Kawasaki W175 retro motorcycle: Launch date revealed

Retro looking modern motorcycles are lately becoming popular in the Indian market. Other than Royal Enfield, we now have manufacturers like Honda, Benelli and Jawa in the market. Kawasaki India is also planning to join this group with their new W175 retro motorcycle. The W175 motorcycle has been in the news for some time and it looks like Kawasaki has finally decided to launch it in India. The motorcycle was spotted testing on our roads and it is now expected to be launched officially in the market on 25 September 2022.

 

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Kawasaki has hinted the launch of their upcoming motorcycle on the social media profile through a teaser video. Kawasaki W175 retro motorcycle when launched will become the most affordable motorcycle from the brand in India. The keep the cost of the motorcycle in check, many of the components will sourced locally. Just like other Kawasaki motorcycles under the W Series, W175 also gets a retro looking or old school styling. It gets a round headlamp at the front, analog instrument cluster with turn indicator and other notification lights next to it.

Unlike many retro modern bikes that we have seen in the past, Kawasaki W175 does not get any chrome bits. Most of the panels are completely blacked out to get an even finish. The front gets telescopic forks with gaiters around it. The rear also gets dual shock absorbers. The motorcycle gets a rounded design for the fuel tank, single piece ribbed seat, round tail lamps and orange coloured turn indicators.

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When it comes to the engine and gearbox, the W175 will be powered by a 177 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, engine that generates 12.9 bhp and 13.2 Nm of peak torque. It would be offered with a 5-speed gearbox. The motorcycle would come with spoke rims and a single disc brake at the front. The rear gets drum brakes. The W175 would be offered with a single-channel ABS.  The Kawasaki W175 looks like a very lightweight motorcycle and is expected to weight around 126 kgs. It would be a great motorcycle for city commutes.

Coming to the pricing, we mentioned about the heavy localisation and the W175 being the most affordable Kawasaki in the country above. The Kawasaki W175 is expected to be priced at Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 1.7 lakh (all prices are ex-showroom). It may look like a good price for a Kawasaki but, the problem starts when you compare it with other motorcycles in the market. Kawasaki W175 comes with a smaller engine, generates less amount of power. For a 177cc motorcycle, the Rs 1.5 lakh price tag may look slightly steep.

In terms of design, the Kawasaki does look like a proper retro motorcycle and unlike many other manufaturers, Kawasaki is also not offering any modern features like semi-digital instrument cluster or even Bluetooth connectivity feature to pair it with your smartphone. It will have to compete with motorcycles like Jawa Classic, TVS Ronin, Royal Enfield Hunter 350 which was recently launched in the market. The prices for the W175 would be announced officially on 25 September.

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