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Eliminator

Kawasaki has recently revealed its latest creation, the Eliminator, a light-to-middleweight standard motorcycle that aims to meet the demands of everyday riders. With a focus on rider-friendliness, this machine combines performance, comfort, and retro styling reminiscent of Kawasaki’s power cruisers from the 1980s.

  • powering the new Eliminator is the firm’s brand-new 451cc parallel-twin engine. 
  • in some markets, the Eliminator will continue to run with the tried and tested 399cc engine.

At the heart of the Eliminator lies a brand-new 451cc parallel-twin engine, derived from the renowned Ninja series. To enhance low-end torque, Kawasaki has increased the stroke by 6.8mm, resulting in a total displacement boost of 52cc.

The engine features the same 32mm throttle bodies as the 400cc model, along with a 5.8L airbox. It wouldn’t be surprising to see this upgraded powerplant making its way into other Kawasaki models in the future, although some markets, like Japan, will continue to use the 399cc engine.

Designed for lightness and agility, the Eliminator boasts a lightweight chassis with an upright riding position and a seat height of 734mm. The trellis frame, developed using advanced dynamic rigidity analysis, contributes to both the overall weight reduction and the low seat height. 

Additionally, the square-tube swingarm, bolted directly to the engine via an aluminum swing arm mount plate, ensures improved torsional rigidity without the need for extra bracing.

Equipped with 18/16-inch wheels, the Eliminator sports a 130/70-18 tyre at the front and a 150/80-16 tyre at the rear. Braking power is provided by a single 310mm rotor with a two-piston caliper at the front, complemented by a 220mm rear disc also gripped by two pistons.

It’s important to note that ABS will only be available on select models of the Eliminator.

In the era of connectivity, the Eliminator embraces technology with Bluetooth functionality integrated into the instrument panel. Riders can utilize the Kawasaki Rideology app to access vehicle information, log their rides, receive mobile phone notifications, and customize various bike settings.

Kawasaki has recently been making waves in the motorcycle world with its revived Eliminator nameplate. In March 2023, the Japanese company announced the Eliminator 400 for the Japanese market, and it was presented at the 2023 Bangkok Motor Show. 

  • latest type-approval documents confirms the arrival of an all-new Eliminator 450. 
  • It is likely that there will be several variants for the Eliminator 450. 

Now, new information has surfaced suggesting that Kawasaki may release a larger-capacity Eliminator 450 in North America in 2024.

According to reports by Motorcycle.com, latest California Air Resources Board (CARB) filings show that Kawasaki has filed model codes EL450A, EL450B, EL450C, and EL450D.

Considering that the Eliminator 400 and Eliminator 400 SE are designated as EL400A and EL400B respectively, it is likely that the EL450A and EL450B will be the base model Eliminator 450 and Eliminator 450 SE. Meanwhile, the EL450C and EL450D may denote ABS-equipped trims.

The CARB filings also confirm that the Eliminator 450 will benefit from a 451cc engine. While it is unclear how Kawasaki’s engineers achieved the extra volume, it is possible that they used the firm’s tried-and-true 398cc parallel twin as a basis for the new mill.

Compared to Honda’s Rebel 500, which is the main competitor to a potential Eliminator 450, Kawasaki’s parallel twin already has a power advantage.

However, the Rebel 500’s 471cc engine outperforms the Eliminator’s 398cc lump with 43Nm of torque @ 6,000 rpm. Kawasaki may address this shortfall with the new 451cc powerplant, but the existence of the 2024 Eliminator 450 cannot be confirmed without an official announcement from the company.

Bell Eliminator Stockwell sees signature retro lid gain a hot new flavour thanks to its flame-emblazoned graphics.

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