Kawasaki Eliminator 450 Launch Soon

Kawasaki has teased us with a social media post that has a caption “The New Year Celebration is not over yet...” and “Stay Tuned”. This has obviously turned heads as one of the few bikes remaining from the Japanese bike maker after the recent launches of Ninja ZX-6R and the W175 remains the Kawasaki Eliminator. Here is all that we are expecting from this cruiser comeback after 2 decades.

The "Eliminator" won’t be a new name in the Indian market. Originally a 180cc cruiser from a joint venture between Kawasaki and Bajaj over two decades ago, it faced discontinuation after the brands' breakup. Bajaj then introduced the Avenger, initially with a 180cc engine, eventually expanding the range to include 160cc and 220cc models.

Like most cruisers, the Eliminator has a low-slung stance with a wide handlebar and forward-set footpegs, resulting in a comfortable and relaxed riding posture. The design features a bezel-encased circular headlamp, a teardrop-shaped fuel tank, a wide and short rear fender, a stubby exhaust muffler, round rear view mirrors and split seats.

Eliminator 450 is powered by a 451 cc DOHC, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine with 45 bhp and 42.6 Nm. It has a steel trellis frame, which is suspended on a 41mm telescopic front fork and twin rear shock absorbers. The bike will have ABS (anti-lock braking system) as a standard safety feature. It will also get power modes and traction control.

It remains to be seen whether Kawasaki will introduce the Eliminator 450 as a CBU model or opt for local assembly as a CKD model. Positioned below the Vulcan S, the company's flagship cruiser in India priced at ₹ 7.10 lakh (ex-showroom), we anticipate the Eliminator to be priced around the ₹ 5.5 lakh mark. At that price, it will still be pricier than the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 but will hopefully offer a more powerful highway riding experience.