2024 Kawasaki Eliminator Review
This is the Kawasaki Eliminator, and it bears no resemblance with the Eliminator that was sold in India back in early 2000s by Bajaj or the one that was ridden by Vivek Oberoi in the popular Bollywood movie Satya.
This is an all-new motorcycle with a 451 cc engine derived from the Ninja 400. This is not your quintessential retro, highway-centric cruiser.
Kawasaki Eliminator Price Tag
Instead, it’s a more modern and urban-centric motorcycle.
Now, if you look at its body style and displacement, it seems like a more apt driver to the likes of the Harley Davidson X440, or to some extent, the Royal and Phil Meteor 350. 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator Review
But when you consider its price tag, it is way more expensive than the Supermeteor 650 as Well At 5.62 Lakh Ex-showroom, the Eliminator is an exorbitantly priced motorcycle, at least on paper it is.
But is there something about this bike that justifies that price tag
Design & Quality Of Kawasaki Eliminator
The first time I laid my eyes on the Eliminator, I got a little confused. When looked at from the front three quarters, it seems to lack substance and mass.
However, when you move on to the side, the long and low stance with a Harley V-rod-like fuel tank section make it worth giving a good stare.
And the rear-end, which reminds you of the India made Eliminator of the yesteryear, lends it a slick and muscular visual appeal.
So visually, it’s a bit of a mixed bag for me. And the fact that it is just available in a single black color scheme in India, robs us off the variety that countries have with funkier shades. 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator Review
Also, the round headlamp cowl should have been given as a standard fitment. The quality levels are acceptable for the most part.
The paint finish is premium, the plastic panels are sturdy, and it is deprived of odd panel gaps.
However, in the case of our test unit, its front license plate holder rattled at high revs, and the keyhole assembly was loose. Also, the switch gear is too rudimentary for a bike of this class. 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator Review
Now, let’s quickly get to the riding part as that’s where the eliminator really shines.
Ergonomics & Pillion Comfort
Typical of a cruiser, hopping on the Eliminator is extremely easy, courtesy of its low 735mm of seat height.
And I really like the riding position the Eliminator offers. You are sitting comfortably, but not too laid back like a typical cruiser.
You have to couch a little slightly to reach the handlebar. And if you’re anywhere shorter than 5 feet, 11 inch stature, you’ll have to couch a little more.
And the foot pegs are not extremely forward set. They are just slightly ahead of being center set, which means getting your feet up and down the pegs in traffic is cumbersome. 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator Review
And while the narrow handlebar takes away the leverage to some extent, but it inspires a lot of confidence to flick your way through traffic.
And as for the seat, there is a lot of space and the cushioning is decent, so you’ll be comfortable the seat for close to two hours of riding, and after that, your backside might start getting a little sore.
As for the pillion seat, the story is different altogether.
Engine Performance
This 451 cc parallel twin engine is a derivative of the Ninja 400’s 399 cc mill.
The difference lies in the stroke length, which is 6.8mm longer, and it gets 32mm larger throttle bodies and a bigger 5.8 liter air box.
While the power output is the same as the Ninja at 44.7 BHP, the torque output is substantially higher at 42.7 Newton meters, whereas for the Ninja, it sits at 37 Newton meters. 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator Review
Also with a 180-degree crank angle, it revs up to 11,000 as an RPM, which is unlike any other cruiser out there, which are long stroke, which don’t rev too high.
Now, I’m sure that was too much of numbers for you. Now, let me tell you how this engine performs in the real world.
The adjectives I would use to define the character of this engine are fast, quick, and sporty.
The Eliminator truly feels like a comfortable sport bike.
While there is decent buildup of torque right from 2000 RPM, this motor truly comes alive after 5000 RPM and goes on in ripping till its red line which is close to 11,000 RPM, quite unusual for a cruiser. 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator Review
Kawasaki Eliminator Road Experience
There is Coodles of torque in the mid-range, which makes it quick and effortless, not just in the urban jungle, but also on wide open freeways.
You can do 50 kmph in sixth gear easily in the city, and 120 kmph on the highway feels unstrained, barring slight vibrations on the footpegs and handlebar.
But mind you, this bike is fast enough to do 150 kmph in fourth gear itself. Not to forget, the heat management is impressive.
And you’ll never have your legs cook even in long traffic jams. Adding to the experience is a light clutch and a slick shifting gearbox.
Handling
The handling, meanwhile, is as impressive as its engine performance. For a cruiser, it feels light and nimble, and flicking your way through traffic doesn’t feel unnatural.
At first, taking on corners might feel slightly odd, especially if you ride more traditional and taller street bikes because the eliminator tips in too quickly and abruptly. 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator Review
However, once you get used to that feeling, going around bends is a delightful affair. However, a slightly grippier set of tires would make it more enjoyable.
The existing IRC rubbers get squirmy if you aren’t extremely cautious with your throttle inputs around corners.
Ride Quality & Brakes
Ride quality is another area where eliminator impresses. Despite the limited suspension travel, it handles minor undulations with aplomb by neatly ironing them out.
However, when portals are deeper, it tends to send a slight jolt to the back. Similarly, while going over bigger bumps, it shoots you off the seat if you don’t slow down enough. 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator Review
But things always remain at acceptable levels, especially when you compare it with the profoundly unforgiving Supermeteor 650, which always gave me a hard time tackling bad roads when I had it as my long termer.
The eliminator is quite sorted in the braking department, too. The front disk break delivers tremendous bite and the lever feel is adequate.
The rear disk, meanwhile, works in a more progressive manner, exactly how it should.
Features In Kawasaki Eliminator
On the feature front, the eliminator is just like most other Kawasaki’s, very vanilla. For its price, it’s severely under-equipped.
All you get is dual channel ABS, LED lighting, a digital console, and an assistant sleeper clutch. Things which are a norm these days, like traction control, have been given a miss.
In terms of core aspects, the Eliminator is a pretty sorted motorcycle. It has one of the most likable small capacity parallel twin engines out there, which is fast yet very forgiving. 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator Review
In terms of handling, it’s agile for a cruiser, and also the ride quality is acceptable, the brakes are strong, and you sit in a very comfortable riding position.
Final Word
However, I feel it could do with more road presence and better features, but that’s a very small part of why the pricing isn’t justified rupee 7.10 Lakh on road for a 450 cc cruiser doesn’t make sense for a price sensitive market like India.
And then it goes up against the Royal Enfield Supermeteor 650, which has a larger displacement engine, looks more imposing and bigger in terms of dimension, has better features, all of which make it a more aspirational product overall.
Having said that, if you aren’t bothered about pricing and want an easy to ride, fast, yet capable cruiser, something that comes from a Japanese brand, which means good reliability, and you don’t like what Royal Enfield brings to the table, like a long stroke engine, very laidback ergonomics, then the Eliminator is a good choice.