The Honda XR230 Motard, Perfect Inner-city Transportation

With the Honda XR230 Motard, Honda has finally recognized the potential of the growing supermoto market segment. For Thailand Kawasaki was first to toe the waters with its Kawasaki D-Tracker 250 back in 2007, and Honda will soon join the road-rubbered dirtbike movement.

When the latest Honda XR230 Motard was introduced in Japan, last fall, its price tag was similar to the Kawasaki D-Tracker 250. That would make the smaller-displacement, air-cooled, 223cc Honda XR230 Motard a tough sell alongside the better-performing, liquid-cooled, 249cc Kawasaki D-Tracker 250.

Honestly, in power production, the Honda XR230 Motard falls far short of the Kawasaki competitor.

But the Honda XR230 Motard isn't about competing in a horsepower race; it's about offering a valuable combination of predictable, easy-to-manage power, nimble handling and light, easy control operation.

All of this makes the Honda XR230 Motard ideally suited for beginning riders. It's incredible easy to ride, almost effortless so; and, unlike some other dual-sport-based machine, it allows short-legged folk to achieve firm footing at stops astride its narrow dirtbike-style saddle. Seat height is just 81cm unladen and sinks nearly 4cm when compressed under the weight of a 70kg rider.

The clutch engages smoothly and predictably with only a light pull at the lever, although shifting through the 6-speed gearbox needs some getting used too. The single-disc front and rear disc brakes provides good feel and consistent stopping power.

Thanks to the Honda's suspension, which provides about 25cm of front wheel travel and a bit less at the rear. Honda XR230 Motard riders need fear no pothole; after all, this is essentially a dual-purpose motorcycle fitted with grippy sport tires so it has dirt-road roosting in its genes. That also helps make the Honda XR230 Motard an excellent mode of inner-city transportation.

But with a top-speed of just 120km/h and a tendency to weave and wiggle, the Honda XR230 Motard has limited freeway appeal. It did, though, get an impressive 46km/l average fuel consumption when mixing city and rural road use, delivering a estimated 400km range from its fuel-tank.

So, if you're looking for a basic, beginner-friendly motorcycle or a fun little fuel-saving-two-wheeler in cool supermoto style, the Honda XR230 Motard fits that description completely. Production of the Honda XR230 Motard in Thailand is said to start in the beginning of 2010.