- New Kawasaki Eliminator revealed in the US
- Gets a tweaked version of the Ninja 400’s engine
- Expected to come to India in the future
Kawasaki has introduced its new urban cruiser, the Eliminator, for the US market. It is available in three variants – standard, ABS, and SE ABS, which differ visually and in terms of ABS availability. The closest rival of the Eliminator is the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 both of which boast a cruiser styling along with a mid-size twin-cylinder engine. In the US, the Eliminator also competes against the Honda Rebel 500.
The Eliminator takes design inspiration from the older Vulcan S to some extent. However, it has its own identity in the form of a more minimalistic and angular bodywork. While the round headlamp, teardrop-style fuel tank, and under-seat panel look similar to the Vulcan, the raised tail section is reminiscent of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod 750. Additionally, lending it a modern, factory-custom visual touch is the blacked-out finishing on the engine casing and black alloy wheels. The SE trim gets a body-coloured headlamp cowl which enhances its visual appeal and looks funky.
The engine of the Eliminator is the same as the Ninja 400 with some changes to match the former’s purpose and character. Thus, the 451cc, parallel-twin engine gets a 6.8mm longer stroke which contributes to the bump in displacement and improves the low-end torque delivery. Moreover, the Eliminator also gets larger 32mm throttle bodies and a bigger 5.8-litre airbox. This engine produces around 49bhp and comes mated to a six-speed gearbox.
Coming to the cycle parts, the Eliminator rides on an 18-16-inch alloy wheel combination that is suspended by telescopic forks up front and dual springs at the rear. It is underpinned by a steel trellis chassis that’s specifically made for this cruiser. The braking setup includes a single disc at both ends with dual-channel ABS. The bike is pretty light at 176kg (kerb) while the ground clearance stands at 150mm.
As of now, there’s no confirmation about the India launch of the Kawasaki Eliminator but we believe it will come to our shores in the coming months.
