Kawasaki Eliminator Makes A Comeback In 400cc Guise; India Launch Soon

Now if only Bajaj would rekindle ties, and bring out an Avenger 400!

A few days back Kawasaki released a teaser about its plans for the then upcoming Osaka Motor Show. And now, the first piece of the puzzle, the Kawasaki Eliminator, has been unveiled! 

The new bike will come in two variants: standard and SE, with the same 399cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine from the Ninja 400 already on sale here. We believe the output will be a similar 45PS and 37Nm, though in a different state of tune. It gets a six-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch as standard.

The basic design and overall silhouette of the Eliminator somewhat resembles that of the Vulcan S, though the Eliminator gets a new trellis frame and not the Vulcan’s perimeter unit. The 18-/16-inch alloy wheels and conventional fork is another similarity between the two bikes, though the Eliminator has a more classic-looking twin-shock rear suspension setup. 

The seat height on the Eliminator is an approachable 735mm, with provisions for an optional higher (765mm) and lower (715mm) seat as well. Braking hardware comprises discs (310mm front / 240mm rear), with twin-pot calipers.  In terms of features, it gets a digital instrument console with a USB port as standard, and Kawasaki claims the higher-spec SE sports a GPS compatible drive recorder cameras front and rear! 

The standard Eliminator retails for 759,000 yen (roughly Rs 4.7 lakh) in Japan, while the higher-spec SE model retails for 858,000 yen (roughly Rs 5.3 lakh). We believe the standard model will make its way here first, at a price tag of around Rs 5 lakh (slightly less than the Ninja 400’s Rs 5.14 lakh sticker). The Royal Enfield Super Meteor, though, offers comparable performance at a lower price tag.