Kawasaki Eliminator v Royal Enfield Shotgun 650: Budget Power Cruisers? I

In this thrilling comparison, we pit the bold new #KawasakiEliminator against the charismatic Royal Enfield #Shotgun650. Join us on this #review as we dissect every aspect, from styling to performance, to help you decide which cruiser reigns supreme on the road.
00:05 - Interested in cruisers?
00:28 - Introducing Kawasaki Eliminator
01:33 - Eliminator engine
02:02 - Eliminator styling & riding posture
03:36 - Shotgun vs Eliminator
05:13 - Styling compared
06:44 - Ergonomics compared
07:57 - Eliminator performance
09:43 - RE Shotgun 650 performance
10:23 - Exhaust sound of both bikes
11:23 - Safety & braking
12:03 - Ride quality compared
12:51 - Handling compared
14:03 - Fuel economy compared
13:30 - Value for money
15:40 - Verdict & points table
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[@odmag]

**correction at 2.21. Kawasaki Eliminator - Seat Height - 735 mm

[@anilrajnarooka]

Correction at price difference too?

[@nemesiszz]

Surprisingly Even after so many years Kawasaki can't manufacture a value bike in India.

[@shiva_vsd]

Because Kawasaki doesn't value india

[@catastrophicyapping]

Kawasaki is a premium brand.

[@nemesiszz]

@@catastrophicyapping Triumph is as well,but priced from just 2.3lkhs

[@catastrophicyapping]

Triumph does not produce value-for-money mass-market motorcycles independently; instead, they rely on Bajaj for manufacturing.

[@va-ro]

because of "ease of doing business" in a corrupt country...

[@russzitaruk9702]

The exhaust pipes on the Eliminator look like the designers weren't even trying. The Shotgun 650 looks amazing everywhere you look.

[@migueruta]

That might be a sort of "japanese virus" going on the niponic islands... The same goes for the Exaust Pipe on the Honda Rebel. Designed to make the motorcycle more silent, not so loud and screaming.

[@savmdsouza]

I'm absolutely in love with my 22 year old elimator, although I've kept added other bikes to my garage.

[@747anwar]

same here still rides the 2002 eliminator

[@SpeedDemon989]

I wish I had I loved it

[@shafeydanish]

Isn't the Avenger based off of it? Same bike, except that the Avenger has been in regular production, and has been updated? Wouldn't that make the Avenger the better machine?

[@caldaemon]

Very informative! Thank you and safe rides!

[@rohit_paradkar]

Thank you and wish you safe miles too! We are glad you liked our content.

[@shivakumarsaminathan2847]

Intentionally left to mention WEIGHT !! K - 176 kg. RE- 240 kg ... They want you ppl to buy RE. Biased 😂

[@mociczyczki]

biger weight have its advantage like more stability 👍🏻

[@Originalrebelosho]

​@@mociczyczki500kg motorcycle would be good

[@supersonicdiesel4836]

RE is Rs 4.5 lakh and Eliminator is Rs 6.5 lakh. BIG price difference. Also, RE is far easier to service and new REs are built quite well, requiring very little servicing. The joke’s on you if you buy a Kawasaki- unlimited stories of Kawasaki not delivering bikes after taking full payment, not servicing bikes etc.

[@BritishTeaBiker]

"and a coolant reservoir lid that's trying too hard to be the life of this party" 😂🙌

[@kirksebts]

Thanks so much for the great video! Trying to decide between the Kawasaki Eliminator or the Honda SCL500. I’ve driven Hondas all my life however I may have to break tradition and go for the Kawasaki. Here in the States we have more color options. Really like the black and orange! Cheers!🍻

[@user-xd8ng9fc2m]

Gr8 video n matchup!!!

[@ccclll987]

last year I bought a continental gt, but honestly, if the shotgun was already out, i would have bought that in this green color. It looks stunning! I still love my continental of course, they are two different kind of bikes

[@shubhenduchatterjee4967]

Everything aside, Rohit’s jacket is absolutely dope. 😍😍

[@wheelsandwings1980]

As indians,we prefer to do all bike with certain preference to aesthetic and design element. But in real world RE Shotgun follows all cruiser design,which has its limitations.Its meant for Long ,straight,flat Highway cruising,with Cigar in the mouth. With Legs extended in front,with no rush in reaching the destination And not to forget long stroke engine with good low and mid end torque. Re shotgun leaves upto to its category. Pricing and service network being icing on cake. Only thing,people who like cruisers seeing in movies or on roads should know where to/Not to,take these bikes. Where as Kawasaki 450 eliminator though categorised as cruiser is not the cruiser in real sense.Even they know real cruisers don't work here,and they cant achieve the numbers,so they have priced it high. Lower the expectation,understand the limitation,You can take all the bikes anywhere you want. Once you decide and buy, Enjoy motorcycling...

