Kawasaki W175 Review – A Blast From The Past

Before Kawasaki went on to sell fast, powerful and premium motorcycles in India, the brand was known for some very popular small-capacity bikes. Right from the Boxer and Caliber to the Wind 125 and the 4S Champion the company launched several entry-level models under its partnership with Bajaj Auto from the 80s. However, that partnership is now history, and since 2017, India Kawasaki Motor has struck out alone, focussing largely on premium motorcycles. Having said that, the Japanese two-wheeler brand has now decided to return to its roots, and venture into the entry-level motorcycle space in India again. This time, with the Kawasaki W175.

Interestingly, Kawasaki has chosen one of the most popular segments as its entry-point – modern classic bikes. Now, Royal Enfield has been dominating this segment for the longest time, however, in the last few years several new players have entered this space. Brands like Jawa, Yezdi, and more recently even TVS came in with the Ronin. And now, with the W175, Kawasaki hopes to get a piece of this lucrative pie. We spent a day with Kawasaki’s new contender to find out what the bike has to offer.

The Japanese brand venture into the entry-level motorcycle space in India again with the Kawasaki W175.

Design and Styling

Visually, the W175 takes its inspiration from the W Series models of the 1960s, which in turn were inspired by British vertical-twin standard motorcycles of that era. The bike’s retro design is highlighted by the tear-drop-shaped fuel tank, which also comes with gold pinstripes and W insignia, elements that are exclusive to this Candy Persimmon Red paint scheme. At the same time, the single-piece flat seat, and the classic pea-shooter exhaust again underscore the bike’s ‘classic’ design lineage.

The W175's design is based on W Series models of the 1960s, and features several retro elements like the round headlamp and peashooter exhaust. 

The same retro theme has been used to design the round headlamp, taillight and indicators. However, we wish Kawasaki had offered LED units instead of halogen bulbs to match up with the current trend. Also, while the fit and finish of the switchgear are good, some of the other plastic bits could have been of better quality.

The bike does miss out modern elements like LED lights, Bluetooth connectivity or dual-channel ABS.

Features

In terms of features, Kawasaki has simply focused on offering the bare minimum. So yes, you do get an electric start button with an engine kill switch and a part-digital part-analogue instrument cluster. So, there is an analogue unit for the speedometer, while the small display gives you read-outs for the odometer, trip meter, fuel level and clock. So, no tachometer or Bluetooth connectivity is on offer. Additionally, the design itself looks quite dated and features individual warning lights for the high beam, battery health, neutral position and indicators.

The bike comes with a part-digital part analogue instrument cluster, an electric starter and spoked wheels.

Continuing with the modern classic theme, the W175 also comes with 17-inch spoked wheels at both ends, and we think Kawasaki should have considered offering alloys at least as an option. Suspension duties are handled by telescopic front forks and hydraulic-type dual spring rear shock absorbers. The bike also gets a single-unit disc brake up front, and a drum unit at the rear, paired with a single-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS).

Engine and Performance

The Kawasaki W175 by a 177 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine the is mated to 5-speed gearbox.

Powering the motorcycle is a 177 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled, 4-stroke engine that is tuned to put out 12.8 bhp at around 7,500 rpm, and develops a peak torque of 13.2 Nm at 6,000 rpm. Now, on paper, these power figures might not sound all that impressive, but then again with a kerb weight of 135 kg, this is quite a light motorcycle. So, what does that mean?

The W175 is quite refined, however, the bike could do with a bit more of low-end torque.

Well, from the get-go the W175’s performance feels perky and nimble. But if there is one thing that it doesn’t lack, that’s refinement. In fact, there are minimal vibrations even when you are doing triple-digit speeds. Yes, it can cross the 100 kmph mark. The motor is mated a 5-speed gearbox and the shifts are smooth and precise. In fact, finding neutral is also extremely easy, which means it won’t be very intimidating for newer riders. All that said, we do feel that the motorcycle could do with some more low-end torque. That would have made the bike feel a lot more energetic and fun to ride.

Ride and Handling

The W175 offers good ride quality and even the handling is nice despite its skinny tyres.

Coming to ride quality, the W175 can handle most undulations on the road with ease. However, the suspension is tuned to be a bit on the softer side, which means it’s tuned for comfort rather than outright agility. Having said that, despite its skinny tyres, the bike handles quite nicely, and you do not lose confidence even at high speeds. As for the brakes, they are quite progressive, but the single front disc unit could do with a bit more bite.

Price and Verdict

Kawasaki offers the W175 in two colour options - Ebony and Candy Persimmon Red, and they are priced at Rs. 1.47 lakh and Rs. 1.49 lakh (ex-showroom, India) respectively. Yes, the price is a bit steep for a 177 cc motorcycle, but the W175 looks nice, comes with a very refined engine and has the potential to be a good beginner’s motorcycle. 

The Kawasaki W175 has the potential to be a good beginner’s bike, but the Hunter 350 and Ronin do it better.

The only problem is both the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 and TVS Ronin, which are priced similarly, can do all that, and much more. Plus, in a segment where the “no replacement for displacement” adage seems to hold true, the W175 will have a tough task ahead.

Photos: Pawan Dagia