Kawasaki’s Return to the ADV Market?
Kawasaki discontinued the beloved KLR 650 a while back. That move essentially removed the brand from the ADV conversation. The motorcycle company makes some killer dual-sport motorcycles and it has wonderful off-road bikes. So, there is no question that Team Green could make an awesome ADV. Now there’s a rumor that the KLX 700 will be Kawasaki’s return to ADV bikes, according to OmniMoto.
The details of the bike are unclear. It’s interesting to see Kawasaki considering the KLX name instead of the KLR. The KLR is the better option in my mind. The rumor is that the bike will get a 649cc parallel-twin engine. That engine is currently used in Ninja and the Versys.
It will be cool to see if this becomes a real thing. I’d love to see a KLX 700 in the lineup. Putting together an ADV bike is something that Kawasaki needs to do. The company should be a contender in the segment, and it’s a shame that the KLR 650 is no more. It’s a bike that was old and in need of updates, but it was darn good. If Kawasaki could make a motorcycle that’s as tough as the KLR, Kawasaki should be able to pull in some buyers from competitors.