There seems to be no shortage of bikes in the 300 and 400cc class at the moment, but it helps to remember that the majority of those models are of the sporting variety, or at least, standard styled. In the quarter-liter retro segment, though, it’s a different story; in the years since Suzuki pulled the plug on the TU250X, most of the examples now come from Royal Enfield, who markets at least four models under 400cc, all of them at least somewhat retro or classically styled. Faster than you can say “market opportunity,” Kawasaki has now jumped in with all-new 2025 W230 ABS, the latest and smallest model in its classically styled W series (which also includes the W800), which the brand bills as “a retro sport motorcycle that combines timeless style with modern accessibility.”
Related: 2020 Kawasaki W800 First Look
Of course, this class isn’t exactly known for innovative tech or bleeding-edge design, and the W230 obliges that thinking, with a 233cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine stuffed into a fairly basic steel semi-double cradle frame and wrapped in a well-curated assortment of retro elements. The visuals are the point here, and the W wears its 1960s-era Brit-bike aesthetics well, with a teardrop fuel tank, full fenders over spoke wheels, single-piece bench saddle, fork gaiters, and chromed peashooter mufflers—just like its big parallel-twin-engine brother. The ergos are relaxed, with mid-mount pegs and tallish bars working with a low 29.3-inch seat to give pilots an upright riding position. Up front you get your vanilla nonadjustable 37mm telescopic fork paired with twin shocks to sell the classic look, and it all rolls on tube-type wheels, 18 inches up front and 17 at the rear. The old-school vibes extend to the clocks, and the W230 mounts dual analog gauges up near the handlebars with an LCD inset like the W800.
Given its entry-level retro status, the W230′s power unit is no surprise either; the quarter-liter-size single has an overhead cam and two-valve head, and is not dissimilar to Kawasaki’s existing KLX230 mill (though it wears different cases and paint), which the press release says contributes to its “rider-friendly character.” We take that to mean riders shouldn’t expect to blister the asphalt anytime soon; easy cruising seems to be the name of the game here. The basic theme carries over to the single-disc brake front and rear responsible for slowing the fairly light 315-pound machine, and it’s nice to see ABS included as standard equipment—not always a given on a sub-$6K machine. Also nice is a six-speed gearbox, when many of the bikes in the category offer just five gears (even the W800 is a five-speed).
As for dimensions, if you’re assuming the wee W is a miniaturized version of its standard-bearing W800 brother, that thinking isn’t too far off, with its 55.7-inch wheelbase just a touch over 2 inches shorter than the bigger bike’s.
The question is, will the US market bite? Suzuki discontinued its well-liked TU250X years ago, and while Yamaha soldiers on with the V Star 250, that bike’s ergonomics, engine configuration, and styling put it in its own category. The W230 will invariably get compared to full-run production models like Enfield’s Classic and the Benelli Imperiale 400 (although CSC’s SG250 warrants inclusion as well), bikes that are similarly retro-styled and that also run long-stroke single-cylinder engines with (likely) similar power outputs. Is there a comparison test on the horizon?