2024 Kawasaki Eliminator Review
Motorcycle Test by Kris Hodgson, Images Sam Kimber
The Eliminator is undoubtedly the Kawasaki I’ve been most keen to test since the factory announced it was introducing its new LAMS cruiser with the 451 cc parallel-twin engine. It’s a direct competitor with the Honda CMX and the Benelli C50. The Kawasaki rings the till at $11,200 ride-away for the SE variant and $10,700 for the base model.
My keenness was rewarded. It is a seriously fun bike to ride, which felt like a natural evolution of the Ninja and Z platforms into a thoroughly modern cruiser. Of course, I’m still waiting for that Versys 400, which I guess should now be a Versys 500.
In essence, the Eliminator is a baby Vulcan S, although the price difference between the two is fairly narrow, especially between the 400- and 650-class bikes. Want a bigger and more brawny cruiser? Go the Vulcan S. Want something lighter and more manageable? Go the new Eliminator.
And it has plenty going for it, starting with the new, larger-capacity parallel-twin which gives you a significant jump in torque over the outgoing 399 cc version in the Ninja and Z models. And torque is very much what you’d want from a cruiser. It’s no V-twin, but the small V-twins have largely fallen by the wayside these days as parallel has become the new way of the world thanks to its advantages in packaging.
And yes, for 2024 the Ninja and Z have been released with this new engine as ‘500s’, although I’d say the Eliminator has the best variant of the new donk.
I was also lucky enough to try out the Eliminator SE, with it’s eye-catching orange colour scheme, a neat headlight cowl, a full leather seat, and handlebar USB-C outlet as extras. This upped the price by an additional $500 or so. But I am rather partial to orange, so I may be a bit biased in how much I liked the SE.
Unsurprisingly for a cruiser and Kawasaki, things have been kept conventional. The Eliminator has regular forks, dual shocks, a single headlight, and uncluttered bodywork. Chrome, which was once standard and everywhere on cruisers, is entirely absent.
All blacked-out components are the go here, and look the business to my eye. And if you want the stealth-look, there’s also a Metallic Matte Carbon Gray/Flat Ebony option. And except the, rotors, exhaust headers and collector, it’s all black.
It’s a relatively nimble 176 kg fully fuelled, which is very obvious when you’re riding and climbing aboard is a thoughthless task thanks a manageable 735 mm seat-height. That adds up to a surprisingly agile bike, with plenty of performance for a LAM. The emphasis is on torque instead of power, which is what you’ll appreciate far more on the road. 42.6 Nm of torque from a learner legal bike is pretty impressive.
The Eliminator is smoother with its engine braking and at low rpm with a steady throttle than the old 399 cc twin, which was one of my few complaints about the outgoing models. But it retains the good fuelling, light clutch, and great throttle connection.
Notably for a new model, we aren’t seeing the adoption of a ride-by-wire throttle, or any of the associated rider aids. There’s just ABS to help keep you from locking it all up under very hard braking. Which is really all you should need, but traction control is starting to appear even on these smaller machines.
So what can you expect, particularly as a new rider?
The Eliminator isn’t the lowest cruiser, or the most traditional, but what you are getting is a great sporty little cruiser that’d put the 650 cruisers of old to shame in the handling and performance departments. And it may well be the lightest in its class, which does count for a lot when you’re starting out.
Commuting will be a breeze, and it gets off the lights very eagerly, but with a gentle power delivery and a super-light clutch action. This is a hard bike to stall, which new riders will greatly appreciate. But it has broader appeal than just for beginners. Riders looking for a gentle, easy-to-ride commuter, won’t be disappointed, if this style of machine is your bag.
Traditional feet-forward cruiser controls have given way to mid-mounted units, so the ergos are more neutral, and the mid-mounted pegs offer better ground clearance. The reach to the handlebars is easy – and the overall feel is satisfyingly normal, unlike some of the more ungainly offerings in this segment.
The dash is simple and easy to read, the mirrors offer good vision behind you and not just of your arm, like so many bikes do, and there is smartphone connectivity via an app.
An 18-inch front and 16-inch rear wheel combo also seems a wise choice by Kawasaki, giving the bike a more balanced stance, rather than giving it more cruiser-squat at the rear and a taller front-end. That’s still going on, but it’s not over-emphasised.
Apart from commuting, the Eliminator is not bad on the open road. There’s no fairing to keep the wind off you, but at normal speed-limits, it’s all pretty effortless. And overtaking is maybe a cog down if you need to get a hurry-on. There are some vibrations in the mid-range, but the bike smooths out if you push past them.
