Since my last motorcycle was a Royal Enfield Himalayan, I felt a significant weight difference.

BHPian DesertLynx34 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Happened to be in Kochi the past week, so dropped in at Kawasaki Kochi to have a look. The sales guys were really courteous and answered my concerns well and offered me a test ride promptly before I even asked them and then again, one today for a slightly longer one along the inner roads.

My thoughts

• The bike is better looking when seen upfront. Would have preferred some chrome bits seeing as they were going for that retro charm.
• Most affordable Kawasaki doesn't translate to cheap by any means. Looks well put together and pleasingly simple except...
•  Kawasakis have some of the weirdest-looking exhaust plumbing these days or the emission norms are gnawing on their brains a bit too much.
• The showroom had all the colours except the Metallic Grey on display. My pick would be the Ocean Blue. I didn't care about the Street versions except for the fact that they have tubeless tyres.
• Forget the spec sheet, real-use power and torque are adequate, at least in the urban environment. Don't expect to be Dani Pedrosa off the lights though.
• Perfect for zipping around in urban traffic. In-gear acceleration is fine. But you'll have to come down to first or second for steep slopes.
•  Front brake is good. Back one being a drum didn't bother me.
•  The tyres, though didn't feel bad as such, are too skinny. We had had some rains before the ride, so I was cautious.
•  I took it along the section of the road in front of the showroom and it had some uneven and unmarked patches with protruding manhole covers or something and then some awfully laid out humps on the inner lanes but the shocks behaved well.
• I'm 170cm tall, slender, the light-weight kind, so the bike dimensions are spot on and the ergonomics fitting. And since my last bike was the Himalayan, the weight difference is significant.

Overall

I'm actually looking for a bike right now and this bike has earned a place on my list.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The 2025 Kawasaki W175 is available in SE, SE Black Style, and Café trims.

Kawasaki has launched the updated W175 in Indonesia. The 2025 edition of the retro bike comes in new variants and colour options.

The 2025 Kawasaki W175 is available in SE, SE Black Style, and Café trims. Prices start at IDR 35.1 million, which is approximately Rs 1.78 lakh.

The updated W175 comes in Candy Arsenit Green and Metallic Smoke Gold / Ebony colour options. The SE Black Style variant is finished in Metallic Spark Black.

The W175 Café is the most expensive variant of the bike. It is equipped with a small windscreen and a tuck-and-roll seat. The bike also gets sporty graphics and rear shock absorber springs painted in a contrasting yellow.

The 2025 W175 carries forward the same 177cc, single-cylinder engine as before. This air-cooled engine produces 13 BHP @ 7,500 rpm and 13.2 Nm @ 6,000 rpm and is paired with a 5-speed gearbox.

Kawasaki offers the W175 in India as well. The bike is available in two variants – Standard and Street.

I feel that in a sea of Royal Enfield Hunter and Bajaj Pulsar models, this one is very simple and approachable.

BHPian Aluminium recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Went to check this bike out at the Kochi Showroom and I loved it.

Likes:

• Proper retro bike.
• Smooth engine. Feels ok even when revving it out.
• Pretty light to move around. But feels hefty and tight, in a good way.
• Approachable seat height. My younger brother will be able to ride that bike. And when I am off-site, he could use it.

Dislikes:

• The engine was quite hot after 2 kms. SA told me the bike just came back after doing some showroom duties.
• Showroom experience. I am looking for a bike because I need one immediately for my daily commute. I walked down there once to enquire and once to remind them about sending the price list so I could sort out my financials. Honestly, though, I don't think they care about selling it at all. Asked them for a long test ride both times. They haven't gotten back to me even now. It is always me initiating a conversation. Reminds me of trying to talk to the prettiest girl in the class.

The bike's good. In a sea of Hunters and Pulsars, this one is very simple and approachable. And beautiful. Just take off the saree guard and the grab handle. Decided not to go with it anyway because of the less-than-average showroom experience. Might contact the Calicut showroom to get a quote. But at that point, is it worth the trouble? I understand now, the reason for people buying commuters from commuter brands. Looking at the CB300R and maybe waiting for the rumoured RX100.

Here's what BHPian Balaji31582 had to say about the matter:

I was very interested in trading off my TBTS 2008 for this bike. I am from Chennai and the dealer is in OMR.

Did reach out to me a couple of times after I registered my interest online on the Kawasaki site.

