America’s Newest Cheap Motorcycle Is A Retro Stunner That Will Set You Back Only $3,400

Riding a motorcycle can be one of the best ways to spice up an otherwise boring commute or summer drive. But the new market can seem daunting if you’re not flush with cash, as far too many bikes have price tags starting in the high four figures or even higher. There has been a movement of affordable steeds spreading across America, and now a new cheap motorcycle has entered the ring. Meet the 2026 Kawasaki W175 LTD. This motorcycle looks absolutely stunning, has usable performance, and the best part? It’s only $2,999 before fees.

I first wrote about the Kawasaki W175 LTD back in November. At the time, the little bike had just received approval from the California Air Resources Board and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Usually, this means that sales are impending, but Kawasaki was quiet about the W175 LTD. The company did not respond to my request for comment, which sought to confirm whether the baby Kawi was coming to America or not.

While CARB and EPA filings and approvals are a good sign that a company is moving to sell a new product in America, it doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes, subject vehicles never go on sale, or they come here, but aren’t sold to the public. That was the case with the Harley-Davidson X350RA. Harley cleared a restricted and derestricted version through the EPA, but has since only used the restricted version within the confines of its training courses.

I was beginning to think that the W175 LTD was going to be another one to fall through the cracks, but Kawasaki just delivered. The W175 LTD went on sale in America just yesterday, in time for summer. Somehow, Kawasaki even hit a price so low that this motorcycle could be one of the best deals on two wheels of the year.

A Global Sensation

While America is just now getting the W175 LTD, much of the rest of the world has seen it since 2017. As I wrote back in November, the W175 is a member of Kawasaki’s famous W Series family. The W story started in the 1960s with lots of fanfare.

From Kawasaki:

It was an era when all but a few Japanese motorcycles were small-displacement machines. Kawasaki was one of the first to introduce a big bike, powered by a 496 cm3 OHV Parallel Twin, the world standard of the time. The engine’s roots could be found in the Twin engine of the same displacement produced by Meguro Manufacturing Co. Motorcycle Works, a well-known bike manufacturer established in 1927. Kawasaki absorbed Meguro in the 1960s, inheriting the motorcycle technology they had been developing since before World War II. The 1965 K2 was based on the Meguro’s K Series models and redesigned by Kawasaki Aircraft Co. Ltd. to increase its durability and top-speed performance. A prototype model based on the K2 evolved into the W1 released the following year.

Of all the export markets, America was of particular importance. Kawasaki had already broken into the US market with its 125B8, but to tackle America’s big-bike market they began to prepare a larger-displacement version of the K2. The 496 cm3 engine’s bore was increased by 8 mm, bringing displacement to 624 cm3. A prototype model with the larger displacement was displayed at the 12th Tokyo Motor Show in 1965. Meanwhile in Kawasaki’s Akashi Factory, mass production of the new W1 was already underway, with new units rolled off the line and arranged neatly, ready for sale. Compared to the K2’s 165 km/h top speed, the W1 could exceed 180 km/h, and in the 0-400m, it recorded a time of 13.8s. Selected with the American market in mind, the fuel tank – often considered the centrepiece of a motorcycle – was coloured a brilliant candy red and complemented by high-quality chrome pieces. The novel design was a bold statement, in stark contrast to the subdued tones of other Japanese motorcycles. It was unveiled to great acclaim at events all across America in February 1966, with orders pouring in before sales even began. With the W1, Kawasaki gained worldwide recognition as a big-bike manufacturer.

Today, the most recognizable member of the W Series is the W800 (above). Riders can’t get enough of the W800’s beautiful pairing of classic British lines with modern Japanese engineering. Unfortunately, at a price of $11,384 (including destination), it’s a motorcycle that many riders, especially younger ones and those living in developing countries, cannot afford. Kawasaki’s solution was to scale the beauty of the W800 down and put it into a package that many more riders can afford.

