Kawasaki Brings Back the Two-Stroke — Meet the 2027 KX327X
The Dudes
Product Highlight
Kawasaki
Two-Stroke
2027 Model
Product & Brand Highlights • By The Dudes at LiveTheGnar
Kawasaki just announced its first two-stroke over 250cc in more than 20 years. The 2027 KX327X is a 327cc fuel-injected, electric-start cross-country machine priced at $9,699 and arriving late 2026. The two-stroke is back — and it’s better than anyone expected.
2027 Kawasaki KX327X. Photo: Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A.
20 Years in the Making
Kawasaki teased it at Anaheim 1 last year and the moto world lost its mind speculating on displacement. 125? 150? 250? 300? Nobody guessed 327. Nobody guessed fuel injection. Nobody guessed electric start. Kawasaki just came out swinging and announced not one but two all-new two-stroke machines — the KX327 motocrosser and the KX327X cross-country racer — and they are everything the two-stroke faithful have been asking for since the 2000s.
This is Kawasaki’s first fuel-injected two-stroke. Their first new two-stroke over 250cc in more than two decades. Built on a KX450F-derived aluminum perimeter frame. Priced to make KTM and Husqvarna look expensive. The two-stroke revolution isn’t coming — it’s here.
2027 Kawasaki KX327X
$9,699.
327cc fuel-injected 2-stroke. Electric start. Available late 2026. KTM 300 XC is $11,849. Do the math.
2027 Kawasaki KX327X. Photos: Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A.
The Engine
The heart of the KX327X is an all-new 327cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder two-stroke with direct fuel injection. Not a carburetor with a digital overlay — actual EFI with a 39mm throttle body and a dual-injector system. The downstream injector handles low-RPM fueling for traction and control in technical sections. The upstream injector kicks in at higher RPM for the hard acceleration two-stroke riders live for. Two maps via a handlebar switch. Consistent fueling regardless of altitude or temperature.
Old-school premix lubrication — no oil injection, no extra system to maintain. Keep it simple, keep it light. The translucent 2.2-gallon tank means you can see your fuel level without unscrewing the cap. A small detail that matters on a long cross-country stage.
Displacement
327cc liquid-cooled 2-stroke single
Fueling
Fuel injected — 39mm throttle body, dual injectors
Transmission
6-speed with ultra-low 1st gear. Hydraulic clutch.
Lubrication
Premix — no oil injection. Simple, light, classic.
Suspension
KYB 48mm AOS fork front. KYB link-mounted shock rear.
Wheels
21-inch front, 18-inch rear. Cross-country spec.
Power Modes
2 maps via handlebar switch. Full power + low/mild.
MSRP
$9,699 — available late 2026 in Lime Green
2027 Kawasaki KX327X. Photo: Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A.
How It Stacks Up
The pricing is what makes this announcement genuinely disruptive. At $9,699 the KX327X undercuts the KTM 300 XC by $2,150 and the Beta 300 RR Race by $1,891. The Yamaha YZ250X is cheaper at $8,199 but lacks electric start and fuel injection. For what you get, the KX327X is priced aggressively.
2027 KX327X
$9,699
327cc FI. Electric start. KYB suspension.
KTM 300 XC
$11,849
300cc FI. Electric start.
Yamaha YZ250X
$8,199
250cc carb. No e-start.
What This Means for D37 and SoCal Riders
The KX327X is spec’d specifically for cross-country racing — 18-inch rear wheel, 6-speed gearbox with ultra-low first gear, larger fuel tank, skid plate and hand guards standard. That’s a D37 Hare & Hound and Desert Scrambles-ready package straight from the factory. Fuel injection means consistent performance from sea level to the mountains without jetting changes. Electric start means no kick-starting a hot bike after a tip-over in a rocky wash.
Availability is late 2026. If you’re planning a race season around one, start getting your gear sorted now.
Smartphone Connectivity
The KX327X includes GPS and Rideology The App KX2 smartphone connectivity. Ride data, settings, and bike diagnostics from your phone. On a two-stroke. Wild.
Get Race-Ready
Tires, Gear & Accessories at LiveTheGnar
While you wait for the KX327X to hit dealers, get your gear sorted. Off-road tires, protection, and riding gear to make the most of the two-stroke revival.