and easy to move around . Navigating car parks and lane splitting during 5pm gridlock is a piece of cake with this bad boy . The small difference in front and rear wheel size ( 18-inch front wheel , 16-inch rear wheel ) makes for great stability , especially on the open road . I find it rather fundamental that a bike used for open road use is planted on the road . I don ’ t like being pushed around by the wind , getting wobbles from bumps and having a harsh ride from potholes . This is something that the Eliminator 500 excels at . The ride is plush yet accurate through the twisties ; it turns quite quickly while still being nice and steady .
using Kawasaki ’ s Rideology App where you can access extra trip information like riding logs , all the while keeping track of your maintenance schedule . One main thing missing is an engine temperature gauge as I like to monitor this from startup , so I know when the motor is at optimal operating temp .
TIME IN THE SADDLE I got to spend quite a bit of time on this bike thanks to Kawasaki . I did quite a few kilometres on it commuting to and from work and also got to squeeze in a couple of group rides . The Eliminator 500 surprised me with its agility on our tight and twisty Waikato roads , and , despite its somewhat low footrests , it can navigate bends easily and while they could occasionally scrape on sharper turns , the bike was stable and comfortable . Despite its cruiser styling , the
TRAFFIC ELIMINATOR I picked up the Kawasaki in the centre of town , so I got a great taste of its urban capabilities from the very moment I rode away . I was super impressed with how perky and responsive the new Kawasaki motor is . There ’ s 42.6Nm of peak torque at 6000rpm , which provides so much pull so early . Whipping away from lights and speeding up to the flow of traffic is a breeze . Comparing the motor to the likes of its former 400cc self , the 451cc machine has gained tremendous amounts of bottom end punch which has transformed the riding experience . It can suit learner riders who are just getting started , not to mention more experienced riders who want to keep their license without feeling as though their bike is lacking in the engine department . This motor packs a decent punch . Kerb weight is only 177kg , and the bike is light
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