Kawasaki updated its most affordable offering, the W175, last year with a new paint scheme and new hardware. It was introduced as a new variant called the W175 Street. We recently spent a week riding it in Mumbai and also took it to Pune. Here is what we think of the new Kawasaki W175 Street.
The design aspect of the W175 remains unchanged in its Street trim. It boasts the same old-school design with a round bulb headlight, single-piece seat, petite fuel tank, tubular grab-rail, and a pea-shooter exhaust.
That said, the amount of attention the W175 Street got from passersby was unexpected. Every once in a while either a fellow biker at the red traffic light or someone walking across the street stopped and stared at it. Some of them even confused it with the Yamaha RX-100 of the yesteryear.
We like the new paint scheme as it stands apart and enhances the proportions of the rather small Kawasaki W175 Street. But what let us down was the build quality. Similar to the one we rode last time, the new model too gets a very flimsy tank. It shakes from left to right without much effort and feels easy to remove.
Speaking of the bits that have been carried over, the Street model gets the same 177cc, single-cylinder engine that pushes out 12.8bhp and 13.2Nm. It’s linked to a five-speed gearbox, the same as before.
On the performance front, the W175’s engine is peppy, accelerates smoothly, and has enough grunt for daily commuting. Moreover, the bike feels and is notably light, so cutting the traffic and squeezing it through tight spaces is relatively easy.
The seat feels adequately spacious and cushioned. Even the front and rear springs of the W175 feel responsive and have a soft setup. However, Kawasaki needs to equip the bike with better brakes. In its current setup, the W175 Street gets a front disc with ABS and a rear drum setup. The bite is quite poor and you would end up squeezing the front lever completely in certain instances.
But if you want to know whether to spend Rs. 1.35 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) on this bike, check out our Road Test review of the Kawasaki W175 Street.
