[TusharK]

According to a media report, Kawasaki is planning to launch the W175 motorcycle in India in Q1-2021.



The W175 is a retro-styled bike that is based on a semi-double cradle frame with telescopic fork suspension at the front and twin shock absorbers at the rear. The bike comes with a circular headlamp and an analogue instrument cluster. It has a flat seat and a single peashooter exhaust. The bike rides on spoked wheels.



The W175 is powered by a 177cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine that produces 13 BHP and 13.2 Nm. In India, the engine will use a fuel-injection system instead of a carburettor in order to comply with the BS6 emission norms. The engine also features a balancer shaft that reduces vibrations. The bike comes equipped with a disc brake at the front and has a drum brake at the rear.



The report states that 90% of the W175 could be localised. Engine components are also likely to be sourced from local vendors. Currently, the bike sold in Thailand and Indonesia.



Source

Link to Team-BHP News

[v12]

While I wont doubt the capability and reliability of this bike - this is a clear case of wrong timing. This would have been a hit if Kawasaki had launched this 2 decades ago. But in 2020, I doubt there is a market for <200cc street bikes. Also, I believe this will be priced at a premium compared to other similar capacity motorcycles.

[zaphodb]

Not sure where is the market for a 177cc 13 bhp bike which lacks LED headlight and tubeless tires. Unless they price it like a budget 150cc bike (Bajaj V15, Pulsar 150 etc), I doubt it will find many takers. This isn't what we wanted from Kawasaki.

[BANDHAV]

Seems like some one from Kawasaki India hurriedly went through the International product portfolio after seeing the Honda's CB350 H'ness.

This is not how it is done mate.

[rajshenoy]

If Kawasaki really wants a share of the retro pie, they should think of 250-350cc and not this. From the likes of Hness, Jawa and RE, we know that the power figures hardly match that of 200cc machines and the only value add being retro theme.

177cc sounds like a mass segment model and I don't think they have the reach and capacity to sell in our market to make up for the margins. I am sure this is best left as a rumour(unless we add 250/350cc in that rumour)

[Vibhav-Van]

Reminds me of the Rajdoot, honestly.

13 bhp and 177 cc? They better stop their planning here unless they intend to price it under a lakh. And considering the niche brand that Kawasaki is, with very limited reach across the country - this better be left as a dream for the folks at Kawasaki, else it'll turn into a nightmare!

[raghu.bramha]

Originally Posted by BANDHAV

Seems like some one from Kawasaki India hurriedly went through the International product portfolio after seeing the Honda's CB350 H'ness.

This is not how it is done mate.

This is exactly what i thought too, With the buzz Honda created with CB350, looks like other manufacturers are looking into retro bikes to bring to India.
With Kawasaki though, it looks like they have missed the whole point of a performance oriented, neo-retro urban cruiser. Or! Have they?!!

With an imminent global product launch which promises 6 products in-line, I also secretly hope that Kawasaki is just temporarily misleading Indian audience and media only to surprise us with an actual powerful retro bike.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

175 is a waste of time and effort. Don't even bother, Kawasaki.

What you need instead - is the W250, localized and priced squarely against the Honda H'ness CB 350. 18 PS and 18 Nm, on a 162kg frame - now that's right in the Honda territory.





That said - it's better Kawasaki sticks to the upper segments, as they lack the sheer commitment to go after volume segments in India.

[nitro.1000bhp]

Could be a nice beginner bike for someone not wanting a run o' the mill, plastic fantastic, transformer looking bikes that can't be different from one another.

I think Kwaka is right to not target the giants like RE or honda in this segment with their limited reach and service centers. This will be a niche product as I'm sure the price will be higher than the competition

[Ashley Nair]

Kawasaki seems to have taken for granted that Indians need only pseudo retros belonging to the age of Rajdoot 175. The bike is only an insult to the Indian customer. Of course, it could be used by the fish vendors!

[anjan_c2007]

The Ninja and much earlier their KB 100/125 brought the brand a good name in India. With this look of the W 175 (we know of the better Mercs W 111, 112, 120, 123,1 24 and so on) we hope the company will lose it's brand equity, if any. With the W prefix are they treading into the Merc territory ? The W 175 looks awful and the segment has better alternatives. We only hope Kawasaki will think of better options and a better segment to target rather than the 175 cc.

[NaXal]

Too late too little.

Kawasaki needed this product while they had the opportunity to sale & service it via Bajaj dealerships.

Premium pricing over available competition isn't a big issue since there is always a market for its brand name. Although small but thats still good enough for a large market like India.

What is against this bike is almost non existent dealership network.

If they had launched this while they had the leverage of Bajaj's sales & service network, they could have got some good response.

Mind you, interior Indian market has some high respect for Kawasaki since their Caliber / Boxer days.

It's pretty surprising how Kawasaki handled Indian market compare to other Japs. Yamaha / Suzuki / Honda all are doing good enough and slowly gaining strong foothold against their former ally.

[landcruiser123]

Must say, that motorcycle looks brilliant. I'm sure it'll have better build and reliability compared to an RE. Looks like Kawasaki was selling the W175 & W250 across SE and E Asia. Makes me wonder whether they had a non-compete clause (for low displacement motorcycles) after their divorce with Bajaj?

The high demand for REs shows that Indians are suckers of the retro design.

[architect_santo]

Reminds me of the Enfield's effort. I don't understand the purpose of bringing this, Kawasaki as of now offers an entry level motorcycle with 300cc engine; it would be testing waters for them in the 175cc commuter segment, which is much price and service availability conscious, Kawasaki would not be able to match the big names in this area.

As stated by fellow bhpians, a larger displacement retro styled motorcycle with a competitive price could make Kawasaki into the mainstream. I wonder what sort of market survey these auto companies do.

[rajushank84]

This will work if they price it as a competitor to Bajaj V15 (meaning: under a lakh). Anything more, it makes sense to even buy older-generation Royal Enfields instead.