Kawasaki USA is bringing in the W230 for 2025 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Kawasaki USA is bringing in the W230 for 2025

RetroGrouch

RetroGrouch

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Another retro bike I'd like to see here but not holding my breath.

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www.kawasaki.com

Kawasaki W230 | Retro Modern Motorcycle | Original Icon

Kawasaki W230 motorcycles blend W1 heritage timelessly with modern technology and a rider-friendly 233cc air-cooled 4-stroke engine to create an approachable retro-classic riding experience.
www.kawasaki.com www.kawasaki.com
 
Yeah 20 HP is fine. My late CB300F only has 24.4
Curb weight with fluids is is a tad more than the Honda CB300s and the seat height is lower.
I like the retro look and fuel mileage will be good - 65ish maybe a bit better than the KLX230.
Nice blend of modern features and tech while a very classic look. Seat looks comfy.
Crowded category but that's a world bike so Canada is not the market that matters.

The KLX250 is relatively popular here and is a long running model. Wrapping a retro chassis around a proven motor is likely a decent move.
 
TwistedKestrel said:
$5600 USD? That's asking a lot
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That's ~$7700 Cdn before all the taxes and gotchas. Might get chump change back from $10K here, out the door. New Bonnie T100s are probably around $14,000 but not afraid of a highway.

Should be more insurance friendly than most. I don't see retros doing well and low volume adds to the unit price as well as the long term potential parts shortages. Personally I like it but see the shortcomings and wouldn't want it as the only horse in the stable.

Retro anything is a touchy market. People drooled over the 55, 56, 57 T-birds but they only sold 55,000 IIRC before going to four seaters. Ford tried again 40 years later with similar results.

20 year old W650s are around asking about $6K. Actual price???
 
It is easy to cross shop with a new Enfield Bullet 350 at $5900 CAD MSRP. At least I don't think anybody is gonna argue against the Kawi being better built.
 
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TK4 said:
Slowwwww.............. Like the TC250 Suzuki.
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Are you reffering to the the 1967 Suzuki Hustler?
In 1967 it was not slow!
Some of us outgrew the "Boy Racer" mode and not everybody wants to be a Son's of Anarchy.
I think it is a beautiful practical motorcycle.
What I have seen of the 401 in Toronto you only need to do 40kph.
 
nobbie48 said:
That's ~$7700 Cdn before all the taxes and gotchas. Might get chump change back from $10K here, out the door. New Bonnie T100s are probably around $14,000 but not afraid of a highway.

Should be more insurance friendly than most. I don't see retros doing well and low volume adds to the unit price as well as the long term potential parts shortages. Personally I like it but see the shortcomings and wouldn't want it as the only horse in the stable.

Retro anything is a touchy market. People drooled over the 55, 56, 57 T-birds but they only sold 55,000 IIRC before going to four seaters. Ford tried again 40 years later with similar results.

20 year old W650s are around asking about $6K. Actual price???
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I wish there were more small inexpensive bikes sold here. I remember the CBR125s intro, Honda sold out the first year's allocation of 1500 bikes before they arrived. A Honda guy told me they sold 5000 in 2008 and 2008, not sure how it went over the next few years. It was a small, but real bike -- you could ride one from Toronto to anywhere in Ontario if you stayed off the 400 series highways, and race it on the track. Noe like a Cub or Grom.

All the big bike companies all offer 150cc bikes for less than $2.5K in Asia and South America, some 125s as low as $1500. I can't see why they don't bring them here.

Hell, you can get a new Harley for $3800 out the door in India!

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Taken over by the scooters. The scoot I got hit on was a 155 cc SMax Yamaha and would do 100kph all day with a bit to spare.
155cc, 4-valve, fuel injected single with a catalyzer equipped exhaust system provides very peppy performance. Even as the 9,500 rpm redline approaches on the centrally located tachometer, the engine remains quiet and virtually vibration free. It is a great "all round" commuter bike that can be ridden at 100 km /hr.
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I'm impressed with the power Yamaha gets from its motors yet seemingly without sacrificing reliability.
The Yamaha MT-03 I'm picking up today is only 30cc larger motor than the Honda CB300F but gets 42 horses instead of the 24 Honda puts out.
Back in the day, an original Honda 450 twin was a serious motorcycle yet just 43 hp.

Cheap is the harder part.
 
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MacDoc said:
Taken over by the scooters. The scoot I got hit on was a 155 cc SMax Yamaha and would do 100kph all day with a bit to spare.

I'm impressed with the power Yamaha gets from its motors yet seemingly without sacrificing reliability.
The Yamaha MT-03 I'm picking up today is only 30cc larger motor than the Honda CB300F but gets 42 horses instead of the 24 Honda puts out.
Back in the day, an original Honda 450 twin was a serious motorcycle yet just 43 hp.

Cheap is the harder part.
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The difference is tuning, Honda tunes their non-performance bikes for economy. The CB road bikes are often more fuel-efficient than their competitors.

Smiles are not free.
 
Mad Mike said:
I wish there were more small inexpensive bikes sold here. I remember the CBR125s intro, Honda sold out the first year's allocation of 1500 bikes before they arrived. A Honda guy told me they sold 5000 in 2008 and 2008, not sure how it went over the next few years. It was a small, but real bike -- you could ride one from Toronto to anywhere in Ontario if you stayed off the 400 series highways, and race it on the track. Noe like a Cub or Grom.

All the big bike companies all offer 150cc bikes for less than $2.5K in Asia and South America, some 125s as low as $1500. I can't see why they don't bring them here.

Hell, you can get a new Harley for $3800 out the door in India!

View attachment 70102
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When I was shopping for a newer Goldwing I could have saved $10,000 by getting one in Buffalo. I'm talking parked in my driveway numbers. However any US dealer selling a bike into Canada would lose their franchise. The US bike would have no warranty here. That was around the time frames had to be re-welded.

It's a variant of postal code pricing or seat sales. Juggle the numbers to max the return.

The manufacturer's production cost is often minute. Advertising, marketing, shareholder dividends, mark ups and overheads etc.
 
MacDoc said:
Taken over by the scooters. The scoot I got hit on was a 155 cc SMax Yamaha and would do 100kph all day with a bit to spare.

I'm impressed with the power Yamaha gets from its motors yet seemingly without sacrificing reliability.
The Yamaha MT-03 I'm picking up today is only 30cc larger motor than the Honda CB300F but gets 42 horses instead of the 24 Honda puts out.
Back in the day, an original Honda 450 twin was a serious motorcycle yet just 43 hp.

Cheap is the harder part.
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All this time I thought the MT-03 & R3 were both thumpers. I was curious about the 42hp, looked it up and learned that they are twins. Huh!
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