2024 KAWASAKI ELIMINATOR
When a new rider seeks advice on a good first bike , they quickly find out that the opinions of other riders vary widely . Some will suggest bikes in the 250- 300cc range , but those might not work well for frequent highway travel . Others will suggest larger- displacement bikes that the new rider won ’ t outgrow , but those might be too intimidating .
The 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator seeks to be the Goldilocks in this story , slotting above the smallerdisplacement beginner bikes to be the bowl of porridge that is just right – an approachable machine that ’ s suitable for a new rider and provides enough punch to entertain an intermediate rider .
The Eliminator also seeks to attract riders with its sport- cruiser style . The new 451cc parallel- Twin derived from the Ninja 400 likes to rev high and provides pizzazz , and the new chassis and ergonomics fall somewhere between a cruiser and a standard , making for a controllable yet comfortable riding experience . Add to that a light curb weight of only 386 lb for the base model , and you get a motorcycle that ’ s both easy and exciting to ride .
Ninja Cruiser ?
The Eliminator name first appeared in Kawasaki ’ s lineup for the 1985 model year with the ZL900 Eliminator , a cruiser stuffed with the ZX900 Ninja ’ s liquid- cooled inline- Four . The 2024 Eliminator makes nods to its namesake in the styling department . The round headlight harkens back to earlier days , although now all lighting is LED . The tailsection is also reminiscent of older models .
Kawasaki did a good job of making the Eliminator feel like a “ real ” cruiser . However , the same can ’ t be said for its sound . The parallel- Twin uses a 180- degree crankshaft instead
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