In this episode of MC Commute, we review the 2022 Kawasaki KLX300SM as we rip the roads and racetrack.
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The only thing that keeps the 2022 Kawasaki KLX300SM from flying under the radar is the thin arcs of rear tire rubber painting a trail directly to the Motorcyclist HQ front doors. Simply put: Team Green’s unassuming small-bore supermoto uses darkies to brush a picture of a seriously good time on two wheels.
Built upon the versatile and capable KLX300 platform, the SM shares the same basic architecture as its dual sport and off-road siblings, but relishes in a number of supermoto-specific tweaks. The SM receives 17-inch spoked wheels, specifically tuned long-travel suspension, and a larger front brake setup, among other differences.
The KLX300SM’s light and nimble handling makes it an excellent around-town ripper. At a relatively low 304 pounds on the Motorcyclist scales with its 2.0-gallon fuel tank topped to the brim, the KLX is playful and easy to handle for even the less experienced riders. To add to that, an accommodating 33.9-inch seat and relaxed reach to its one-piece motocross-style handlebar promote a comfortable, yet in-control riding position...
Full story here: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/story/reviews/2022-kawasaki-klx300sm-mc-commute/
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
--
The only thing that keeps the 2022 Kawasaki KLX300SM from flying under the radar is the thin arcs of rear tire rubber painting a trail directly to the Motorcyclist HQ front doors. Simply put: Team Green’s unassuming small-bore supermoto uses darkies to brush a picture of a seriously good time on two wheels.
Built upon the versatile and capable KLX300 platform, the SM shares the same basic architecture as its dual sport and off-road siblings, but relishes in a number of supermoto-specific tweaks. The SM receives 17-inch spoked wheels, specifically tuned long-travel suspension, and a larger front brake setup, among other differences.
The KLX300SM’s light and nimble handling makes it an excellent around-town ripper. At a relatively low 304 pounds on the Motorcyclist scales with its 2.0-gallon fuel tank topped to the brim, the KLX is playful and easy to handle for even the less experienced riders. To add to that, an accommodating 33.9-inch seat and relaxed reach to its one-piece motocross-style handlebar promote a comfortable, yet in-control riding position...
Full story here: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/story/reviews/2022-kawasaki-klx300sm-mc-commute/
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
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SportsTranscript
00:00 Good morning everyone and welcome to another episode of MC Commute where we test motorcycles
00:06 on the way to the Motorcyclist Headquarters in Irvine, California.
00:10 And today we will be testing none other than the 2022 Kawasaki KLX 300 SM that you see
00:17 here behind me.
00:19 Now this is one of three KLX 300 variants that Team Green offers and arguably this is
00:27 the most fun.
00:29 I want to keep this short and sweet.
00:30 We got something a little special planned for the end of the episode here.
00:34 So let's hit the road.
00:37 Alright ladies and gentlemen, the 2022 Kawasaki KLX 300 SM.
00:43 Now I already mentioned that this is one of three variants of KLX 300 that Kawasaki offers.
00:51 Now number one, what are the other offerings?
00:54 That would be the KLX 300 R which is their enduro off-road style motorcycle.
01:03 The KLX 300 which is a dual sport motorcycle.
01:06 It's got a license plate, a little bit more off-road oriented performance, and what you
01:13 have here is the KLX 300 SM.
01:17 Now that stands for Supermoto.
01:19 So how does this vary in comparison to those?
01:22 Well, other than the aggressive, bold looking, badass styling in my opinion, it has a 17
01:30 inch front and rear wheels fitted with IRC Road Winner tires.
01:36 It's got specifically tuned long travel suspension that we'll talk about once we get on the road.
01:42 It's got a larger front brake setup with a 300mm disc up front.
01:49 And of course, not to forget, just like the rest of the KLX 300 line, it shares the 292cc
01:56 liquid cooled dual overhead cam engine that will power us down the road.
02:02 We're in neutral, just filled up the tank, 292cc of fury.
02:10 Yeah!
