Before you start wondering how many bikes I have because this is my third bike review, the answer is only two. I spent my summer vacation with a friend who has an Eliminator and two months is, in my opinion, enough time to learn everything about a bike.
Now about the Eliminator, the specs are as follows -
180 cc, Front Disc brakes and Rear Drum, Mileage - 32 KMPL
In my humble opinion this bike cannot be called a cruiser. I mean think of what you might expect from a cruiser and then think of the Eliminator. Here’s what you get.
A cruiser should be big with mean looks - The Eliminator is low and sleek. If you have read my review of the Hero Honda CD 100 SS you will have read that the bike is extremely uncomfortable for tall guys. But if you talk in terms of the Eliminator, well the ride is like a trip to hell. Trust me on this, I travelled a distance of about 350 KM from Patiala to Amritsar partly in the driver’s seat and partly on the pillion. The seat itself was very comfortable if not a bit too soft but the bike...
I am more than six feet tall and by the time we reached Ludhiana, at a distance of about 45 KM, I had to beg my friend to stop the bike as my bake was hurting and my legs were cramped. Also tall guys tend to look very stupid on this bike. I am also not comfortable with being so close to the ground.
Next the engine. Ok it generates 15 BHP but 180 CC is not enough for a ’cruiser’. In my opinion a cruiser should be at least 500 CC.
Ok lets say you ignore this and get on the bike to start admiring the chrome paint and the neat touch of the automatic start. When you start the bike, you will hear not the roar of a cruiser but the sound of a bike which is closer to the Pulsar.
The bike is speedy with amazing pickup. But people have been gushing about it’s top speed of 116 KM/h This is not much. Compare this with the Bullet which though does not have any pickup has a much much higher top speed.
Next, for just 180 CC, you would expect it to give a decent if not great average. Close to 50 KMPL. Instead it gave us during that period a measly average of 35 KMPL. This was shocking to say the least. The maintenance is also a problem the bike tends to need a lot of money to maintain properly.
Lastly the price is bizarre. A price tag of 90000 and look what you get for your money. I think Bajaj would have been much better off making the Eliminator into a sports bike then a ’cruiser’ what with it’s amazing pickup.
If you really want a cruiser buy the Enfield Lightening - It costs less, has brilliant sound and is nearly 550 CC. The only thing wrong with it is that it does not have automatic start - a must for any cruiser and it gives an average of 20 KMPL