Kawasaki W175 mileage and running cost

W175's claimed mileage is 41 kmpl, and unusually, owners and our own riding land right on it: expect 38–43 kmpl in everyday use. Few bikes get this close to their brochure figure.

Among the 51 cruisers we have reviewed it ranks 2nd for mileage, 16 kmpl above the group average of 25 kmpl.

At Delhi's petrol price of ₹94.80 a litre and a real-world 40.5 kmpl, the W175 costs about ₹2.34 per km in fuel. Ride 30 km a day and that is roughly ₹1,826 a month, or ₹21,909 a year, before servicing.

The 12-litre tank gives a realistic range of about 486 km, so a 30 km commute means a fill-up every 2 weeks.

Spread over five years and 46,800 km, the W175 works out to about ₹6.1 per km all-in, of which 38% is fuel and 47% is the purchase price itself. Resale value is not counted; expect roughly 50–60% of ex-showroom after five years for a well-kept example.

Cruisers reward relaxed riding. Keep the W175 in its torque band rather than revving it, and the highway figure will beat the city one by a wide margin because 135 kg costs fuel every time it stops and starts.

Filling only to the first click and keeping the 12-litre tank above a quarter helps in two ways: fuel that sloshes out of a brimmed tank is wasted, and a near-empty tank on a hot day loses more to vapour. Realistic range is about 486 km, so on a 30 km commute you will fill up roughly every 2 weeks.

Service on time. A clogged air filter, a tired spark plug or a dragging brake shows up in mileage before it shows up anywhere else, and each is a cheap fix at the scheduled service.