Kawasaki’s smallest offering in our country, the W175, just got better and pricier. We took it out for a ride to see if it is worth all that it has to offer.
Story: Charan Karthik
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
Kawasaki launched the retro-modern made-in-India W175 in late 2022. At the end of 2023, they added a new top-of-the-line variant with cast aluminium wheels, new paint schemes, and a slightly higher price tag. First thing I noticed was how easy it was to sit on the little bike. The W175 Street has a seat height of 786 millimetres and it weighs 135 kilograms, both of which make it a very nimble bike. It is powered by a 177-cc, air-cooled, SOHC, two-valve, single-cylinder motor that pushes out 13 hp at 7,500 rpm and a peak torque of 13.2 Nm at 6,000 rpm and is mated to a five-speed gearbox. The engine is good for riding short distances with ease and has decent tractability which can be put to use in stop-and-go city traffic. During the ride, I had to pin the throttle to get it above 80 km/h to get some juice out of it to keep it going. Quite a few vibrations were also felt while doing so as the bike did not like being stressed. The good thing, however, was the grunty exhaust note which I loved.
This bike rides on an 80/100 front tyre and a 100/90 rear one, both shod on matte-black 17-inch wheels. For brakes, the W175 Street continues to be equipped with a 245-mm disc at the front and a 110-mm drum at the rear, again with single-channel ABS as standard at the front. It also continues to get telescopic suspension at the front with 110-mm travel and dual shock-absorbers at the rear with 64 mm of travel and 152 mm of ground clearance. The ride quality is decent and the bike goes where you want it to. Handling is one of the salient points of the Kawasaki; it is very nimble and easy to manoeuvre in the city. During our ride, I did not face any issue with bumps and potholes, which were tackled without much fuss, all thanks to the suspension.
Equipment-wise, the bike gets a single pod digi-analogue cluster wherein the odometer, trip meter, and fuel-gauge are displayed below the round analogue speedometer that adds to the retro look. In this day and age, a tachometer and a gear indicator are missed but not to such an extent as to trouble you. Below the cluster is a 60-Watt halogen headlamp that feels a little inadequate and underpowered. The bike gets halogen indicators and tail-lights as well, keeping the retro theme running all around. The switchgear is cut and right with just provisions for what is required, keeping it as simple as possible. We found its quality to be average and the switches themselves were a little too tiny to operate. I would have preferred it to be a little bigger in size. The bike gets a 12.1-litre fuel-tank that is fixed on the double-cradle steel frame.
The Kawasaki W175 Street can be looked at in two ways. One, as a raw, barebones, old school street naked commuter and, two, as just a costlier and modern Kawasaki KB 125. To me, it feels like an inexpensive commuter that has the Kawasaki badge slapped on to it. However, the bike had some bits and pieces that I loved, such as the exposed throttle body, the retro-looking halogen headlamp, the crisp exhaust note higher up in the rev-range, minimal electronic aids, and the lightweight handlebar. These are things that cannot be found on bikes in these modern times. It makes the bike accessible and very easy to ride for everyone getting astride it.
Coming from an iconic Japanese manufacturer, the W175 has a relaxed and laidback vibe to it. It has all the basics of a bike, but then, again, it just has the basics alone. Coming in two colours, Candy Emerald Green and Metallic Moondust Grey, both priced at Rs 1.35 lakh (ex-showroom), the baby Kawasaki offers a little less for the money than I would hope for.
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