Kawasaki Eliminator cruiser launched in Japan, to rival RE Super Meteor 650

Several Kawasaki fans in India would remember the Eliminator name, which once adorned an entry-level cruiser from the manufacturer. While the name was retired years ago, Kawasaki has now decided to revive the moniker for its new cruiser in Japan. The 2023 Kawasaki Eliminator arrives with a 398 cc parallel-twin engine coupled with old-school styling and modern features. It has been unveiled in two variants - Standard and SE.

The 2023 Kawasaki Eliminator is currently available in Japan but will be launched in other markets at a later date. The cruiser gets an all-black look with a round LED headlamp, alloy wheels, exposed with a bulky fuel tank, and low-set split seats, all of which come together well to give its cruiser stance. The model also comes with a round LCD digital console that gets a host of information including the speedometer, odometer, trip meters and tell-tale lights.

The 2023 Kawasaki Eliminator gets a partially exposed frame, alloy wheels, and a light kerb weight of 178 kg on the SE variant

Power on the new Kawasaki Eliminator comes from the 398 cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled motor tuned for 47 bhp at 10,000 rpm and 37 Nm of peak torque at 8,000 rpm. The motor is paired with a 6-speed gearbox. This is the same motor that powers the Kawasaki Ninja 400 as well. The bike also comes with telescopic front forks and twin shocks at the rear, while braking hardware comes from a single disc at the front and rear. The model gets dual-channel ABS as standard. The bike rides on 18-inch front and 16-inch rear alloy wheels.

The Eliminator measures 2,250 mm in length, 785 mm in width and 1,100 mm in height with a wheelbase measuring 1,520 mm. The seat height is accessible at 735 mm while the ground clearance is a reasonable 150 mm. The bike is light in terms of kerb weight with the standard variant tipping the scales at 176 kg, while the SE variant is about 2 kg heavier. The Eliminator will be produced in Thailand for several markets.

The Eliminator will be produced in Thailand and is likely to make its way to a number of markets including India in the future

The Kawasaki Eliminator is priced from 750,000 Yen (approx. ₹4.69 lakh) for the standard version, while the SE trim costs 858,000 Yen (approx. ₹5.35 lakh). The cruiser will be competing against the Honda Rebel 300 and the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 at this price point. While Kawasaki has not announced it yet, the model is likely to make its way to the Indian market at a later date. More so, given the Eliminator’s history in India. The original Eliminator was the predecessor to the Bajaj Avenger. It was powered by a 173.9 cc motor and was a huge draw in the mass-market segment at the time.