Divyank Kushagra Bansal 
At the ongoing India Bike Week 2023, Kawasaki launched a new version of its most affordable motorcycle, the W175. Dubbed the W175 Street, it is priced at ₹1.35 lakh (introductory ex-showroom), which makes it more affordable than the standard W175 by ₹12,000. Interestingly, despite its lower price, the W175 Street offers better standard equipment. However, prospective buyers will have to wait for a bit as Kawasaki has not revealed when it will start accepting its bookings.
For example, the biggest and the most noticeable change is the alloy wheels that are shod with tubeless tyres. The standard W175 relies on wire-spoke wheels and tubed tyres. There is no change in the wheel/tyre size though – 80/100-17 (front) and 100/90-17 (rear). The W175 Street is also available in two new colours, Candy Emerald Green and Metallic Moondust Grey. The W175 Street is also a bit of a departure from the urban retro appeal of the nameplate, as it offers a few more blacked-out surfaces instead of chrome-lined ones.
A quick comparison between the spec sheets of both versions also revealed minor differences in dimensions with respect to the ground clearance, wheelbase, and seat height. At 152mm, the W175 Street offers 13mm lower ground clearance, its wheelbase is slightly longer, and the seat height is a bit lower. The W175 Street also gets a smaller 245mm front brake disc.
The 177cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine remains untouched. In both iterations, it develops 12.9bhp @ 7,500rpm and 13.2Nm @ 6,000rpm.
