2026 Kawasaki W175 LTD Planned for US Market
Air-cooled 177cc retro bike certified by EPA and CARB
Kawasaki is preparing to add to its U.S. retro classic lineup with a new addition to the W family. No official announcement has been made thus far, but Motorcycle.com can confirm that Kawasaki has certified the W175 LTD with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board as a 2026 model.
Following in the tracks of the W230 and the W800, the W175 LTD draws styling notes from Kawasaki’s W models from the sixties, which in turn were based on BSA clones licensed by Japanese brand Meguro, which Kawasaki acquired in 1963. Though a Single and not a Twin like the classic W models, the W175 LTD maintains traditional elements like the single round headlight, circular instrument cluster, peashooter exhaust, twin rear shocks, and teardrop fuel tank.
The W175 LTD was recently announced by Kawasaki Motors Mexico, which is where we sourced these images. We couldn’t help but notice from a street sign in one particular shot that the photos were taken in South Pasadena. That alone does not prove the W175 LTD is coming to the U.S., as Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A. operates Kawasaki’s websites for Latin America, and the shoot could have been on behalf of its Mexican neighbors. More telling, however, is the executive order from CARB and certification from the EPA, approving the bike’s air-cooled and fuel-injected 177cc engine for the U.S. market.
If that’s not enough, further evidence comes from the analog speedometer, which displays the speed primarily in miles, with the kilometer readings secondary. Mexico, like most of the world outside the U.S., uses the metric system, so speedometers, including those on other Kawasaki models, would typically show kilometers first, as standard.
The W175 LTD is manufactured by a Kawasaki subsidiary in India, where the air-cooled retro bike has been available for several years. Kawasaki currently offers two variants in India, the standard model with wire-spoked wheels and the W175 Street, which runs on cast wheels. The LTD appears to be a new off-shoot of the Street, with similar cast wheels and passenger grab handle, but without the rubber fork gaiters, and a new one-piece stepped seat instead of the Street’s flat bench saddle.
Like all motorcycles in India, the Street has a saree guard on the left side to protect a passenger’s loose garments from getting caught in the rear wheel. The W175 LTD doesn’t need this protection, though it does gain a small shield by the right footpeg, covering the back of the engine and the swingarm pivot. The LTD model also has a taller handlebar that positions the grips higher and closer to the rider.
The W175 LTD is powered by an air-cooled SOHC two-valve Single, with a 65.5 mm bore and 52.4 mm stroke. Kawasaki claims a peak output of 13 hp at 7,500 rpm and 9.6 lb-ft. at 6,000 rpm. The engine is packaged with a wet, multiplate clutch and a five-speed transmission.
The engine is mounted to a semi-double cradle steel frame. The suspension is comprised of a 30mm telescopic fork with 4.3 inches of travel, and twin rear shocks with adjustable preload and 2.5 inches of travel. A single two-piston caliper is matched with a 245 mm disc for the front wheel, while the rear wheel uses a 110mm mechanical drum brake. An anti-lock braking system is used on the front wheel.
Other features include 17-inch wheels, rubber-padded footpegs, a 3.2-gallon fuel tank, a claimed 297.7-pound curb weight, and a 30.9-inch seat height.
For Mexico, the 2026 Kawasaki W175 LTD ABS is available in either Ebony or Candy Emerald Green, and we expect both colors will be available for U.S. models.
2026 Kawasaki W175 LTD Specifications | |
|---|---|
Engine Type | 4-stroke, single-cylinder, SOHC, 2 valves, air-cooled |
Displacement | 177cc |
Bore x Stroke | 65.5mm x 52.4mm |
Compression Ratio | 9.1:1 |
Maximum Horsepower | 13 hp at 7,500 rpm (claimed) |
Maximum Torque | 9.6 lb-ft. at 6,000 rpm (claimed) |
Fuel System | DFI with 28mm throttle body |
Ignition | TCBI with Digital Advance |
Transmission | 5-speed, return shift |
Final Drive | Sealed chain |
Electronic Rider Aids | Front wheel Anti-lock Brake System |
Front Suspension | 30mm telescopic fork, 4.3 inches of travel |
Rear Suspension | Twin shocks with spring preload adjustability, 2.5 inches of travel |
Front Tire | 80/100-17 |
Rear Tire | 100/90-17 |
Front Brakes | Single 245mm disc with 2-piston calipers, ABS |
Rear Brakes | 110mm mechanical drum |
Frame Type | Semi-double cradle, steel |
Rake/Trail | 26.0°/3.1 inches |
Overall Length | 78.9 inches |
Overall Width | 31.7 inches |
Overall Height | 44.5 inches |
Ground Clearance | 5.9 inches |
Seat Height | 30.9 inches |
Curb Weight | 297.7 pounds (claimed) |
Fuel Capacity | 3.2 gallons |
Wheelbase | 52.0 inches |
Color Choices | Ebony, Candy Emerald Green |
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Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.
More by Dennis Chung
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The 350 to 500cc range is the hot market now that manufacturers have to concentrate on. Don’t be bringing out 177cc bikes, too small for Americans. We really don’t have enough good bikes in this group to choose from. The Big Four need to look back at what made them so successful in the 70’s. They’ll sell like hotcakes.
I think it’s a bad decision to bring this model to the U.S. Good news is that I’ve heard that Suzuki is working on bringing out some smaller capacity motorcycles soon. Their smallest Naked is a 650 and they know that they’ve been missing out by not having options in this hot group. Just watch what new bikes come from them next.
If only Honda (or anybody) would make a simple 70's style XL350 to 500 air cooled thumper it would be a hot seller. If RE brings the Scram 440 to the US it could be their best selling bike which might find a spot in my garage.