidence-inspiring in corners. She also noted a stiff throttle, a firm seat and suspension, a late-engaging clutch, and a dash without a gear indicator or fuel gauge. Practicing slow-speed circles and U-turns on the W230 boosted her confidence.
The W230 suits new riders who want classic style and a light, easy-to-ride motorcycle for town and back roads, though riders who want more power may outgrow it. MSRP is $5599, and it comes in one color, Metallic Ocean Blue/Ebony.
2025 Kawasaki W230 Specs
ENGINE
Type: Single cylinder
Displacement: 233cc
Bore x stroke: 67 x 66mm
Maximum torque: 14 ft-lbs @ 5800 rpm
Compression ratio: 9.0:1
Fueling: EFI w/ 32mm throttle body
Transmission: 6-speed w/ Positive Neutral Finder
Final drive: Chain
CHASSIS
Frame: Semi-double cradle
Front suspension; travel: Non-adjustable 37mm fork; 4.6 inches
Hello and welcome again to the Motos and Friends Podcast. This episode is brought to you by Leod Escapes.
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Aprilia is bringing a scooter to North America, and it’s one designed to appeal to adventure motorcyclists. The SR GT 400 is a mid-size scooter built around a steel motorcycle-style frame, a 399cc single, and off-road-ready hardware. It reaches US dealers as soon as this month. Don Williams and Kelly Callan spent some time riding the Aprilia and were surprised by what they discovered. Is this a real motorcycle or just a good-looking urban scooter?
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Cat McLeod is founder and owner of Leod Escapes, the ultimate tour company for sport-minded motorcycle riders. Cat talks to us this segment about some of his amazing European experiences and tours that include of course, riding some amazing MotoGP tracks on new BMW S1000RRs. If you like what you hear, now is the time to book your trip of a lifetime, so visit LeodEscapes.com to find out more.
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Our guest this episode is Terry Vance, the multiple Motorcycle and Motorsports Hall-of-Famer. Terry is of course the former professional motorcycle drag racer, team owner, and co-founder of the high-performance parts company Vance & Hines. Teejay Adams chats with Terry about his incredible career that includes being the first rider to hit 200 mph in the standing quarter-mile.
Having won this year’s MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers championship with Hayden Gillim riding the Vance & Hines factory Indian Challenger, and with Harley-Davidson’s recent withdrawal, Terry gives us his thoughts on where the series might go from here.
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