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1998–2009 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
The Starter Cruiser That Delivers
Kawasaki built this one around a 124 cc air-cooled single making 12 hp at 9,500 rpm and 7 lb-ft at 8,000, fed through a 5-speed box and a chain. The numbers tell you the intent immediately. This is a cruiser shaped by proportion rather than power: a 57.9 in wheelbase, an 18-inch front and a fat 130/90-15 rear, spoked wheels, a teardrop tank, and a stepped seat that drops your hips to 26.8 in off the ground. At 298 lb wet it weighs less than most people expect a cruiser to weigh, and the shape still reads as one from thirty feet away.
It rides the way it looks. You sit low, roll on gently, and let the little single do its work between 4,000 rpm and the top of the tach. Top speed is 68 mph, so surface streets, town-to-town two-lanes, and the odd stretch of secondary highway are where it belongs. Owned sensibly it ages well, because there is very little on it to go wrong: no ABS, no rider modes, no electronics package to fail. The honest caveat is the ceiling. If your riding regularly involves interstate speeds or a passenger and luggage, this bike will run out of road before you run out of patience.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 12 hp (9 kW) @ 9,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 7 lb-ft (10 Nm) @ 8,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 124 cc |
| Engine | Single-cylinder |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 5-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 255 mm |
| Front tire | 90/90-18 |
| Rear tire | 130/90-15 |
| Wheelbase | 57.9 in (1470 mm) |
| Seat height | 26.8 in (680 mm) |
| Wet weight | 298 lb (135 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.4 gal (13 L) |
| Top speed | 68 mph (110 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 90 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
The first thing you notice is how little effort getting underway takes. Both boots go flat, the bars come to you, and the bike feels lighter under your hips than the metal in front of you suggests. The single has a light, ticking mechanical voice at idle that firms up into a busy hum once you are moving, and there is a real pulse coming up through the pegs and the seat as the revs climb. Above roughly 55 mph the vibration turns from character into a steady buzz in your palms, and the windblast on your chest becomes the loudest thing about the ride. Shifts are short and positive. Around town, tight U-turns and stop-and-go feel completely unthreatening, which is exactly the sensation this thing is selling.
Carburetor stuttering/loss of power at higher RPMs
Several owners report the engine begins to stutter and lose power above 50 mph (80 km/h), often traced to dirty carburetor passages, a failing diaphragm, or a partially blocked fuel filter. Stubborn cases may require ultrasonic cleaning of the carb and replacement of the vacuum diaphragm.
Ignition coil failure causing no-start
The BN125 is prone to ignition coil failure, leading to a sudden loss of spark and a no-start condition. A dry spark plug after cranking is a telltale symptom.
Where this Kawasaki Eliminator 125 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Eliminator 125 is actually built for.
The stance and the chrome are real, and around a rally town at parade pace it holds its own. Getting there is the problem: 12 hp and a 68 mph ceiling do not survive a long highway run to Sturgis or Daytona.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
If your trips run on back roads at 50 mph with frequent stops, this fits beautifully, and 90 mpg makes the miles nearly free. Just build the route around two-lanes and accept a slow pace.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
This is not your bike. A 68 mph top speed, 7 lb-ft, and no provision for a passenger and full luggage rule out long park-to-park days and the mountain highways you actually want to ride.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road