Kawasaki Eliminator 400 vs Honda Rebel 500: Specifications Comparison

Kawasaki recently revived the Eliminator moniker by launching a 400cc cruiser in Japan at the Osaka Motor Show. This Kwacker has the Honda Rebel 500 in its sights and here’s a quick look at how these two cruisers stack up against each other.

Engine

The Kawasaki Eliminator 400 produces comparatively more power than the Honda from a slightly smaller engine, which is the same mill seen powering the Ninja 400. We particularly loved the engine when we rode the Ninja 400, and the cruiser’s 398cc parallel twin mill produces 3PS and 0.2Nm more than the supersport! 

On the other hand, the Rebel 500 comparatively produces more torque which can be accessed slightly lower in the powerband, however, as it weighs 15kg more than the Eliminator 400, the performance may not be as peppy, at least on paper. Given that both are cruisers, the Rebel 500’s engine should offer better cruising feel, while the Eliminator 400 should provide outright performance to munch miles effortlessly.

Underpinnings

In terms of underpinnings, both bikes are quite evenly matched. However, the Eliminator 400 gets a trellis frame, the same as the Ninja 400, along with an 18-inch front wheel. This should translate to the Eliminator 400 having better cruising dynamics over the Rebel 500. Both bikes also get the safety net of dual channel ABS, while the Eliminator 400 gets a larger front disc, which coupled with the lighter kerb weight should result in better braking prowess.

Dimensions

The Eliminator 400 has quite an edge over the Rebel 500 in terms of dimensions, as it weighs 15kg less, and has 25mm of better ground clearance. While the Rebel 500 has a lower seat height, the 735mm seat height of the Eliminator 500 should not pose any sort of challenge to shorter riders.

Features

While the Kawasaki Eliminator 400 gets full LED lighting and an LCD instrument console, it does have an SE variant, which comes loaded with fork gaiters, headlight cowl, matte black exhaust heat shield, premium seat, USB-C socket and a GPS-compatible front and rear on-board camera. The console gets basic smartphone connectivity, as well as ETC2.0 which helps in easy payment of tolls. 

The Honda Rebel 500 on the other hand gets all-LED lighting and a negative LCD instrument cluster, which does not get smartphone connectivity. This console houses all the basic troves of information like speed, odometer readings, trip meter readings, time, gear position indicator and fuel consumption. 

Price & Verdict

The Kawasaki Eliminator 400 did have a slight edge over the Honda Rebel 500 in almost every aspect until now. And when you take the pricing of both bikes into account, the Kwacker is the clear winner in this comparison.