Kawasaki India has teased a new ‘W’ series motorcycle ahead of its Indian launch. Although the teaser posted on the company’s social media handles did not provide any details, a leaked document has confirmed that the Japanese manufacturer will launch the W 175 in the Indian market. This will most likely be the most affordable motorcycle in the company’s India portfolio. Here we tell you what to expect from the India launch of the new Kawasaki W 175 BS6.
Styling
The new W 175 draws styling cues from its bigger sibling, the W 800. Thus, this motorcycle features design elements such as a round headlight, a tear-drop shaped fuel tank, single-piece seat, a basic pillion grabrail, and a peashooter exhaust. The retro persona of the motorcycle is enhanced with the use of wire-spoke wheels instead of alloy units. Further, the leaked document suggests that this upcoming retro-style product from Kawasaki will be sold in two colours – Ebony and Special Edition Red, wherein the latter may carry a relatively higher price tag than the former.
Engine
The W 175 will be the smallest-displacement, road-legal motorcycle in Kawasaki India’s portfolio. This retro-style motorcycle will be powered by a 177cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine tuned to deliver a humble 12.8bhp at 7,500rpm and 13.2Nm of peak torque at 6,000rpm. It tips the weighing scale at just 135kg (kerb) which should make it easy to ride for a wide range of riders.
Features
The feature list on the international-spec model is bare-basic, and the India-bound W 175 is not expected to be much different. In fact, the leaked document has confirmed that this motorcycle will use a drum brake setup at the rear wheel. Other features on the motorcycle will include a fully-analogue instrument cluster and a single-channel ABS.
Hardware
The W 175 will be built around a double-cradle chassis and use telescopic front forks and twin rear springs to handle the suspension tasks. The anchoring setup will include a single 270mm petal-type rotor at the front and a 110mm drum brake at the back.
Expected Price
This motorcycle is likely to become the most-affordable Kawasaki product in the Indian market and we expect it to arrive in the Rs 1.5-2 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) price range. Once launched, the Kawasaki W 175 will retail in the same price segment as the new Royal Enfield Hunter 350 and the TVS Ronin. The launch date is not available yet, but we expect to hear an announcement very soon.