[@valherurides2109]

Awesome vid, funny AF too ❤❤

[@Anant.Bhatia.Antz_Bin]

This Kawasaki is an also ran. The 650 engine is almost 6 years old now. Its time Royal Enfield upped the game to a 900-1200cc parallel twin and took the fight directly to its western competition. TVS / Norton is not too far away from getting in on the act.

[@robertnelson9621]

'This' Kawasaki has 450cc, not 650.

[@Anant.Bhatia.Antz_Bin]

Yes ​@@robertnelson9621. I watched the video too. But given the price difference, Royal Enfield could make a 900 for the price of 'this' Kawasaki.

[@robertnelson9621]

@@Anant.Bhatia.Antz_Bin Royal Enfield doesn't want to get drawn into the cc wars - that's not how they see themselves. There was momentum building within RE to make a 750cc WC Interceptor. Sid stood his ground for an air-cooled 650, and pretty much decided they would make air-cooled bikes. I guess the Him 450 was an exception; it stood no chance against the KTM and possible 400 ADV from Baj-Triumph. If RE does make a 900 (might as well join the litre club), what sort of an engine would it be? 4 cylinder or 270 degree parallel twin? How would they price it - against whom? No easy answers at all.

[@Anant.Bhatia.Antz_Bin]

@@robertnelson9621 Well, Triumph makes Bonnies, Speeds, Scramblers and Thruxtons powered by 900cc Parallel Twins. A 270° crank could make it competitive with V-Twins like the air cooled Harley 883s in terms of power delivery. EVs are not coming into the performance motorcycle space very soon, might as well sell to the most lucrative end of the market before they do. Manufacturing in India gives RE the cost advantage that none of the others have.

[@jlrutube1312]

@@robertnelson9621 I think they should just make an interceptor and a Super Meteor that is an 800. Just that much of a bump would be enough to satisfy me and yet they could keep everything the same. Meaning they wouldn't have to water cool it or go to 4 cylinders or anything.

[@manisadasivam]

Great video. How good is shotgun while riding in rough indian roads and also traffic?

[@HunterVlog350cc]

year 2010 the girlfriend of a yamaha fazer owner drooling on my thunderbird 350 which looked more intimidating than that, same here the shotgun is better looking bigger and more solidly built looking than eliminator here

[@MyJamesleo]

With above 5 lakh rupees one will go with super meteor and will search out the whole country with rest of 2 lakh 😂

[@patelprabhat]

Nice jacket bro. Which brand?

[@rokrjock33]

Why didn't you mention the power output of the eliminator, only the torque figures?

[@staffordvideoproductions5788]

They are about the same price in the US. One problem is the Shotgun has not arrived at the dealerships yet and the Kawasaki(s) are everywhere. Which bike do you think we should buy in the Americas?

[@PJ_andhismotorcycle]

U guys missed the 502C .... its called the power cruser for a reason, hope you guys will add the compare in part two of this comparasion. Would love to watch!

[@qwertyme8338]

502c sounds the best too!!

[@bhashitkatkar8349]

Where can I get that icon helmet?

[@jayakrishnanp9875]

What they didnt mention are the weights of the motorcycles.. Eliminator is about 40 kgs less than Shotgun..but for the price forks..silencer -- colour options are a let down for the eliminator...

[@yashrajchettiar7604]

It won't make a mark ... India recalls eliminator as a Bajaj cruiser.... Kawasaki is still struggling with Vulcan 650. In india.... They should have continued the Vulcan instead of eliminator...

[@suzyamerica4679]

One would think the Eliminator would be far easier to pick up if it should drop .. something that's quite important for some of us.

[@intercept7965]

India Tax pattern makes import bikes more expensive than competition

[@michelklee5388]

My heart says shotgun. My head says eliminator. In Belgium eliminator SE is 500€ cheapers then the base shotgun. 😅

[@rohit_paradkar]

Eliminator it is then!

[@shree397]

never forget displacement is the king well not for speed always, but for ease of Riding i.e torque at very lower end of the rev range. That 650 delivers 90% of its torque at around 2500 RPM, that means effortless riding without the need of constant gear changes

[@Hyschardy]

Eliminator its the Best choice.