02:12 Alrighty.
02:17 Let's get this bad boy going.
02:20 And off to the motorcyclist offices.
02:26 This 300, as previously mentioned, shares the same 292cc single cylinder as its stablemates.
02:37 Now Kawasaki essentially updated that motor when it released the new KLX 300, I believe
02:44 that was in 2020.
02:46 It was previously a 250cc or 249, and it achieved that by increasing the bore diameter by 6mm.
02:57 Fun fact.
02:59 So that's the nitty gritty details of the engine thrown up on the motorcyclist dyno.
03:05 It produced a very modest 23.9 horsepower and about 15.5 foot pounds of torque.
03:13 I wouldn't call it the most impressive thing in the world, but it is a very mellow and
03:20 approachable engine platform.
03:23 Something that I truly believe, you know, that seasoned and experienced riders can really
03:30 take advantage of and have a blast on.
03:34 They always say it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow, and this
03:39 absolutely holds true in the 300SM.
03:43 But it's also something that is absolutely friendly for beginners.
03:50 This motorcycle, the more I ride it, the more I want to recommend this to first time riders
03:57 or riders looking to move up from even a slower bike, smaller bike, maybe someone looking
04:02 to come from the KLX 300 variants and get out on the road more.
04:10 But a lot of that has to do with the friendliness of the power plant.
04:17 It's been a blast, and the more we get to ride, the more I'll get to show you guys,
04:21 and I'm pretty pumped.
04:24 So being that this is a supermoto, the KLX 300 comes with very dirt bike inspired ergonomics.
04:36 You got this one piece handlebar, although quite narrow, but not too narrow.
04:41 I still feel like I have a ton of leverage to steer the motorcycle, kind of weave, do
04:49 what I need to do in slow speed maneuvers.
04:56 The rest of the motorcycle, you got the one piece seat, just like a dirt bike, very basic
05:01 ergonomics package.
05:03 And to add to that is a 33.9 inch seat height that we'll pull up to the stop sign and show
05:09 you guys.
05:10 33.9 inches, I'm 5'7", I can't quite confidently...
05:17 I take that back.
05:19 I can't quite flat foot on both sides, but I can easily get both feet down for a confident
05:28 stance like so.
05:30 Boom, boom, and we're off.
05:37 All righty, so you pair those ergonomics, motocross style ergonomics, a relatively low
05:42 33.9 inch seat height, and 304 pounds fully fueled on the motorcyclist scales.
05:53 And what you have is a really lightweight feeling, nimble handling motorcycle that is
06:00 just a ripper around town.
06:01 It's perfect in the small confines of city riding or neighborhood riding, headed to the
06:08 coffee shop, and really pairs well.
06:12 Obviously, Kawasaki has given this Supermoto specific suspension, that being a 43 millimeter
06:19 inverted fork up front with a 16 way adjustable compression damping.
06:27 Now you also have a rear shock out back with rebound and preload adjustability.
06:35 And to give Team Green credit here, they've done an excellent job of finding the good
06:41 balance of support and compliance with the 300SM.
06:46 If there's one small gripe, that sometimes on harsh roads, on imperfect roads, the suspension
06:56 characteristics are a little bit soft, sorry, stiff, duh, stiff, and translate to just,
07:06 you have a lot of feeling and connection with the asphalt, which is a great thing, but it's
07:14 all kind of translated through the bars and gets a little rough in your hands.
07:18 I don't want to say jarring, but kind of just pogo's off the small bumps.
07:23 But to justify that, the 300SM is made for some more aggressive riding where you're going
07:30 to load the chassis, load the suspension, get it deep into the stroke, and not necessarily
07:38 just be cruising over harsh roads.
07:43 Kind of be wailing.
07:44 I think that's what, as beginner friendly as this motorcycle is, it's also about just
07:49 kind of wailing Supermoto style.
07:51 It's got SM for a reason.
07:54 Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up, giddy up, giddy up, giddy up.
08:00 Man, small bikes are fun.
