Kawasaki W175 India Launch In 2021: Yamaha XSR 155 Rival?

According to the report from Autocar India, the company is looking to heavily localize the manufacturing of W175 motorcycle in the country. The reports suggest that Kawasaki could achieve around 90 per cent localization.

The localization will help the company price the entry-level motorcycle competitively in our price-sensitive Indian market. Reports suggest that Kawasaki could price the W175 motorcycle around Rs 1.5 lakh mark when launched in India.

Speaking about the motorcycle, the W175 is powered by an air-cooled, single-cylinder 177cc engine. It produces a maximum of 13bhp at 7500rpm and a peak torque of 13.2Nm at 6000rpm. The engine comes mated to a standard five-speed gearbox.

In international markets, the motorcycle's engine uses a Mikuni VM24 carburettor. However, Kawasaki could update the engine to feature a fuel-injection system to comply with the latest emission norms in the Indian market.

The Kawasaki W175 dimension read as 1930mm in length, 765mm in width, and 1030mm in height along with a wheelbase of 1275mm. The motorcycle features a ground clearance of 165mm and tips the scale at 126kg (dry).

The retro motorcycle features round-shaped headlamp, tail lamps and turn-signal indicators. It also has a traditional analogue instrument console with all the tell-tale lights placed next to the console.

The motorcycle also has a simple and right-up rider ergonomics along with a flat seat. Other features on the motorcycle include a 13.5-litre fuel tank, round-shaped rear-view mirrors, and 17-inch spoked wheels at both ends.

Suspension duties are handled by a telescopic fork with old-school rubber gaiters at the front and traditional twin-shock with spring preload adjustability at the rear. Braking on the motorcycle is done via 220mm disc brake at the front and 110mm drum brake at the rear.

The international-spec W175 motorcycle is not offered with any form of ABS. However, the company will have to add at least a single-channel ABS at the front to the motorcycle. This is due to the latest safety norms issued in the country.

Kawasaki is offering the W175 motorcycle in a host single and dual-tone colour options. The motorcycle is also offered in a scrambler and cafe-racer version in international markets. Whether the company will bring the colour options and various versions of the W175 motorcycle to the market remains to be seen.

Much like the Kawasaki W175, Yamaha is also looking to launch an entry-level modern-classic motorcycle called the XSR 155. Like the W175, the XSR 155 is also expected to be launched sometime next year in the market.

Thoughts About The Kawasaki W175 India Launch In 2021

The modern-retro motorcycle has become extremely popular in the Indian market. As a result, many manufacturers are looking to introduce a new entry-level model with an affordable price in the Indian market. The upcoming W175 is one such product from Kawasaki, which will be launching next year.