[@shree397]

@@Hyschardy it might be a choice in your head, but a person who has any common sense would always prefer a cheaper,better built engine engine(yes FortNine proved it in his video. Go check it out.), cheaper to maintain, And overall, a great package.

[@Hyschardy]

​@@shree397Maybe in your mind it is the best option. go for it. I'm going for the Japanese one that's 500 euros cheaper. With that money you pay for maintenance ;).

[@migueruta]

Why not comparing the Kawasaki Vulcan 650 Vs R.E. Shotgun 650??🤨🤔🤷‍♀

[@leyper4848]

It's sad to see the japanese giant stil doesn't knw where to place the exhaust pipes and number plate. It all looks soo messed up!!

[@macharika7641]

Exhaust note alone would be a deal breaker for many, who does a high reving cruiser 😂

[@ravikumar-qx2dn]

Please do the review of Honda nx 500

[@SharatSahay]

Looks good

[@ambig1]

The background score is too loud to understand the speech when on earphones.

[@rafalf1155]

Damn. In my country its 31k (eliminator) vs 38k (shotgun). And I came here for reasons why to go with Shotgun...

[@kwantanianman1435]

im used to owned versys ... but this time i voted the shotgun .. win over styling and sound ....

[@khullaasaand]

When you keep placing number plate stand in weird places like in w800 and this eliminator then it's very hard to take kawasaki seriously

[@siddharthvakkaleri]

That front number plate on the Eliminator is a debacle…

[@rishavgn]

In terms of aesthetics the placement of front numberplate holder is a deal breaker for me. it is like a tag stuck on forehead.

[@Sudipto17Kolkata]

I think they expect us to instal a windshield

[@VVikramSingh28]

Benelli 502c price has been dropped to 5.25 lakh Eliminator vs 502c

[@rohit_paradkar]

Shall try!

[@RVIU11]

Kind of ironic. In germany the Eliminator is actually 1000 € cheaper than the shotgun 650. I just hate the plastic toy look of it. If the prices were reversed the shotgun 650 would be a no brainer.

[@rohit_paradkar]

It’s a CBU import in India, hence the higher pricing. Ditto for the Shotgun in Germany I guess, hence the RE is pricier. Design preference is a personal choice of course. Otherwise, the Eliminator feels far superior in build and performance.

[@samuelroy-qz9jm]

Easy choice cruiser must be head Turner and shotgun got it in point 😅 7:52

[@sanjoysingharoy3287]

2:17 Seat height 1100mm? Where is your video editor?

[@rohit_paradkar]

We have sent him on a 1100 hour exile 😞

[@sanjoysingharoy3287]

@@rohit_paradkar Hahaha

[@Weird_Rick]

Seat height 1,100 mm? 👀. I think there's an error 2:21. 735mm is the correct number.

[@odmag]

Yes it's 735mm. Apologies. Pinned the correction. Thanks for watching.

[@Chris64France]

You have not mentioned the huge weight difference between them!

[@TripGuru]

So Shotgun is slower than Himalayan 450...ye toh RE ne apne hi banaye engine ki beizzati kar di 😂😂

[@Pyari_Guddiya]

All Black is a Cunning way to Hide Imperfections 😅😅

[@rohit_paradkar]

😂

[@thelogicalIndian69]

Kawasaki is a clear winner.. but yes cost is major barrier !

[@fluffyraider]

"Avenger is a nice motorcycle" - Please elaborate

[@kwantanianman1435]

kawasaki should make twin parellal 270 crank ... to add some pleasant sound rather than lawnmower sound....

[@ambig1]

for those who are surprised why the big 4 (suzuki, yamaha, kawasaki, honda) cant make a value bike for india, well they can but they wont. They are more concerned about their long term brand value than short term profit or sales; look what happened to KTM. They would rather lose on sales, profit than quality and brand value. They seem to be using overpricing as a means to do crowd control to allow them to maintain the quality and brand value.

[@Originalrebelosho]

True

[@foreverDharma]

Japanese vs Indian - the choice is Indian. Yes, there are a few things to improve, and RE is getting there for sure.

[@makerofwidows4314]

what helmet is that?

[@rohit_paradkar]

Custom Icon Airflite

[@Shivam0217]

eliminator is just a beauty but very costly

[@adithyamohan5621]

Verdict :- Shotgun points gun straight at eliminator and eliminator got eliminated.

[@debasissahani6401]

Where is scrambler 650?

