How Kawasaki W175 Street fares against Bajaj Pulsar N160
What's the story
Kawasaki has launched its cheapest offering, the retro-inspired W175 Street, in India at Rs. 1.35 lakh (ex-showroom).
The old-school motorcycle competes with a modern-age sporty commuter, the Bajaj Pulsar N160, in the sub-200cc segment on our shores.
Both motorcycles try to woo younger audiences with their unique personas.
But which one is better: the Japanese fighter or the homegrown brawler?
Context
Why does this story matter?
In India, the sub-200cc segment has been growing rapidly in the past few years.
Young buyers have been experimenting with various styles, such as sporty commuters, streetfighters, cruisers, and even supersports.
While Bajaj Auto largely dominates the category with the Pulsar range, specifically the 160cc models, Kawasaki is now trying to defeat the champion with its newly launched retro-inspired W175 Street.
Design
Bajaj Pulsar N160 looks appealing with aggressive design
Bajaj Pulsar N160 features a muscular fuel tank, a projector headlamp with LED DRLs, a wide handlebar, split-type seats, an under-belly exhaust, and an LED taillight.
Kawasaki W175 Street sports a teardrop-shaped fuel tank, a circular halogen headlamp, a semi-digital instrument cluster, a single-piece seat, a side-mounted exhaust, and a raised handlebar.
Both bikes ride on 17-inch blacked-out alloy wheels.
Safety
Pulsar N160 has disc brakes, dual-channel ABS
The Pulsar N160 comes equipped with disc brakes on both wheels, along with dual-channel ABS to ensure the safety of the rider.
The W175 Street gets a disc brake at the front and a drum brake at the rear, with single-channel ABS.
Both have telescopic forks at the front. The former has a rear mono-shock unit, while the latter gets dual rear shock absorbers.
Performance
N160 packs more powerful engine
The Bajaj Pulsar N160 is powered by a 164.82cc, air-and-oil-cooled, four-valve, single-cylinder engine that generates 15.8hp of maximum power and 14.65Nm of peak torque.
The Kawasaki W175 Street draws power from a 177cc, single-cylinder, fuel-injected engine that puts out 12.82hp of maximum power and 13.3Nm of peak torque.
Transmission duties on both bikes are taken care of by a five-speed manual gearbox.
Verdict
Which one should you choose?
In India, the Bajaj Pulsar N160 will set you back by Rs. 1.31 lakh. On the other hand, the Kawasaki W175 Street can be yours at Rs. 1.35 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom).
In our opinion, the Pulsar N160 makes more sense on our shores with its aggressive design, better safety hardware, and a powerful four-valve engine at a lower price point.