But the observations I have are:

• Kawasaki themselves don't show curiosity or build this as a brand to have a tribe around the W series. Why I want that is because of long-term maintenance and the cost of ownership.
• I liked how simple they have kept the bike but when the likes of Bajaj started giving dual channel ABS as standard equipment for similar price bikes, Kawasaki could have at least added an optional accessory kind of allowing us to get it while booking. Rather they have rubber shoes at the rear if I am correct.
• Last one, could be a nagging point, still, if Kawasaki thinks this is a mass commuter bike, they should have signed up for an expansion of dealers at least in tier 1 cities. They can have the Ninjas and Z series in a different showroom but for the W series, they can have a road map for 175, 250, and 300 and sell the commuter separately. People like me will get more confidence to buy a commuter from Kawasaki amidst the likes of RE, Bajaj, Honda, and TVS. This might be too much to ask as it will scream exclusivity for commuters but in my mind I think sometimes the dealers don't push these bikes because they might assume their identity of dealing sports or high-performing bikes could get diluted.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Kawasaki recently launched the W175 Street at the India Bike Week 2023.

Kawasaki has reduced the prices of the standard W175 in India by Rs 25,000. The bike is now priced between Rs 1.22 lakh and Rs 1.31 lakh (ex-showroom), depending on the colour.

Speaking of colours, the W175 is now available in two new colour options: Metallic Ocean Blue and Metallic Graphite Grey, priced at Rs 1.31 lakh and Rs 1.29 lakh (ex-showroom), respectively. The bike is also available in Ebony and Persimmon Red shades.

The Kawasaki W175 is a retro-style motorcycle powered by a 177cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine. It produces 12.9 BHP @ 7,500 rpm and 13.2 Nm @ 6,000 rpm. It is fitted with telescopic forks at the front and dual shock absorbers at the rear. It gets a single disc brake at the front and a drum brake at the rear.

Kawasaki recently launched the W175 Street at the India Bike Week 2023. It is priced at Rs 1.35 lakh (ex-showroom).

The W175 is powered by a 177cc, single-cylinder engine that makes 12.9 BHP and 13.2 Nm.

Kawasaki has shared a teaser of an upcoming motorcycle that will be showcased at India Bike Week 2023. According to some reports, it could be an updated version of the W175.

It has been reported that the upcoming Kawasaki W175 is likely to get several cosmetic changes, including alloy wheels shod with tubeless tyres and new colours.

The Kawasaki W175 was launched in September last year. The retro-styled bike is powered by a 177cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that produces 12.9 BHP @ 7,500 rpm and 13.2 Nm @ 6,000 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox.

The bike features conventional telescopic fork suspension at the front and dual shock absorbers at the rear. Braking is handled by a combination of a 270 mm disc at the front and a drum brake at the rear, supported by single-channel ABS.

Source: Autocar India

I feel it is unfair to compare it with the Bajaj CT100. This motorcycle is for a different set of people.

BHPian silver-stand recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Today, I took a test ride of the Kawasaki W175 at Kawasaki Hyderabad in Banjara Hills.

I needed to fill out a couple of forms for the test ride, including emergency contact details — which didn’t surprise me given the kind of sporty bikes they offer.

The sales guy was enthusiastic and let me ride the bike as long as I wanted. But I drove 5-6 KM.

Here are my findings

1. First of all, the comparisons with CT100 are unfair. It does feel like a proper retro bike, and despite its weight, it doesn’t feel so light — it feels slightly heavy but not as heavy and easy to handle.
2. It feels good for laidback or calm riding. I didn’t like pushing hard as I didn’t feel good with the kind of grunt it gives when pushed hard.
3. The gearing is awesome. The engine and gearbox combo is good. Throughout the test ride, I hadn’t remembered which gear I was in. I felt the bike and the engine and shifted up/down. If you downshift properly, there aren’t shocks from engine braking.
4. The rear brake is unsuitable for hard braking/stopping; it’s ideal for gradually slowing. The front disc brake felt good enough. And using both brakes offered confidence in stopping the bike.
5. No vibrations at all, though the top speed I have reached might be around 70 kmph.
6. The engine grunt felt more toward a long-stroke engine but didn’t feel exactly like a long-stroke engine.
7. While taking U-turns, I didn’t feel confident enough to bend the bike slightly — maybe with more riding, I might feel confident and comfortable.
8. The seating position felt natural and comfortable for the short ride. But I am not sure how it feels in the long run.
9. The bike is easier to handle in city traffic.
10. The side mirrors didn’t feel natural. During my test ride, I felt more comfortable slightly turning my head rather than looking in the mirrors.
11. Finally, the build quality felt sturdy and well done. In person, the bike looks much more wholesome than in pictures. By the way, I liked the all-black paint scheme more than the red one.

