2026 Kawasaki KLX230 Sherpa S Review: Boondocking Returns

November 6, 2025

The 2026 Kawasaki KLX230 Sherpa S is a motorcycle with a couple of 1960s historical touchstones.

On one hand, it recalls the days of the boondocker motorcycles. Boondocker bikes were inexpensive, high-reliability, low-performance, easy-to-ride, lightweight, off-road motorcycles that sportsmen used to access the outdoors when traveling by foot was impractical. While they weren’t fast or stylish—the 1967 Kawasaki C2TR 120 Road Runner is a fine example—with their knobby tires and low gearing, boondocker motorcycles could get you wherever you needed to go in the boonies. The revolutionary Yamaha DT-1 dual-sport bike started the decline of the boondocker motorcycle, with the Honda CT110 (aka Trail 110) being the last holdout.

1967 Kawasaki CT2TR 120 Road Runner. Photo courtesy of Mecum Auctions.

Next, we have the case of the Sherpa S, which was the model name of Bultaco’s small-displacement bike for classic scrambles off-road competition. The Sherpa S line ranged from 98cc to 196cc in its 13-year run from 1960 to 1972. Of course, a Sherpa is someone who will show you the way to the peak of Mt. Everest, so the name has a common source for Kawasaki and Bultaco, though there is that pesky “S”.

1968 Bultaco Sherpa S. Photo courtesy of Mecum Auctions.

Last, but not least, was the Kawasaki Super Sherpa 250 dual-sport bike sold from 1999 to 2003 in the United states. Ultimate Motorcycling Associate Editor Kelly Callan owned one! It was a friendly ride, with an air- and oil-cooled motor, a 32.3-inch seat height, and a distinctive low front fender. Sales never moved it beyond cult-bike status here.

The 2026 Kawasaki KLX230 Sherpa S is a modern take on the boondocker motorcycle. It is beginner-friendly with a low seat height, yet fully capable off-road, inexpensive, and good-looking. Sure, at 300 pounds, the Sherpa S weighs 61 percent more than the 120 Road Runner. However, the motor has nearly twice the displacement, the chassis is far more sophisticated, and it has electric start. As it stands, the Sherpa S is a modern reinterpretation of the boondocker ethos—go anywhere and get the job done.

When I’m going off-road, I’m wearing an adventure outfit or dirt bike gear. However, this was boondocking. If I’m going to boondock, I’m going to wear boondocking apparel that wouldn’t have been out of place in the 1960s. Of course, I didn’t want to sacrifice too much protection. That meant an open-face Arai Classic-V, Wiley-X Gravity eye protection, a Covert Moto Flannel shirt from Scorpion with high-tech SAS-Tec CE Level 2 armor all around, Scorpion Abrams leather and mesh gloves with knuckle protection, versatile AA-rated Roadskin Cargo trousers with CE Level 2 hip and knee armor, and TCX Dartwood GTX boots with CE Category II protection and D3O ankle armor. Though I looked the part, I had more protection than anyone in the 1960s dreamed of. Back then, you’d be lucky to see a 120 Road Runner rider in a helmet.

Hopping on the KLX230 Sherpa S is easy. The seat is low at 32.5 inches, making it 0.8 inches shorter than the KLX230 S. Kawasaki achieved this by reducing wheel travel by 1.7 inches in the fork and 2.2 inches in the rear. The linkage is model-specific, and the Sherpa S gets dual-rate springs to prevent bottoming.

Riding off-road, even on fairly technical terrain, the Sherpa S does, indeed, make it easy. Confidence is enhanced by the low seat height, and the suspension does an impressive job of resisting bottoming, as long as both wheels remain in contact with the ground. Even minor air blows through the suspension on landing, reminding you that this is a motorcycle for boondocking. When riding at a faster pace, respect its limitations. Watch out for rocks, as 8.5 inches of ground clearance is less than we’re used to on a dirt bike. Even though there’s a skid place, no one wants to hear a clank.

