2024 Kawasaki Eliminator Review – First Ride (2024)

Once upon a displacement, 250 cubic centimeters was the unofficial beginner bike size of Japanese OEMs. Kawasaki upset that apple cart with the introduction of the Ninja 300 in 2013. Two years later, Honda and Yamaha responded with the CBR300R and YZF-R3, respectively. In 2018, the Ninja 400 retired the Ninja 300, and Kawasaki has since expanded its 400cc offerings to include the Z400 and ZX-4RR. Enter now the 451cc Eliminator, and if rumor becomes truth, a Versys 400 is on the way.

2024 Kawasaki Eliminator

Based on the Ninja 400 engine, the Eliminator’s mill retains the same bore of 70.0mm while its increased displacement (451cc vs 399cc) comes from its increased stroke of 51.8mm from the Ninja to 58.6mm for the Eliminator. The change was meant to increase low-end torque, which it does, going from the Ninja’s 24.6 lb-ft up to a claimed 31.7 lb-ft for the Eliminator. However, it’s a sportbike engine, and it really comes alive with revs.

It needs to be said right away that, like the Ninja 400, the Eliminator’s mill does not employ a 270-degree crank that all the popular bikes are outfitted with nowadays. The 180-degree crank it does have makes some seriously fun power as it sweeps past 6,000 rpm on the way to its 12,000 rpm redline. The horsepower builds in a smooth, linear fashion, but if Kawasaki really wanted an engine with a torquey nature, it would have adopted the 270-degree crank.

The non-adjustable, 41mm, hydraulic, telescopic fork has 4.7 inches of travel and seemed well-measured considering the type of motorcycle the Eliminator is and the $6,649 price point it's at. The dual rear shocks have preload adjustability via a stepped system and provide 3.5 inches of travel. The Vulcan S is outfitted with a similar nonadjustable 41mm telescopic fork with 5.1 inches of travel, and a lay-down rear shock with linkage, preload adjustability, and 3.2 inches of travel.

Braking performance from the single, 310mm front brake disc and dual-piston caliper and 240mm rear disc with a dual-piston caliper was also commendable, hauling the Eliminator from gallop to trot in a short distance. Again comparing it to the Vulcan S, the Eliminator’s 310mm front disc is 10mm larger than the Vulcan S, while the Eliminator brakes are slowing 110 pounds less curb weight than the Vulcan S.

The LCD instrument cluster is on the small side and not nearly as attractive as a TFT display, but it packs all the information you’d expect, including a speedometer, tachometer, gear indicator, clock, and fuel gauge. The rider can also toggle through a selection of dual trip meters, remaining fuel range, and average fuel consumption. The LCD gauge is also where you connect the Eliminator with Kawasaki’s Rideology app.

The app features a useful maintenance log, general bike information, the ability to record your rides and a social aspect for sharing that information. When testing the 2022 Versys 650, I recorded part of my ride with the Rideology app, and it showed that I travelled 79 miles for 1.34 hours from Orange to San Diego counties at an average speed of 54 mph. The map, however, displayed a straight line from point A to point B, and not an accurate GPS mapping of the twists and turns.

That failure has been corrected with the updated Rideology app. After choosing the Riding Log tab in the app, then selecting an individual trip the app not only displays the route I rode, but will also replay the ride, and under the “Graph” view the app will display in real-time your gear position, RPM, speed, etc.

Other standard technologies of the Eliminator that help newer riders as much as experienced ones are the Assist & Slipper clutch and the positive neutral finder. The Assist & Slipper clutch helps reduce clutch pull, which I can confirm on the Eliminator is incredibly light, while also significantly reducing rear wheel chatter during excessive engine braking. The positive neutral finder has been around for a while but remains a huge benefit to newer riders. Its operation is easy. Just downshift to first when approaching a stop. Once completely stopped, toe-up the gear shifter, and the transmission immediately goes into neutral.

In Gear

2024 Kawasaki Eliminator

Credit: Kevin Wing Photography

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