Bike test – Kawasaki KLX300

When I arrived at Kawasaki Motors Australia and saw the 2026 KLX300 waiting for me, I stopped for a moment and took it in. The bike looks fantastic in the flesh. The sharp KX-inspired styling gives it a proper dirtbike stance and in Lime Green it looks every bit the part. For what is essentially a simple, practical road-trailie, Kawasaki’s KLX300 looks immaculate.

I was really keen to ride it because I had never ridden the 300 before. My only experience with Kawasaki’s smaller dual-purpose range had been the KLX230 and 250, which I enjoyed for their easy-going nature. The KLX300 promised more performance and a stronger off-road base.

Once upon a time, the road-trail segment was huge in Australia. Bikes like the KLX, KLR, KDX, XR, TT, DT, XL, XT and DR were everywhere. When I was growing up there were actually more road-trail bikes on the streets in my area than road bikes. Teenagers on their L and P plates rode them to school and to work during the week, and then disappeared into the bush on weekends. As a kid riding a Suzuki RM80 on local tracks, I used to imagine how good it would be to have that kind of freedom – riding legally on the road to the trails.

Fast forward to today and I’m now 50, yet the thrill of riding trail bikes hasn’t faded one bit. I still live where I grew up and the same network of tracks and fire trails still exists. With that in mind, I already knew exactly where I would be taking the KLX once I got it home!

The ride back from Kawasaki was around 80km, mostly major roads and motorway through Sydney and the outer suburbs. Straight away the KLX300 proved surprisingly capable in traffic. The 292cc over-square liquid-cooled DOHC single-cylinder engine is smooth and friendly with a broad spread of usable power. It’s not particularly powerful, but it has enough punch to stay ahead of most traffic off the lights and the high riding position gives you a great view over surrounding cars. The narrowish handlebars and mirrors also means lane filtering is relatively easy compared to many other off-road motorcycles.

The seat height is the first thing you really notice. The KLX is incredibly tall. That comes down to how the Australian model is positioned. To be sold here without ABS, it needs to clearly present as a dirt-focused machine and that brings long-travel suspension and generous ground clearance with it. The result is a towering 935mm seat height. At 187cm I can hop on without too much trouble, but it’s definitely a front-brake-on, stand-on-the-peg and swing-the-leg-over job for riders shorter than me.

That tall stance of the 137kg KLX makes it feel top-heavy in traffic and when cornering on sealed roads. There is quite a lot of fork dive under braking, so it pays to ride accordingly; brake early and keep a finger covering the lever in traffic. The rear brake is excellent though, both on sealed surfaces and off road.

Out on the motorway, the KLX300 settles into a revvy yet comfortable cruise at around 110km/h. That seems to be its sweet spot. Push it to more and the engine begins to feel like it’s working too hard, with vibrations increasing noticeably. Flat out I’d estimate the top speed at around 120km/h, so it’s definitely a slow-lane machine on longer highway runs, but comfy enough.

After about 20 minutes on the motorway I turned onto a winding secondary road and happily cruised along at the speed limit. The KLX300 isn’t a fast cornering bike and doesn’t pretend to be. With its tall stance, long-travel suspension and narrow tyres, it much prefers a relaxed pace rather than aggressive road riding. That said, it is perfectly competent getting from A to B.

I did around 100km of tarmac before venturing off road and stopped to top up the fuel and have a stretch, although in saying that there was no discomfort at all at this point. It only took about 2.8L, excellent fuel economy even when using higher revs on the freeway. I ended up getting 200km before the fuel light, filling up at 240km and it took 6.5L.

Once on dirt roads and trails, the KLX300 really starts to make sense. The generous suspension travel soaks up bumps with ease, making it ideal for relaxed trail riding. The Dunlop D605 50/50 tyres suit the bike well and provide enough grip for the type of riding it’s designed for. Braking performance is also very good off road, offering plenty of control without feeling overly aggressive and no ABS to cause strife in the dirt.

The tall seat can become a challenge in tighter sections though, particularly single track, when you need to dab a foot down. Some riders may prefer to lower the bike slightly using alternative linkage and by dropping the forks a little in the clamps. Steering lock is good in the really tight stuff and clutch action smooth, too.

Engine character off road is more revvy than torquey. There isn’t a huge amount of grunt down low, so lifting the front wheel over logs or obstacles usually requires a bit of clutch work. The gearing is also tall to make the bike more usable on the road, which reinforces its dual-purpose nature. Serious off-roaders will want to reduce final gearing, I reckon.

Ergonomically it’s mostly well sorted. The ’bars feel comfortable when seated but are a little low when standing on the ’pegs for long periods. The rubber-capped footpegs are comfortable on the road but feel small when wearing motocross boots. Mirrors are excellent, offering clear rearward visibility without vibration.

The dash is simple but functional, with a digital display that includes a tachometer, dual trip and a fuel reserve light. One thing worth checking is that a few cables and wires – such as the speedo cable – could benefit from being neatly cable-tied to avoid snagging branches when riding tight trails. Fitted with Genuine Kawasaki Accessories like the hand guards ($146.10), and the rear rack ($242.53), plus a small tool pouch, the KLX300 begins to feel like a bike built specifically for Australian conditions.

It’s learner approved, relatively affordable and capable of tackling the mixed riding many Australian riders enjoy. The KLX300 is a genuinely fun and versatile motorcycle that encourages exploration. And if you grew up riding dirt bikes like I did, that feeling never really gets old.

Bike test: Jeff Ware Photography: JPMedia

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