Kawasaki UK have confirmed that the single-cylinder W230 retro will stay in the firm’s line-up for 2027, having made its debut earlier this year.
Prices will remain at £4654 for the second year running, with the bike now available in a black ‘Ebony’ livery, rather than the previous matte green design that came fitted with a black and white two-tone seat arrangement.
Brought in to help service the UK market ’s increased demand for easy-going small-capacity retros, the Kawasaki comes powered by a 233cc air-cooled engine producing a claimed 17.7bhp at 7000rpm.
The seat height is also just 745mm, with a claimed wet weight of 143kg – that’s 4kg less than the brand’s own learner-legal Z125 naked .
Although down on capacity when compared to rivals, including the best-selling BSA Bantam 350 and Honda GB350S , both weigh considerably more at 185kg and 178kg, respectively. That said, they are both also considerably cheaper – leaving showrooms at £3499 and £3999.
Away from the W230, Kawasaki have also confirmed the MCN Award -winning Ninja 1100SX sports touring range will remain in the UK line-up for 2027, with the standard version continuing at £12,399 and the SE starting at £14,149.
The latest standard models will be available from October in a single black and grey colour scheme.
The higher-spec SEs will arrive this month in the options of black and green, or black and white. The latest updates follow a flurry of pricing and colour changes announced in early August across models, including the Versys 650, Vulcan S, Z1100, Z500, and more.
The Kawasaki W230 is a curious machine. Although very pretty and far lighter than much of the competition, it is also physically smaller and considerably more expensive – limiting it’s appeal amongst small-capacity bike fans. Whether this colour change will have an impact remains to be seen, but a £600 reduction in the asking price might prove more effective.
Dan is a fully-trained journalist, with a Gold Standard Level 3 Diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists. He has a passion for motorcycles of all capacities, but feels at home aboard a sportsbike. He's been working for MCN in print and digital for the best part of 10 years, with regular contributions to RiDE Magazine on the side.
News Editor, trackday fan, lover of 90s sportsbikes