Kawasaki’s Rolls Out Its Smallest Street Tracker

Lately, bikes that emulate the look and feel of flat trackers used in one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing have been gathering momentum in the motorcycling industry. Kawasaki has now found a way to cash in on this growing segment by introducing the new W175TR in Indonesia. It is the youngest street tracker from the manufacturer and is based on the road-biased W175. However, it features revised ergonomics and different underpinnings to suit its character. 

The W175TR is offered in two variants - Standard and SE - priced at Rp 29.9 million (approx. Rs 1.51 lakh) and Rp 32.3 million (approx Rs 1.64 lakh) respectively. There are four colour options to choose from: white, ebony, yellow and green. 

Also Read: Indian Brings Its Mad Flat Tracker, the FTR 1200, To India

While it looks a lot like the W175, the W175TR features a taller braced handlebar (3mm higher), a raised front fender, bash plate, a new upswept exhaust and a smaller 7-litre fuel tank. In comparison, the road-going W175 gets a larger 13.5-litre fuel tank.

Changes extend to its underpinnings as well. For instance, the front and rear suspension have been raised by 35mm and 27mm respectively. It’s 17-inch wheels, on the other hand, seem to feature dual-purpose tyres. The braking setup has been carried over from the base model - 220mm disc up front and a  110mm drum brake at the rear. 

The W175TR is likely to be powered by the same 177cc air-cooled single-cylinder motor seen on the road-going W175. This unit in its current state of tune generates 13PS at 7500rpm and 13.2Nm at 6000rpm, mated to a 5-speed transmission. The motor uses a carburetter instead of fuel injection to keep costs in check. 

Also Read: Zero’s Electric Motorcycle, The FX, Goes Flat Tracking!

From a design standpoint, the bike looks pretty conventional - a classic dome-shaped headlamp paired with a teardrop fuel tank and a flat seat. 

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

Though the Kawasaki W175TR looks like a tempting proposition, there’s little to no chance for the bike to make it to India for two very good reasons. Priced at approximately Rs 1.51 lakh (starting price), the W175TR is a little too steep for a price-sensitive market like India. Secondly, the Indian motorcycling industry has just started to scrape the surface of flat tracking, so there’s still a long way to go before it becomes a full-fledged sport in India. 

Royal Enfield recently introduced the FT11 flat tracker based on the Himalayan and its very own flat track school which acquaints you with the art of going sideways. You can read all about it here.