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| Honda Releases the XL230 --- A Sports Bike with a Vintage Look |
| Tokyo, April 9, 2002 --- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has announced the release of the new XL230 sports bike, an easy-handling motorcycle featuring a vintage off-road look and a water-cooled, 4-stroke OHC single-cylinder 230cc engine. Versatile enough to be used both around town and on longer trips, the XL230 goes on sale throughout Japan April 10th. The design features a slender, smallish fuel tank reminiscent of those employed on the Elsinore MT250 off-road bike released in 1973 and the XL125 released in 1975, in addition to a round halogen headlight and a speedometer with a navy blue number plate for superior readability. The center up-swept muffler, which extends behind the engine and through the rear suspension, emphasizes the bike's slim design. Other touches, including tires with a block-pattern tread for a racing feel, further enhance the bike's overall vintage image, creating a fresh, approachable design that will appeal to younger riders in their late teens and twenties. The engine is tuned to deliver superior low-to-midrange response, for nimble performance both around town and on longer trips, and power to spare even with a passenger on board. The XL230 comes complete with an anti-theft system featuring a reinforced handlebar lock, reinforced key cylinder, anti-hotwiring circuit, and alarm kit compatibility (alarm kit, manufactured by Honda Access, sold separately). Two body colors are available: Boon Silver Metallic (with orange stripe design on upper surface of fuel tank) Fighting Red (with black stripe design on upper surface of fuel tank)
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