Kawasaki Rouser RS200

Overview

The Kawasaki Rouser RS200 is one of the sportiest fully-faired motorcycles in the sub-quarter litre segment in the Philippines. Truly being one of the finest from the joint venture of Kawasaki and Bajaj, the RS offers a lot more to its riders than what most of the models in this range do.

Kawasaki did make the bike (Rouser RS200) feel very special when it was launched in Cebu back in October 2016. Two years down the line, the motorcycle still manages to impress enthusiasts with its amazing performance and fine aerodynamics, just like it has been doing in other countries it is on sale in.

Design

The Kawasaki Rouser RS200 has an aggressive design which appeals to larger masses. It has the fully-faired design to exhibit but is a lot more sculpted than the Yamaha R15.

The Kawasaki Rouser RS200 has a very demon-ish front profile with dual projector headlamps, DRLs and a high visor for the wind blasting protection. The motorcycle is extremely aerodynamic and is perfect for highway cruising.

The body is extremely sculpted, including the rear section, which sees a wonderfully designed tail light that is given the LED treatment. The seat looks attractive as it is split, but not very high for the pillion. Plus, it follows the conventional style of an analogue-digital console with a dial for the tacho.

Ride & Handling

The Kawasaki Rouser RS200 is known for its amazing ride quality. It looks like a beast and rides like a monster with a very high grunt of the engine. The maximum power and torque come at a very high revolution of the engine, and hence you will need to twist the throttle more to extract power.

The suspension setup (telescopic for the front and monoshock for the rear) is very much track-focused and isn’t very soft and makes cornering a delight. Plus, even if you hit the bad roads, the bike won’t throw you off the seat with a cushion suspension.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

There is a very powerful engine at the heart. This means, there is the same engine as the NS200. The 199.5cc single cylinder engine has the four-valve setup with liquid cooling. The motor can churn out a maximum of 24.13 horsepower coming at 9,750 rpm along with a peak torque of 18.24 Nm, which comes at 8,000 rpm.

The engine is mated to a 6-speed constant mesh gearbox which is smooth on the shifts at both ends. The power and torque come at a very high rpm, which calls the engine to be revved harder.

Braking & Safety

The motorcycle has a very apt braking setup to go with the powerful engine. Disc brakes are given for both the wheels where the bite is extremely sharp. However, despite the high bite, progressive braking is still a very good aspect.

Apart from this, the tyres are very finely selected with good tread so that the rider feels safe while taking a sharp corner at a strict lean angle. It has two figurative riding modes for the highway and city roads. LED illumination is given on all sides, which adds to the all-important aspect, especially in the dark. More importantly, the dual projector LED headlamps offer night view even in complete darkness.

Verdict

The Kawasaki Rouser RS200 is priced at around PHP 125,000, which is considered to be on the affordable side. It’s closest rival, the Yamaha R15, which is a 150cc fully faired sports motorcycle too, is much more expensive and takes a heavy toll on the budget.

Hence, with a more powerful engine and higher output, the Kawasaki Rouser RS200 turns out to be a better and more preferable alternative, albeit in a much smaller price ask.

Apart from just the Yamaha, the Suzuki GSX-R150 and the Honda CBR150R are also more expensive than the RS itself, despite having smaller engines and lower power production. Hence, the Kawasaki bike does turn out to be a market favourite with its high power and great affordability.