Suppose you are in the market for a mid-capacity, twin-cylinder cruiser and the only Japanese option you had until a few days ago was the 650cc Kawasaki Vulcan S. That was until Kawasaki launched the Eliminator, a brand-new cruiser in the 500cc space. While we were expecting Kawasaki to launch the Eliminator at a competitive price, after seeing the price of the 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R, but, at Rs 5.62 lakh, it is steep.
The CBU import taxes are to blame, however, this has led to the Eliminator sitting roughly Rs 1.5 lakh away from the bigger, more powerful Vulcan S. When one considers the difference in EMI between the two bikes, with the same down payment, interest rate and tenure; it is roughly Rs 6,000. For that little extra money, however, how much more of a bike are you getting in the Vulcan or does the Eliminator make sense?
It is the more recent motorcycle of the two. The engine and frame are brand new and Kawasaki says these are inspired by the Kawasaki Ninja 400. Its liquid-cooled, parallel-twin makes 44.7bhp at 9,000rpm and 42.6Nm at 6,000rpm. The company adds that the engine has been tuned to offer strong bottom end torque which should help with the low-speed, laidback character that a cruiser should ideally offer.
In terms of design, the bike looks like a proper cruiser, with a raked out front, chunky fuel tank and short fenders. The frame is suspended by a conventional telescopic fork and twin-shock absorbers in true cruiser fashion. Lastly, its feature list is decent, and includes LED-lights, dual-channel ABS and an LCD display.
Kawasaki Vulcan S
The Vulcan S has been around for a few years and for some it may have grown a bit long in the tooth. Nevertheless, it is a tried and tested package and should appeal to those who want a proven bike.
Vulcan S is powered by a 649cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine that makes 60bhp at 7,500rpm and 62.4Nm at 6,600rpm. On paper, the Vulcan comes across as the quicker bike of the two but how much of a bearing the 235kg have on performance remains to be seen. Especially considering the Eliminator’s significantly lower 176kg kerb weight that gives it a power to weight ratio of 253.97 bhp/tonne whereas the Vulcan’s power to weight ratio is 255.31 bhp/tonne.
In terms of design, the Vulcan looks good and has a nice cruiser stance owing to its longer wheelbase and lower ground clearance. In terms of features, it is pretty evenly matched with the Eliminator, although the latter gets all-LED lights and a more modern-looking instrument cluster.
Which one to buy?
It is clear that for not a lot of money over the Eliminator, the Vulcan S gives access to a bigger capacity motorcycle that has proven itself over the years. In fact, you could work out a better deal or a discount with a Kawasaki dealer which will make the purchase even sweeter. If you are looking for a 650cc, Japanese cruiser, the Vulcan S makes sense. Its age notwithstanding.
The Eliminator should feature on the radar of those who want the latest cruiser from Kawasaki and aren’t concerned with the amount of money they are being asked to shell out. Its modern engine and underpinnings are some of its strengths while the lower kerb weight, shorter wheelbase and dimensions should make life easier for those buying their first middleweight cruiser.
