[UPDATE December 8, 2023: Kawasaki India has officially unveiled the 2024 W175 during India Bike Week 2023. As speculated earlier, the new model has been given all-new alloy wheels and now rolls on tubeless tires for a more reliable road-going experience.
Like before, the 2024 Kawasaki W175 retains its barebones underpinnings, sporting a rudimentary workhorse of an engine. A 177cc, air-cooled, fuel-injected, single-cylinder engine provides 13 horsepower and 9.6 pound-feet of torque. Suspension duties are handled by a standard non-adjustable telescopic fork and dual shock absorbers at the rear. It's worth noting that the bike's ground clearance has been lowered from 165mm (6.5 inches) to 152mm (6 inches), resulting in a slightly lower seat height for more accessibility especially for shorter riders.
The 2024 Kawasaki W175 get two new colorways consisting of Candy Emerald Green and Metallic Moondust Gray, and carries an MSRP of Rs 135,000, or around $1,618 USD per the exchange rate at the time of writing.]
Original post follows.
Kawasaki’s W800 is often likened to the Triumph Bonneville. In fact, quite a lot of people would go as far as saying that it’s a clone of the iconic British twin. That said, Kawasaki’s W series of motorcycles has always been about embracing a classic spirit – both in terms of design and function. That being said, unbeknownst to a lot of folks in the western world is the W800’s smaller sibling, the W175.
As you know, the Asian market is littered with small-displacement motorcycles a lot of folks have never even seen before. The W175 is a bike we’ve talked about on multiple occasions in the past, and for the 2024 model-year, it’s expected to get a mild refresh and be showcased at India BIke Week. Scheduled for December 8, 2023, the upcoming release has generated quite a lot of buzz within India’s enthusiast market.
In India, Kawasaki has quite a strong presence in terms of its big bikes. Indeed, given the fact that a big chunk of the bikes in India sport engines 200cc and lower, a 400cc motorbike like the Ninja 400 is considered a big bike. That being said, the W175 serves as the most affordable model in Team Green’s Indian lineup, and as such, is attractive to folks looking to get in on the brand, or simply for those who want a stylish retro commuter.
The W175 has been around for nearly seven years now, but hasn’t really undergone a lot of changes. I mean, it’s a barebones, simple machine through and through. It’s powered by a 177cc, air-cooled, fuel-injected, single-cylinder engine with a modest output of 13 horsepower and 13 Nm (9.6 pound-feet) of torque. It’s underpinned by a steel cradle frame, and gets simple components such as a standard telescopic fork and twin rear shocks. Given how simple the bike is, as well as the fact that it is meant to be simple, there really isn’t much to change.
Having said that, the W175 for the 2024 model-year is anticipated to get a slew of cosmetic enhancements consisting of new colors and rim decals. On top of that, the bike is also expected to get new alloy wheels, and as such, come equipped with tubeless tires. Nevertheless, we’ll have to wait until Kawasaki officially pulls the covers off the updated W175 to know for sure, so be sure to stay tuned for that.