08:03 If you watch the rest of my episodes, you know that I'm always a big fan of small bikes
08:09 for many reasons.
08:11 Obviously approachable and yet entertaining at the same time.
08:16 They won't get you into so much trouble, not only with yourself and maybe the asphalt,
08:22 but the law.
08:24 You can kind of wail on these motorcycles and not draw as much attention as you might
08:29 on a big, I don't know, Kawasaki ZX6.
08:34 Little 300s are a blast.
08:37 So we got the 300SM.
08:41 It's got different brakes than the Kalex 300, a little bit larger.
08:46 If there is one gripe, I'm going to say this in a very, very easy way.
08:54 If there's one gripe, if I'm thinking about true beginners riding this motorcycle, the
08:59 only gripe I may have is that it does not have ABS.
09:05 But that is what makes it so much fun at the exact same time.
09:10 Being able to do some hooligan antics, really learn to use the rear brake, be able to master
09:21 downshifts, throw this thing sideways and lock it up, do some skids for the kids, professional
09:29 rider, close course, but that is what makes this motorcycle so fun.
09:36 We can do a little skid here.
09:38 How about that?
09:42 Nice.
09:45 Painting darkies all over the cities of Southern California.
09:50 And we're off.
09:52 I'm feeling like a racer right now, especially because we got the infamous roundabout.
10:03 Let's deck this thing.
10:05 Put the IRC Road Winners to the test.
10:11 Boop, boop.
10:13 We're going to feel the bump, see how the suspension fares on the bump.
10:20 Man, this bike actually took it quite well.
10:25 Now we're off.
10:27 Seeing what the little 300 can do out on California's Highway 5, headed to the motorcyclist's offices
10:37 now.
10:38 We're in top gear, 6th gear, headed about 77 miles an hour, which is, I honestly feel
10:48 a little bit below average for normal highway speeds here in Southern California.
10:54 And the 300SM is spinning about 7600, or sorry, spinning about 7500 RPM at 76 miles an hour,
11:05 and we're getting cut off right now.
11:08 Alrighty, tucked in.
11:11 We got a little bit of vibrations.
11:13 We're spinning about 8000 RPM doing 80 miles an hour.
11:16 I will say the max I've ever seen on this little 300 is about 92 miles an hour.
11:23 Now that's me getting small, getting tucked in, ducking behind a semi and opening this
11:30 thing up as much as she'll go.
11:33 Not the fastest bike in the world, but it does handle highway speeds fairly okay.
11:41 I would say that it has some power left in reserve.
11:44 I'm doing 70 miles an hour and I feel like if I had to jump by these cars, I have some
11:49 power left in reserve to do so.
11:52 Let's try it actually.
11:53 No problem.
11:55 So that being said, I like that.
11:59 I like that we have enough power to get in and out of situations safely and not feel
12:05 like a sitting duck out on the highway.
12:08 It does have a little bit of vibrations happening through the foot pegs, a little bit through
12:13 the grips, but overall pretty comfortable ride.
12:18 The mirrors, I would say paint a relatively clear picture, not the most stable in the
12:26 world, but I can see what's going on behind me, no problem.
12:30 Now obviously the 300SM has this small LCD display up front with important and vital
12:37 riding information.
12:38 You've got a digital tachometer, you've got your clock, you've got your trip.
12:44 The only thing that I wish it did have is a gear indicator just because I like having
12:48 a gear indicator.
12:50 The more familiar I become with motorcycles, the more I always know exactly what gear I'm
12:56 in, but as I get acquainted, it takes me a little bit of time to really understand the
13:04 ratios and where I might be in the gearbox.
13:07 Just a small little thing, personal liking.
13:10 Man, what a blast this bike is.
13:12 Super approachable, super friendly for beginners.
13:16 Like I said, if there's one little gripe I might have just for those riders is the lack
13:20 of ABS, but that's also what makes this motorcycle so fun for the seasoned veterans to be able
13:27 to utilize its lightweight, the nimble handling, and I don't know, just kind of throw some
13:35 skids and have a good time despite the lack of power, but we're going to open this up.