I’m not sure I’d recommend the Eliminator for big-distance touring, but 200-300 km Sunday stints won’t be an issue. That seat isn’t the most comfortable, and presents the biggest hurdle here, apart from the lack of wind protection.
But the Eliminator does deliver through your favourite twisties when you’re out on the weekend, and like I said, as a commuter, it’s pretty much spot-on .
Cornering clearance isn’t enormous, but this bike also isn’t designed to set fast lap times or carve up sportsbikes. Bear that in mind, and you’ll be able to hustle the Kwaka along with ease. The IRC tyres did a good job in the mainly wet conditions which plagued Sydney for almost every day I had the bike. I can’t see riders have too many complaints about these hoops in the dry either.
If anything, the Eliminator demonstrated that you don’t need to buy a sportsbike to have plenty of fun here, because – within reason and its desgn parameters – the Eliminator is plenty capable.
The non-adjustable forks and dual shocks were well suited to my 75 kg weight, particularly over the familiar rough sections on my local roads, which was a pleasant surprise after the Z500, which was quite harsh in the same conditions.
Braking is done by a single large 310 mm front disc and a two-spot caliper, with a smaller 240 mm rear disc. The bike’s light weight means that’s plenty of stopping power.
All these factors combine into quite a rewarding machine to ride, with some pretty impressive styling for what is a modern little cruiser.
The incredibly beginner-friendly aspects of the old Kawasaki 400 engine have been rolled into the new machine, which new riders will certainly appreciate.
The one thing that did surprise me were the vibes of the new engine in the mid-range. This model seems the least-affected of the three I’ve tested, but the old 399 cc parallel twin was super smooth and it was always a big point of difference in the bike’s favour. I’d now have to say the new single competition actually have an advantage here.
The gearbox was also a little resistant on shifts at times, and I tried playing around with clutch adjustment with no luck, originally thinking it might just be a little out of spec. Sometimes shifts were flawless, but sometimes it was frustratingly clunky, especially between first and second.
Small complaints overall, but these not evident on the previous engine and gearbox, so a bit surprising to see them crop up now.
The only other surprise to me was the price of the Eliminator over something like the new Z500. Sure, pricing aligns with all the cruiser competition, and I’ll admit the Eliminator was my pick over the new Z500 and Ninja 500, but there’s still a pretty significant difference, considering what a Vulcan S will set you back.
I’d certainly check one out if you’re in the market for a cool little commuter, or you’re interested in a small capacity cruiser. It might just float your boat.
Why I like the Kawasaki Eliminator:
- Easy-going cruiser with some strong nakedbike vibes.
- Fun to ride, on the sporty end of things for a cruiser.
- Typical Kawasaki finish quality and attention to detail.
I’d like the Kawasaki Eliminator more if…
- There were less vibes.
- Bit more exhaust note for some more bark.
Kawasaki Eliminator (LAMS) Specifications
| 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator Specifications | |
| Engine | Liquid-cooled, four-stroke Parallel-Twin, 451 cc, DOHC, 8 valves |
| Bore x Stroke | 70.0 x 58.6 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 11.3:1 |
| Maximum Power | 33.4 kW {45 PS} / 9,000 rpm |
| Maximum Torque | 42.6 Nm {4.3 kgfm} / 6,000 rpm |
| Fuel System | Fuel injection: ø32 mm x 2 |
| Lubrication | Forced lubrication, wet sump |
| Transmission | Six-speed, return |
| Primary Reduction Ratio | 2.029 (69/34) |
| Final Reduction Ratio | 3.071 (43/14) |
| Clutch | Wet multi-disc, manual |
| Final Drive | Chain |
| Frame | Trellis, high-tensile steel |
| Front Suspension | ø41 mm telescopic fork |
| Rear Suspension | Twin shocks |
| Front Wheel Travel | 120 mm |
| Rear Wheel Travel | 90 mm |
| Rake | 30° |
| Trail | 121 mm |
| Steering Angle (L/R) | 35° / 35° |
| Front Tyre | 130/70-18M/C 63H |
| Rear Tyre | 150/80-16M/C 71H |
| Front Brake/s | ø310 mm disc |
| Front Caliper/s | Dual-piston |
| Rear Brake | ø240 mm disc |
| Rear Caliper | Dual-piston |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 2,250 x 785 x 1,100 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,520 mm |
| Road Clearance | 150 mm |
| Seat Height | 735 mm |
| Curb Mass | 176 kg |
| Fuel Capacity | 13 litres |
Kawasaki Eliminator Gallery
