Kawasaki W175 vs Royal Enfield Hunter 350: Which retro motorcycle to buy?
Kawasaki recently launched the W175 in the Indian market. It is the most affordable motorcycle by the Japanese brand. The W175 is a retro motorcycle that will go directly against the likes of the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 which was recently launched in India. It is also the most affordable motorcycle in Royal Enfield's line-up. So, which retro motorcycle should one buy? Here is a comparison between both the Hunter 350 and W175.
What are the design highlights of Royal Enfield Hunter 350 and Kawasaki W175?
The W175 looks like a proper old-school motorcycle. It has got a circular headlamp, squared-off tail lamp and oval turn indicators. There are no LEDs on offer. All the lighting elements use halogens. There is a single-piece bench-style seat and the only chrome element on the motorcycle is the surround around the headlamp.
The Hunter 350 has a neo-retro styling. It also has a circular headlamp and turns indicators but the tail lamp is an LED unit. Moreover, if the customer wants he can buy LED turn indicators as a genuine accessory. The Hunter is designed to look more modern than other Royal Enfields. It looks like a mini-roadster that is accessible to most people.
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Which is more powerful Hunter 350 or Kawasaki W175?
| Royal Enfield Hunter 350 | Kawasaki W175 | |
| Displacement | 349 cc | 177 cc |
| Power | 20 Ps | 13 Ps |
| Torque | 27 Nm | 13.2 Nm |
| Gearbox | 5-speed | 5-speed |
In terms of engine, it is quite clear that the Hunter 350 is more powerful. It has a 349 cc air-oil cooled engine that produces 20 hp and 27 Nm. It is mated to a 5-speed gearbox.
The W175 has a 177 cc, air-cooled engine that produces 13 Ps and 13.2 Nm. It is also mated to a 5-speed transmission.
What are the features offered on Hunter 350 and W175?
The W175 is a bare-bone motorcycle. It does offer a semi-digital instrument cluster which shows an odometer, fuel gauge, a trip meter and there are some warning lights. There is also a single-channel ABS on offer.
The Hunter 350 gets an analogue speedometer with a small digital read-out that shows trip meters, Trip F, fuel gauge, service reminder, Eco mode, gear position indicator, time and warning lights. It also gets single-channel ABS but the higher variants are available with dual-channel ABS.
Which one should you buy Hunter 350 or W175?
| Variants | Royal Enfield Hunter 350 | Kawasaki W175 |
| Standard | ₹1,47,000 | |
| Special Edition | ₹1,49,000 | |
| Retro | ₹1,49,900 | |
| Metro | ₹1,63,900 | |
| Metro Rebel | ₹1,66,319 |
The Kawasaki W175 at ₹1.47 lakh (ex-showroom) does seem a bit overpriced but it does have an exclusivity factor to it because there will be not a lot of W175s on Indian roads.
The Hunter 350 starts at ₹1.5 lakh (ex-showroom) and offers more equipment, Royal Enfield's extensive service network, more features and more power. So, the Hunter 350 does seem like a better value proposition.