Take the 2026 Kawasaki KLX230 Sherpa S on the pavement, and the firmly sprung suspension makes for good handling in the twisties. City riding is great fun, thanks to the low-slung chassis, which gives the bike fantastic maneuverability. If you feel the need to hop a curb, go for it—the suspension can handle it.

The slightly oversquare motor is perfect for a comfortable ride, with e-start and EFI to get the ride underway effortlessly. There’s no hit off the bottom from the air-cooled, two-valve mill thanks to spot-on fueling, and the power builds predictably. If hills need to be climbed, be prepared to spin the motor up and work the six-speed transmission. Unless you really know what you’re doing, wheelies are not on the menu, which will make timid riders smile.

Around town, the motor’s as agreeable on the pavement with urban traffic as it is boondocking. On backroads, there’s plenty of power on tap for a good time. The 233cc motor has the beans for freeway riding, as long as you don’t try to run with the big dogs in the #1 lane or try to ride long distances. Urban freeways with a 55 mph speed limit are doable, though you won’t have snappy throttle response at that speed. You’ll want to keep momentum.

The IRC Trails GP tires are a versatile choice. They will satisfy more users in the dirt, though more daring riders will want something knobbier. While there are obvious limitations to the tires in the dirt, they do a good job of warning you that a problem is brewing—listen, and back off. The IRCs are fine on pavement in all situations. The rear tire is tubeless, allowing for quick flat repairs—no complex wheel removal is needed. The front wheel is easier to pull, so Kawasaki stuck with a tube-type tire.

Like everything else about the 2026 Kawasaki KLX230 Sherpa S, the braking is non-intimidating. The front brake, a 265mm disc and two-piston caliper, has ABS on 24/7. You can turn the ABS off in the dirt, though it’s not intrusive—newer riders probably won’t even be aware of the ABS when riding off-road.

While the 300-pound weight of the Sherpa S isn’t particularly noticeable when riding, it does make it tough for a smaller novice to pick up, especially one without proper technique. This is the most significant departure from the original boondocking Kawasaki, as the 120 Road Runner weighed a featherlight 186 pounds, thanks to its flimsy, short-travel suspension and a pint-sized, rotary-valve, two-stroke motor with a four-speed transmission. We’ve come a long way, baby, but we’ve also gotten bigger along the way.

Boondocking is back. The 2026 Kawasaki KLX230 Sherpa S will undoubtedly encourage more non-motorcyclists to take to two wheels. Fortunately, once they get a taste of the fun, some of them will get hooked. If they don’t, they will still have a street-legal way of getting into some seemingly inaccessible backcountry with just basic skills. The Sherpa S is also a great suburban street bike, and it will find itself riding a rail on the back of many a motorhome. At $5699, it’s not a cheap motorcycle, though for many, the Sherpa S won’t break the bank as it delivers plenty of utility and smiles.

Photography by Garth Milan

RIDING STYLE

Helmet: Arai Classic-V
Eyewear: Wiley-X Gravity
Shirt: Scorpion Covert Moto Flannel
Armor: SAS-Tec CE Level 2 back, shoulders, and elbows
Gloves: Scorpion Abrams
Trousers: Roadskin Cargo
Boots: TCX Dartwood GTX

2026 Kawasaki KLX230 Sherpa S ABS Specs

ENGINE

Type: Single-cylinder four-stroke
Displacement: 233cc
Bore x stroke: 67.0 x 66.0mm
Compression ratio: 9.4:1
Valvetrain: SOHC; 2 valves
Cooling: Air
Fueling: EFI w/ 32mm throttle body
Transmission: 6-speed
Final drive: Chain

CHASSIS

Front suspension; travel: Non-adjustable 37mm fork; 6.2 inches
Rear suspension; travel: Linkage-assisted spring-preload adjustable shock; 6.6 inches
Front tire: 2.75 x 21; IRC Trails GP-21F (tube-type)
Rear tire: 4.10 x 18; IRC Trails GP-22R (tubeless)
Front brake: 265mm petal disc w/ 2-piston caliper
Rear brake: 220mm petal disc w/ single-piston caliper
ABS: Standard, and front wheel only

DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES