Kawasaki is broadening its KLX300 offering for 2027 with two new derivatives: the adventure-leaning KLX300 XPL and the utility-focused KLX300 DF. They join the standard KLX300 and KLX300SM supermoto, all of which receive front-wheel ABS, revised engine hardware, a digital LCD instrument and smartphone connectivity. The supermoto is expected to reach showrooms in December; the remaining three versions are expected in early January 2027.

A platform update with a clear split in ABS function

The anti-lock system is limited to the front wheel, leaving the rear brake outside its intervention. Riders can disable front ABS on the KLX300, KLX300 XPL and KLX300 DF through a switch on the left side of the handlebar. That option is not available on the KLX300SM, whose road-oriented setup is not intended for off-road use. Installing the system also changed the cooling and front-end packaging: the previous two-radiator arrangement gives way to one radiator mounted on the left, and the left fork bracket has been adapted for the wheel-speed sensor.

The powerplant remains a 292cc DOHC Single, with a needle bearing now used at the connecting rod’s big end. Kawasaki gives the 2027 models claimed figures of 26.8 hp at 8,000 rpm and 18.4 lb-ft at 6,800 rpm. Its stated 2026 figures were 25.0 hp at 8,000 rpm and 17.7 lb-ft at 7,000 rpm. Kawasaki says the bearing change contributes to improved performance.

The instrument panel is now fully digital. Kawasaki says it weighs 6.4 ounces less than before and occupies one third of the previous instrumentation’s size. Bluetooth support connects it to the company’s Rideology smartphone app. The chassis itself carries over, using a steel perimeter frame with box and tubular sections plus a D-section aluminum swingarm. A 43mm inverted cartridge fork provides adjustable compression damping, while the Uni-Trak rear shock offers preload and rebound adjustment.

What the new variants add

The KLX300 XPL ABS is the range’s light-adventure interpretation. Its equipment list includes a tall clear windshield, hand guards and a rear rack with integrated tie-down points for cargo. A circular 5.1-inch LED headlight is another XPL feature, with separate chambers for low and high beam. The model is finished in Ebony and starts at $6,499.

The KLX300 DF ABS takes a simpler utility approach, adding a rear cargo carrier and hand guards in a Medium Cloudy Gray finish. Its starting price is $6,299, and its format follows the KLX230 DF and KLR650 DF. The KLX300SM ABS uses 17-inch wheels, shorter suspension tuned for supermoto use and a 25.0° rake, compared with 26.8° for the standard KLX300. It also gets the larger 300mm front disc; the other versions use a 250mm disc, while the rear brake across the range combines a single-piston caliper with a 240mm disc. The SM will be offered in Neon Green/Ebony or Battle Gray/Ebony. The standard KLX300 comes in Lime Green and Bright White from $5,999, with Cypher Camo Beige starting at $6,199.