The Wait is Over! Kawasaki has finally launched its most-affordable product in India, the W175, with a starting price tag of Rs 1.47 lakhs. This price is for the basic Ebony Black colour option, while the Candy Persimmon Red Special Edition colour is available for Rs 1.49 lakhs. The prices mentioned here are ex-showroom India. Kawasaki W175 was supposed to be released a long time ago as we saw the test mules several times in India around 2020 but it got delayed by two years because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Kawasaki W175 has entered the premium commuter market and before its launch in India, it was already available in countries like Indonesia. W175 recently received an update in the Indonesian markets and it is available there in three variations: TR (scrambler), TRSE (roadster), and Cafe Racer. But in India, only one standard model is available, with two colour options: Ebony and Candy Persimmon Red.
Kawasaki India has not yet listed the W175 on its official website, so we don't have the images of the instrument console with us. But according to the details available, we expect the India-spec Kawasaki W175 to have an analogue speedometer, odometer, trip metre, halogen headlight, halogen turn indicators, and taillights. In terms of design, the premium commuter bike features spoked wheels, a clean and minimal design, and fewer body panels.
Coming to the technical specifications, a 177cc single-cylinder engine powers the Kawasaki W175. It is an air-cooled motor with a 5-speed gearbox that produces 13 bhp at 7,500 RPM and 13.2 Nm at 6,000 RPM. Kawasaki W175 features a double-cradle chassis, traditional telescopic suspension in the front with 110mm travel and dual shock absorbers in the rear. Braking hardware comes with a front disc brake and a drum brake at the rear end.
Kawasaki W175 doesn’t have many direct rivals in India, but in terms of premium retro bikes, we have the TVS Ronin, Yamaha FZ-X, Honda, Jawa, Royal Enfield, and Yezdi models. At Rs 1.47 lakhs, the W175 is cheaper than the Ronin 225, which was recently launched in India with a starting ex-showroom price tag of Rs 1.49 lakhs.