The craze for retro motorcycles is ever-growing and companies who are not into this segment are trying to pave their way into it. Royal Enfield Classis 350 needs no introduction, but the number of rivals it has is constantly growing. Similarly, Kawasaki India has been testing its entry-level W175 on public roads for some time now and its latest sighting was a few weeks ago. Reports suggest that the W175 will be introduced later this year and the deliveries will commence this festive season.
Specs and features
The W175 will be powered by a 177cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine, which is capable of producing power of 13 Hp and 13.2 Nm of torque. The Indian spec version will likely have the fuel-injected incorporated to meet the BSVI emission norms. It will be the least powered bike sold by the Japanese bike maker. As for braking, 220 front disc and 110 mm rear drum brake assisted by a single-channel ABS are offered in the international markets.
PricingNow coming to the main deciding factor, the pricing of W175. It is most likely that the pricing will be around 1.70 lakh (ex-showroom) The pricing will be of utmost importance as it will decide whether the buyers will go for it or not. W175 will be the most affordable bike in Kawasaki India’s stable. The bike currently retails in the Southeast Asian markets such as Thailand and many other where the W range is expanding.
As far as the design goes, it boasts of a retro-styling like its elder and more powerful sibling the W800. The international version has a balance shaft employed for reduced vibrations and the powertrain is linked to a 5-speed manual gearbox. W175 is constructed on a semi-double-cradle chassis with a box-type swingarm setup. While the suspension duties are handled by telescopic front forks with rubber gaiters and rear twin shock absorbers.
Also read: Kawasaki’s MY22 650cc Fleet Gets K-Care Package
It is not going to be easy for the W175 to carve its place in the affordable retro motorcycle segment because it’s currently dominated by the likes of RE Classic 350, Meteor 350, Honda CB350 twins and Jawa Motorcycles.