[@cruze86]

Kawasaki Eliminator 450 is the carbon copy of Honda Rebel 500 which is sold in USA market 😂both available in matte black too

[@beyourself9500]

Eliminator will be my choice any day.....lighter the better...❤ If you have money go for eliminator....

[@OmKar-rj2se]

We want ducati multistrada v4 rally review

[@rohit_paradkar]

Shall try to make it happen

[@pravinmurthy]

So both twin cylinder engines have vibes then!..

[@kallasvideo2984]

abe bhai eliminator agayi kya LML banati thi eliminator mai tab bahot chhota tha

[@barun9665]

Kawasaki needs localisation of production otherwise it'd only be brand to very high and passionate bike enthusiasts.

[@sanjoysingharoy3287]

12:28 You critic Indians, you don’t have any problem when HD uses conventional front forks for their Rs. 30 lacs breakout but when Kawasaki uses same thing for their same genre of motorcycle, you obviously have to criticise.

[@rohit_paradkar]

What country are you from, kind sir? “We critic Indians” have also mentioned that the conventional forks at this price point may raise eyebrows, but the ride quality is surprisingly cushy and does a far better job than its competitor. Maybe you missed that bit while rushing to pass judgment about the citizens of this country. Also, the Breakout was under 20l and the ride quality wasn’t anything to write home about.

[@sanjoysingharoy3287]

@@rohit_paradkar Sorry if my comment was a bit harder, but I personally rode breakout and ride quality was quite satisfactory. USD forks means good handling dynamics, hence mostly used in sports & track machines. Also it’s more expensive to repair and in case of fork oil leakage it’s gonna drain the whole fork-oil whereas conventional forks don’t have this problems. Further to answer your first line sometimes I am a spit-on-mirror type guy and it’s one of my bad habits.

[@shrijeet.gaikwad]

Shotgum is impractical bike, doesnt give any value as useful machine but its 10/10 most beautiful bike. Period!

[@rockyxable]

Better spend 2 lakhs more and buy eliminator its better in every way

[@porkoholic]

The Kawasaki should have had at least some green on it

[@Luckybhura2309]

Old eliminator is much better than new one

[@ambig1]

as of may 2024, kawasaki eliminator 450 is 7,10,000 INR in bangalore; definitely a very poor value for money, you would only want to buy this because you want to stand out of the rest of the crowd, other than that, it is a bad buy, considering their service network coverage in india compared to RE who has the biggest service coverage in india, in the remotest corner of india too.

[@udayparmar2027]

First like and Comment Maker ❤️‍🩹💙

[@the_winged_helm]

That engine in a cruiser body... I don't know. Using the eliminator name seems like a cash grab. The shotgun or super meteor definitely feels like a better option for this style of motorcycle.

[@nithulnath9331]

Not exactly. You should check the Original Eliminator z900 from 1985

[@the_winged_helm]

@@nithulnath9331 I was not aware of this model of the Eliminator as this was before I was even born. I should thank you for adding to my motorcycle trivia 😊. So I checked on this and found the following: "The ZL900 engine was a transplanted and slightly modified version of the liquid-cooled Inline 4 introduced in the 1984 Kawasaki ZX900 Ninja. Kawasaki used smaller 32 mm carburetors (the ZX900 used 34 mm), different timing and camshafts with less duration. This gave the engine a different personality, trading the Ninja's high-end power for low-end and mid-range performance that was more suitable for a cruiser." So inspite of taking the engine off the Ninja 900, they did make some effort to make it suit the cruiser riding style. Also this was more of a drag style machine than a relaxed cruiser. For the Eliminator 400, Kawasaki doesn't seem to have put much effort. So yeah, still feels like a cash grab.

[@nithulnath9331]

@@the_winged_helm To be true they actually detuned in it to have more low end torque. The original spec of the engine was around 50ps@ 10500 rpm. Considering cash grab, Kawasaki made eliminators with 125cc engine at some point 😅, for a name which was coined for a bike which was a competitor of the '85 Yamaha Vmax. Considering that, this one is mildly acceptable I think. 😅

[@jlrutube1312]

@@nithulnath9331 Actually they increased the stroke. Now with it a longer stroke engine it has more low end torque than the 400 it came from but of course has less of a rev range although still pretty good. So for a "cruiser" it is evidently a good compromise.

[@shafeydanish]

These cruisers need to make adjustments for India market conditions and Indian roads. Its has to be cheaper (sub 4 lakhs), better ground clearance and suspension (for better ride quality), lighter (sub 200 kgs) and a city mileage above 30kmpl. Fail in any one of these and you will remain a niche product.