Here is some info from the sales guy

• They’re selling around 6-7 units a month.
• The break-in period seems to be for 1000 km, but the sales guy wasn’t 100% sure what a break-in or run-in period is. After I explained it, he understood what I meant.
• After that, servicing is required for every 6,000 km, and the service cost would be around ₹2,000/- (Not sure If I remember that correctly)
• He quoted an on-road price of 1,90,000/- after knowing I already had a car registered in my name. I guess Telangana charges additional tax if a person tries to own more than one vehicle. He said they have a 10,000/- offer till the end of April. So the price could come to ~1,80,000/-
• The booking amount is 10,000/-. The delivery timeline is around one month. Booking cancellation would be 2,000/- or 3,000/-, though the sales guy didn’t give an exact number.

Finally, I think it’s one lovely nice retro bike. I would probably buy it in the next 3-6 months period.

For those who think CT100 is better than this bike, I don’t want to change your mind. W175 is for different folks. Peace!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The W175 is available in two variants with prices starting at Rs. 1.47 lakh (ex-showroom).

Deliveries of the Kawasaki W175 have commenced in India. The bike was launched in September 2022 with prices starting at Rs 1.47 lakh (ex-showroom).

The W175 is a retro-styled bike that comes with a round headlamp and an analogue instrument cluster. The bike has a teardrop-shaped fuel tank, a single-piece flat seat, a peashooter exhaust and comes with wire spoke wheels.

The Kawasaki W175 is powered by a 177cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that produces 12.9 BHP @ 7,500 rpm and 13.2 Nm @ 6,000 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox.

The bike features conventional telescopic fork suspension at the front and dual shock absorbers at the rear. Braking is handled by a combination of a 270 mm disc at the front and a drum brake at the rear, supported by single-channel ABS.

Source: Bikewale

The W175 is the most affordable model in Kawasaki India's line-up.

The Kawasaki W175 has been launched in India. The retro-styled bike is priced at Rs 1.47 lakh (ex-showroom).

The Kawasaki W175 features a round headlamp and an analogue instrument console with a small digital display. It has a teardrop-shaped fuel tank and a single-piece flat seat.

Powering the W175 is a 177cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that produces 12.9 BHP @ 7,500 rpm and 13.2 Nm @ 6,000 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox.

The bike features conventional telescopic fork suspension at the front and dual shock absorbers at the rear. It comes with a peashooter exhaust and wire spoke wheels. Braking is handled by a combination of a 270 mm disc at the front and a drum brake at the rear, supported by single-channel ABS.

The Kawasaki W175 is rumoured to be launched in India on September 25.

Kawasaki is gearing up to launch the retro-styled W175 bike in India. According to media reports, prices could be announced on September 25, 2022.

However, ahead of its launch, details of the India-spec Kawasaki W175 are already out thanks to a leaked brochure. It reveals that the bike will be offered in two colour options: Ebony and Special Edition Red.

The Kawasaki W175 is based on a double cradle steel frame. It measures 2,006 mm in length, 802 mm in width, 1,052 mm in height and its wheelbase is 1,320 mm

The W175 is powered by a 177cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that produces 12.8 BHP @ 7,500 rpm and 13.2 Nm @ 6,000 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Braking is handled by a 270 mm petal-style disc at the front and a 110 mm drum at the rear.

Source: Rushlane

The bike is rumoured to be manufactured locally and could be priced around Rs. 1.5 lakh (ex-showroom).

According to a media report, Kawasaki is planning to launch the retro-styled W175 in India on September 25, 2022. The bike is rumoured to be manufactured locally and could be priced around Rs. 1.5 lakh (ex-showroom).

The Kawasaki W175 was spotted testing in Pune in November last year. The bike features a round headlamp, an analogue instrument cluster, a single peashooter exhaust and rides on spoked wheels.

The W175 is powered by a 177cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine that produces 13 BHP and 13.2 Nm. It is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The bike get telescopic forks at the front and twin shock absorbers at the rear. It comes equipped with front disc brake and a drum brake at the rear.

Source: Autocar India