On April 29, Kawasaki held a new car launch conference in Guangxi, and the new middleweight cruise model Eliminator500 officially landed in the Chinese mainland market, with a standard version priced at 46,800 yuan and the SE version priced at 48,800 yuan, which is also the first product launched in the Chinese mainland market for Kawasaki's new 500 series twin-cylinder model.
Since the launch of the Vulcan S in 2016, Kawasaki has not released a new cruising model in the Chinese market for almost seven years. Eliminator500 as a new cruising model, in addition to being equipped with Kawasaki's latest twin-cylinder engine, what are the highlights of this car, what are the differences compared with the older generation of "Little Vulcan" cruising models, and how the new twin-cylinder power platform performs, after a day of test driving, Xiaobian can give you a brief chat.
———— a new look and feel————
Although it is the same cruising model, the appearance style of the Eliminator500 is different from the "Vulcan S", and the new exterior design continues to be partial, the classic elements of the Eliminator model in the 80s, and you can also see a lot of Bobber's design, and there are some sports elements interspersed with it, so the Eliminator500 gives people the feeling of a relatively young cruising model.
If you want to subdivide the style orientation of the Eliminator500, I think the Japanese Bobber will be more appropriate, and it is not difficult to find the difference between this car and the Vulcan S through the setting of the frame and pedal position. In terms of appearance alone, the Eliminator500 editor thinks it is still very good-looking, especially this white model is very pleasing.
————Eliminator500细节配置————
The new model will naturally have a lot of new designs, Eliminator500 new round single headlights, than the Vulcan S's oval headlights, closer to the image of the cruising model, the newly designed taillights in the tribute to the classic at the same time, is also very simple and beautiful, but in order to save costs, the Eliminator500 front and rear turn signals, follow the common design of Kawasaki's small displacement models, which is understandable.
The Eliminator 500 features not only round headlights, but also round mirrors, as well as a round offset LCD instrument cluster that is highly recognizable in sunlight and can be connected to a smartphone via a dedicated app, Rideology The App.
Compared with the drop-shaped fuel tank of traditional cruise models, the fuel tank shape of the Eliminator 500 looks flatter. The capacity of the 13L is not particularly large, but according to the official fuel consumption data of 3.8L/100km, it can provide a range level of about 350km.
The detached seat cushion is wide and comfortable, and the front and rear seat cushion fabrics of the standard version are exactly the same, while the SE version replaces the seat cushion fabric of the driver's seat with a perforated leather stitching design, and the ride feel and seat cushion height have not changed, the only difference may be that the perforated fabric is more ventilated.
In terms of chassis, the car adopts a 41mm upright front shock absorber, with bilateral rear shock absorbers, the front 310mm single disc with Nissin dual-piston calipers, and the rear 240mm is also equipped with Nissin dual-piston calipers, standard dual-channel ABS, front 18 inches and rear 16 inches of tire specifications, which also makes this car have a stronger cruising atmosphere.
In terms of drivetrain, the Eliminator 500, like the Vulcan S, opts for a more efficient chain instead of the belts commonly found on traditional cruising models, with the advantage of less power loss and more suitable for intense driving.
The core power part, the Kawasaki Eliminator500 is equipped with a twin-cylinder engine with an actual displacement of 451cc, which has increased the stroke by 6.8mm compared to the enduring 399cc twin-cylinder engine, and the total displacement has increased by 52cc, and the new twin-cylinder water-cooled engine has a maximum power of 38Kw/10000rpm and a maximum torque of 42.6Nm/7500rpm, and is equipped with a slipper clutch as standard.
————Eliminator500两个版本的区别————
There is little difference between the two versions of the Kawasaki Eliminator500, and the SE version has added some configurations on the basis of the standard version: 1. USB charging interface, 2. Front shock absorption and anti-complete set, 3. Front shock absorption sleeve, 4. The driver's seat cushion is made of perforated fabric. Other than that, the two versions are basically the same in other parts.
————Eliminator500座高坐姿————
The seat height of 730mm, even if it is placed in the cruise model, is also very low, why Eliminator500, the seat height is designed so affinity, obviously in order to allow more consumers to ride, and Xiaobian's 173cm size is not only stress-free, but even feels that his legs are slightly longer.
Because of the use of the more common mid-mounted pedal design, so the Eliminator500's riding triangle is also a very relaxed attitude, and at the same time, the mid-mounted pedal is more friendly to small riders, compared with the traditional cruise front-mounted pedal, the mid-mounted design is more convenient whether it is shifting gears and stepping on the brakes, or getting on and off the car.
————Eliminator500骑行体验————
As a middleweight cruise, a more youthful cruise, the Eliminator 500 has a shorter wheelbase and a more compact body, which makes up for the lack of coverage of the Vulcan S. With a curb weight of only 177kg, the bike is quite nimble to ride, and thanks to the 451 twin-cylinder platform powertrain, the Eliminator 500 excels in terms of power.
Although the wheelbase of Eliminator500 is not short, but the explosive power of the first gear can be cocked is indeed surprising, you must know that the cruise model has a long wheelbase and a low center of gravity, and if you want to warp your head, you can only vigorously perform a miracle. If you think that the Eliminator 500's low-rev power is achieved at the expense of high-revving, it is a bit sloppy.
As a cruise model with an actual displacement of 451cc, it is really amazing to break 100 in second gear, and the same 14,000 rpm bottom is also extremely rare in cruising models. The Eliminator 500 has a peak horsepower burst of 10,000 rpm, and although the engine speed is limited to 11,000 rpm, the car is still capable of reaching the stated 163 km/h in 4th gear. At the same time, the linear power output, coupled with good vibration suppression, further improves the driving comfort, and the editor is very satisfied with the performance of this engine, because of enough passion.
The positioning of the cruising car is also well reflected in the tuning of the shock absorption, the front and rear shock absorption settings of the Eliminator500 are quite comfortable, especially when passing the speed bumps, although there will be a nod when the front brake is emergency braking, but in exchange for a more comfortable riding experience. In addition, although the front and rear are single disc and dual-piston calipers, but the braking force is really good, the brake feel and linear force are also very easy to control, the whole riding feeling is described in two sentences, you can be very comfortable when you want to ride casually, and you can easily cope with it when you want to drive fiercely.
————Eliminator500试驾小结————
Overall, the positioning of the Kawasaki Eliminator 500 is very clear, and its target group is also very clear. I think this car is very suitable for novice advanced users, as well as those who like to cruise, but have certain requirements for handling and performance. Whether it is the exterior design, model positioning, or even the tuning style of the vehicle, it is the tuning that young people like, so if you are interested in cruising models, the Eliminator500 is still very worth trying.