[@nikhilk91]

Will Bajaj launch their Avenger based on Eliminator again 😅😅😅😅😅

[@romeldias]

For that price...the Kawa just doesnt scream quality! Triumph has raised the stakes when it comes to a bike looking premium and unfortunately, the badge on this bike isn't enough to save it from getting knocked because of that! Just cannot see a justification for this bike in the country at the moment!

[@gopikrishna9866]

Kawasaki kawasaki its Machine gun❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@mr_greendevil]

Shouldn't you be comparing Super Meteor 650 with the Eliminator?

[@godimedia183]

when you can buy a car with a price of a bike😂

[@Alienbikers-in-India]

dude, dude

[@bebewang.4882]

I don't like the seat heights of royal Enfield motorcycles. They will 785 mm but it will still give u a seat height of 800 mm or more. Why can't they seriously lower their seat heights for cruisers and bobber like this shotgun for practicality!?!🤦🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

[@naveenbhat1930]

Where the hell is the number plate of the eliminator placed.....😮?..looks ugly.......I wonder why all imported bikes have their front number plates above the headlight......don't they know how to design a bracket for placing the number plate below the headlight, where it rightfully belongs??

[@rohit_paradkar]

I agree. The placement looks awful. What I do like though is that the mount can double up as a mount for GPS/Phone holder.

[@ashishluvs58]

kaha se budget cruiser hai? xD

[@maneshkermanu2900]

Stil I prefer shotgun , nothing beats RE

[@ravigupta3133]

If you are taking over 7sec on a 650 to hit 100, you don't know how to ride

[@pradeeps4852]

Eliminator got “Eliminated” 😂

[@chiquinhoalmeida87]

R.E shotgun ❤❤❤❤

[@krishhvlogs5]

To impress Indians,Bajaj,Hero & TVS should make a arallel twin 250cc with atleast 30bhp & 25NM,dual channel,gps,super cooling oil cooling system since liyid cooling system is expensive,The bike be bigger than pulsar 220cc with 18 ltr tank The middle class would feel that they own a parallel twin which is affordable,economical single bike which does everything..... Hope people reply with their opinions but be respectful......

[@aneeshooooo]

250cc twin won't make economic sense. Atleast 450cctwin, then the bike can be priced around 3.5 lakhs

[@Originalrebelosho]

And add with a dollop of bharat mata..

[@krishhvlogs5]

@@Originalrebelosho for you a scoop of Poop is okay.....

[@krishhvlogs5]

@@aneeshooooo hmmmmm. 250 cc twin with price tag of less than 1.95lakhs? 450's are already there in the market.....

[@DavidSenna57]

Eliminator so much better , but Indian wannabes will still defend RE 🤦🤦🤡🤡🤣🤣

[@kd6788]

lol plastic garbage

[@sonumbhati]

RE the king 👑

[@vivekpagare5616]

Seems more like Eliminated!

[@rohit_paradkar]

Unfortunately, yes.

[@jecob11111]

It’s a confusing looking thing. But welcome the two pot motor which should be a reliable tank like it’s street dwelling cousin. & it’s not going to be a drug for mid life crisis for those who rode the old eliminator. Will wait for the statistics to speak in a year or so.

[@nayanmanideka5136]

Kawasaki like 1k plus tax for every CC of the engine 😂

[@surathmondal9387]

Ninja very over prices 😔😔 every bike 😢

[@ravigupta3133]

Never really understood the jacket's significance , just wear a cotton hoddie !!

[@jecob11111]

4:03 even you agree that it’s crappy looking

[@tesac_182]

Eliminator doesn’t look that much classic

[@captainprice9304]

Royal enfield Bas…… Royal enfield

[@ashworld1016]

I find the Eliminator better looking, RE is all round and ugly.

[@umakantkumar7457]

This isn't even comparison, Eliminator is just a bad deal

[@radheradhe5115]

Natak bahut jyada karte ho yaar tum log. Gaadi badhiya se dikhao na. Channel me subscribers jyada hone se natak chalu . Ashish mashi ko halat dekh rahe ho na koi abhi uska video nehi dekhta hai. Direct point pe aao..

[@surfacepro5757]

Another Weired Looking Bike From Kwasaki,We Have Meteors then why to look at Eliminator,if kawasaki Vulcan is better option.

[@praveenkumars7927]

Royal Enfield ❌ Metal Buffalo✅

[@sud5529]

My mother's mixie sounds better than that Kawasaki