In 2017, the W175 launched in Jakarta. The motorcycle, which is built in India, has since spread across the world, reaching Thailand, the Philippines, Uruguay, Bolivia, and more. The W175 has a cult following in Indonesia, where custom bike builders chop them up to create something new.

It has even reached North America by way of Mexico. Selling the W175 in the United States makes a ton of sense, given the popularity of small-bore motorcycles right now. Younger buyers just getting into motorcycles might not be able to afford a Harley-Davidson, but they could produce the coin for a Honda MiniMoto, a CFMoto, a Royal Enfield, or maybe this Kawasaki.

So, now it’s here. What are American riders getting?

Delightfully Simple

The W175 starts as a platform that seems to have been ripped right out of the 1980s. The machine rides on a tubular steel semi-double cradle frame, sports a simple swingarm in the rear, and uses dual rear shocks. There’s a 30mm conventional fork up front, a 3.2-gallon fuel tank, and a wet weight of 297.7 pounds. There’s nothing amazing here, just proven technology that has worked for decades.

The engine is a 177cc air-cooled short-stroke two-valve single, which sips from a Mikuni VM24 carburetor in its international version. Stopping power is properly vintage, with a 220mm rotor up front and a 110mm drum in the rear. The W175 doesn’t even get a tachometer or fuel gauge, but does have 17-inch cast wheels.

The version that launched in Mexico in 2025 was modernized with fuel injection, anti-lock brakes, and a larger 245mm front brake disc. Indeed, that’s the version we’re getting in America. Our W175 LTD spits out 13 horsepower and 9.7 lb-ft of torque, which reaches the rear wheel through a five-speed transmission. That’s good for 0-60 mph in about 16 seconds and a top speed of about 68mph. That makes the W175 LTD a little faster than the slightly more expensive 9.7 HP Honda Grom, but slower than a still more expensive 20.2 HP Royal Enfield 350.

The W175 has been sold globally as a cafe version, a dual-sport, a standard, and a mini sport-tourer. The LTD model throws in some classic style like a slightly reclined seating position, a thick stepped seat, a teardrop tank, a sweptback handlebar, a round headlight, and a peashooter exhaust. Really, it looks like a Kawasaki LTD from the 1980s, only scaled down.

The W175 LTD should be a great little machine for the urban commuter, the small-bore bike fan, and the beginner. It has an accessible 30.7-inch seat height, not too much power, and should be relatively agile. The biggest selling points, I think, will be how much style you get for the price.

Something Actually Affordable In 2026

I didn’t anticipate Kawasaki pricing the W175 LTD as low as it has. Here’s what I said in November:

The current smallest W Series for sale in America is the Kawasaki W230, which comes in at $5,699. Kawasaki’s minibike, the Z125 Pro, is $3,799 in America. It would only be logical to conclude that, if the W175 were to sell here, it would be cheaper than the W230. I think the baby W175 will have to land at well below $5,000 before fees to even have a chance against the might of the $4,299 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 or other beginner bikes like the Yamaha V Star 250.

The W175’s current pricing, which is $2,999 plus a destination fee of $435, makes it cheaper than every Honda MiniMoto save the slower and smaller $2,199 Navi. It’s also cheaper than a CFMoto Papio SS and every new Royal Enfield for sale in America. Honda Navi aside, the only way you’re buying a cheaper road-legal bike is to buy a no-name Chinese bike from Amazon or something.

Yet, the W175 LTD benefits from having Kawasaki’s dealer network, nearly a decade of production, and comes from a reputable brand. Add in the spectacular looks, and I think Kawasaki has a winner here. The Kawasaki W175 LTD should be hitting dealers right now in two colors, Ebony and Candy Emerald Green.

Of course, this isn’t a bike that you will take touring. You also won’t win any races on it. Also, $2,999 can get you some cool vintage full-size motorcycles that’ll go much faster than the W175. But if you’re shopping for a new bike, don’t have a lot of cash, but don’t want to give up on looks, I could see this being a pick. I might have to waltz down to a Kawasaki dealer and take a spin on one for myself.

Top graphic image: Kawasaki