Kawasaki Adds the 2027 KLX300 XPL ABS Explorer Dual-Sport at $6,499

Kawasaki has added a touring-minded version of its 300 cc dual-sport to the U.S. lineup. The 2027 KLX300 XPL ABS now has its own page on Kawasaki's U.S. site, marked "New 2027" and listed at $6,499 base MSRP.

XPL is the "Explorer" version. Kawasaki takes the KLX300 platform and fits it from the factory with gear you'd otherwise shop for separately before a longer trip: a tall windscreen, hand guards, a round LED headlight and a rear carrier. It also gets ABS on the front brake that you can switch off for dirt.

Key points:

• Model: 2027 KLX300 XPL ABS, a new trim in Kawasaki's U.S. KLX line.
• Price: $6,499 base MSRP, before destination, options, taxes, title, license and dealer fees. The model page we checked doesn't list the destination charge.
• Engine: 292 cc fuel-injected, liquid-cooled single with electric start and a six-speed gearbox.
• Standard kit: windscreen, hand guards, round LED headlight, rear carrier with tie-down hooks, smartphone connectivity.
• Still unknown: the U.S. arrival date, seat height and fuel capacity. Kawasaki's page doesn't give a dated announcement either.

What the Explorer package adds

Kawasaki describes each of the add-ons on the U.S. page, and they're practical rather than cosmetic:

• Tall, clear windscreen: shaped to push air away from your chest and chin, which Kawasaki says cuts fatigue at higher speeds.
• Hand guards: they block wind on the road and protect the clutch and brake levers if the bike goes down on a trail.
• Round LED headlight: a wide-arc beam for a broader spread of light, with an old-school look.
• Rear carrier: built-in tie-down hooks for a weekend's worth of gear.

The styling borrows from Kawasaki's own history. The graphics use a brush pattern that Kawasaki says is inspired by its 1980s and 1990s KX motocross bikes, with blacked-out parts.

If you've priced out a windscreen, hand guards and a rack for a standard dual-sport, you know they add up quickly. Here, they're on the bike at the base price.

Where it sits among the KLX300 models

The XPL is the most expensive KLX300 on Kawasaki's U.S. site, but not by much.

Using the starting prices on Kawasaki's U.S. site, the XPL costs $500 more than the KLX300, $200 more than the KLX300 DF and $100 more than the KLX300SM supermoto. Those are all base figures before destination, and Kawasaki's fine print says the dealer sets the actual retail price.

Engine and chassis

The mechanical package is the familiar KLX300 formula, with Kawasaki's own figures:

• Engine: 292 cc fuel-injected, liquid-cooled four-stroke single, with cam profiles taken from the off-road-only KLX300R. Kawasaki tunes it for low-to-midrange pull.
• Cooling: a radiator fan that directs hot air away from the rider, which helps at trail speeds.
• Gearbox: six-speed.
• Frame: high-tensile steel perimeter frame with an aluminum swingarm.
• Suspension: 43 mm inverted fork with adjustable compression and rebound damping. The Uni Trak rear shock adjusts for compression, rebound and preload.
• Travel: 10.0 inches front and 9.1 inches rear.
• Wheels: 21-inch front and 18-inch rear, the usual dual-sport combination.
• Brakes: a 250 mm (about 9.8-inch) petal disc with a two-piston caliper up front, and a 240 mm (about 9.4-inch) petal disc with a single-piston caliper at the rear.
• Weight: an estimated dry weight as low as 295.5 lb. That figure excludes fuel, fluids and the tool kit, so the bike will weigh more ready to ride.

How the ABS works on this bike

The ABS on the KLX300 XPL is on the front brake, and Kawasaki lets you turn it off for off-road riding. That matters on loose dirt and gravel, where some riders want to modulate the front wheel themselves.

Two things are worth knowing before you buy. Kawasaki's page describes ABS for the front wheel only, so the rear brake works conventionally. And if you switch the ABS off for a trail section, make a habit of checking that it's back on before you return to pavement. The owner's manual is the place to confirm how the switch behaves when you restart the bike.

Dash and connectivity

The instruments are a compact all-digital LCD panel with a speedometer, bar-type tachometer, clock, odometer and two trip meters. The bike pairs with Kawasaki's Rideology smartphone app for vehicle information, a riding log and a maintenance log. Kawasaki notes the app isn't meant to be used while you're riding.

What to ask a dealer

Kawasaki's site has a quote request for the KLX300 XPL ABS, but it hasn't posted a U.S. arrival date. Before you put money down, it's worth asking:

• When the first bikes are due and whether the dealer is taking deposits
• The out-the-door price, including destination, setup and any dealer add-ons
• Seat height and fuel capacity, since the full spec sheet wasn't on the model page we checked. If you're shorter or plan long gaps between gas stations, both numbers decide whether this bike fits you.

Insuring a dual-sport with factory add-ons

A dual-sport that spends time on dirt has a different risk profile than a commuter, and that's worth raising with your insurer before you buy. A few questions help:

• Off-road use: ask whether your policy covers the bike when you're riding off pavement, and whether trail riding changes anything.
• Standard equipment: ask how the insurer treats the windscreen, hand guards and carrier that come from the factory, and how it handles accessories you add later.
• Valuation: ask how the company would value the bike after a total loss. The insurer decides that under the policy's terms, and it isn't automatically the price you paid.

What we still don't know

• Arrival: when the KLX300 XPL ABS reaches U.S. dealers
• Announcement date: Kawasaki's U.S. page isn't dated
• Full specs: seat height, fuel capacity, curb weight and destination charge
• Colors offered in the U.S.