13:42 It's by no means slow, as you can see.
13:47 And for $6,199 as Kawasaki retails this here in the United States, I think this motorcycle
13:57 can sometimes be a no-brainer for someone looking for a little round town commuter.
14:02 I've had a blast aboard this thing.
14:05 Let's throw a skid.
14:09 Nice.
14:10 I need to work on my skids on this little bike, but I would say that's pretty good.
14:18 All right, ladies and gentlemen, what do you think the surprise here is on the little 300
14:27 SM that could?
14:30 Uh-oh, the van's out.
14:35 It's ready to be loaded.
14:37 Where are we going?
14:39 All right.
14:43 Any guesses?
14:44 We'll see you guys in a little bit.
14:47 All right, ladies and gentlemen, the surprise, the big fun for this KLX 300 SM.
14:54 We are at Apex Racing Center in Riverside, California as part of a motorcycle track day.
15:03 We're going to test out this little SM, see what she's got.
15:08 It's kind of the cool part about this bike is it has versatility.
15:13 It can be your everyday commuter, kind of no-frills, simplistic bike, and yet it's got
15:21 the capability to come out here and have a little bit of fun.
15:26 Put the little, put the Supermoto in its name.
15:31 Yeah.
15:33 Oh, chatter.
15:39 My right wrist gets tired.
15:43 My right wrist gets tired from holding it wide open everywhere because there's not a
15:49 ton of power on this thing, yet it's still a blast to come out here and rip on in this
15:59 little 300, actually kind of hold its own.
16:04 It may not be a competition spec Husqvarna FS450 or KTM 450 SMR, but it does all right
16:17 for itself out on the racetrack.
16:25 It does all right for itself out on the racetrack.
16:27 All right, how about one more lap here?
16:32 All right.
16:36 The IRC winner tires.
16:42 Once they get warm, they actually have a fair amount of grip.
16:48 They have a fair amount of grip, but they are no competition spec tire like the Bridgestone
16:56 Slicks or the Metzeler Slicks that these other Supermoto bikes are on.
17:05 The most neat part about having a kart track is you can come here and exploit your skills
17:14 in a relatively safe and controlled environment at moderate speeds.
17:22 One more lap.
17:23 This is a blast.
17:27 To do it on something like the SM rather than a 450 Supermoto or we got a rider down here,
17:38 a 450 Supermoto or even there's an Ovali 190 GP behind me, is you can do this for a
17:45 relatively low cost and then be able to ride home if you really want.
17:51 All right.
17:59 Here comes a little Ovali 190.
18:02 There he goes.
18:05 Wow.
18:06 Wow.
18:07 That's awesome.
18:08 All right, guys, let's pull off into the pits here.
18:18 Let's talk about this little Supermoto.
18:24 All right, guys, that is it for our time aboard the 2022 Kawasaki Kalex 300 SM.
18:31 And man, what a blast.
18:33 Not only on the road as a versatile, fun commuter, kind of no-frills package, no ride mode, no
18:41 electronics, no ABS even, just a very simplistic motorcycle, offers a lot of versatility, a
18:49 lot of approachable performance, especially for those first-time buyers.
18:53 I would have no problem recommending this to less experienced riders.
18:58 But also it's just a blast to rip around town, rip some skids, have some fun in a safe manner.
19:04 And it has the capability to come out here to the Supermoto track and really kind of
19:09 hold its own without much convincing.
19:13 It does okay.
19:15 Maybe swapping some tires to more competition spec, grippier race tire would be beneficial
19:21 for it.
19:22 But overall, this 300 SM holds itself really, really well.
19:26 I had a blast on this.
19:27 I hope that you guys did as well.
19:30 If you like this video, be sure to like it, comment.
19:32 We want to hear from you, and subscribe to the Motorcyclist YouTube channel.
19:36 Head over to MotorcyclistOnline.com to read the full story, and we'll see you guys next
19:40 time.
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