Kawasaki W175 Spied, India Launch Soon

The motorcycle looks pretty much production-ready

• The India-spec Kawasaki W175 features a fuel-injection system, Ceat tyres, and a single-channel ABS.
• Likely to be priced in the same territory as the Royal Enfield Classic 350.
• Expect Kawasaki to launch the motorcycle next year.

After launching the Kawasaki W800, it seems the Japanese brand is planning to cash in on the retro segment even further with its upcoming Kawasaki W175. In fact, a test mule was recently spotted testing around Pune. Expect Kawasaki to launch the motorcycle here in mid-2021.

The biggest change is the addition of a fuel-injection system to help the bike comply with the stringent emission norms here. The international-spec motorcycle’s carburetted 177cc air-cooled engine churns out 13PS at 7,500rpm and 13.2Nm at 6,000rpm. While these figures aren’t up to the mark, Kawasaki seems to have made up for the anaemic output by including a counterbalancer and a 5-speed transmission. But now with the fuel-injection system on board, it remains to be seen whether it will affect the output figures in any way. That being said, the addition of FI should ensure a crisper throttle response. This, coupled with the counterbalanced engine, should ensure a pleasant riding experience. 

Complying with the local safety norms, the India-spec model also comes with a single-channel ABS acting on a 220mm front disc (the rear uses a drum brake). In comparison, the Indonesia-spec version is devoid of ABS. Keeping costs under control, the test mule runs on Ceat tyres on both ends. Other aspects of the motorcycle such as the telescopic front fork, spoke wheels, preload-adjustable twin rear shock absorber setup, pea-shooter exhaust and single-pod analogue instrument cluster seem to be carried over from the international-spec model.

While the model sold abroad weighs 126kg, expect the India-specific version to weigh a couple of kilos more owing to the safety and emission restricting equipment. Even then, it will be the lightest motorcycle in the retro segment. This, along with the 780mm seat height, should make it easy for shorter riders to manoeuvre the bike.

The addition of safety and emission-related upgrades is bound to have a detrimental effect on the bike’s pricing. With this in mind, expect Kawasaki to price the bike at around Rs 1.75 lakh (ex-showroom) at the most, putting it in the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and Jawa territory. 

Also Read: Opinion: Kawasaki W175 Launch In India: A Good Idea?

However, these bikes have almost twice the displacement, offering much more power and torque. So, it all boils down to how competitively Kawasaki manages to price the bike for it to make an impact in its segment. We just hope the pricing isn’t as absurd as that of the Kawasaki Versys-X 300 and the Ninja 400. Fingers crossed until then!