Cruisers

1988Kawasaki ZL 400 Eliminator

20 fields on record

The 1988 Kawasaki ZL400 Eliminator is a four-cylinder power cruiser for Japan, with a 398cc liquid-cooled engine and a 192 kg dry weight.

Capacity: 398.0 ccm
Engine: In-line four, four-stroke
Gearbox: Not on record
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Dry weight: 192.0 kg
Seat height: 705 mm
Power: 54.0 HP (40.3 kW) @ 12000 RPM

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What’s new for the 1988 Kawasaki ZL 400 Eliminator

vs the 1986

Spec	1986	1988
Power	44.8 HP (33.0 kW)	54.0 HP (40.3 kW) @ 12000 RPM
Torque	—	33.3 Nm (3.4 kgf-m or 24.6 ft.lbs)
Gearbox	5-speed	not listed
Front suspension	—	Telescopic forks
Rear suspension	—	Dual shocks
Front brakes	—	Single disc
Rear brakes	—	Drum
Wheelbase	—	1550 mm (61.0 inches)

Other years 1986 1988

How it rides

Editorial estimate from the spec sheet - not lab tested

Off-road & trail10%

Cornering55%

City riding65%

Daily riding60%

Touring40%

Two-up45%

Track25%

Best for: Built as a stylish, revvy custom cruiser blending cruiser looks with sportbike-derived engine character rather than outright performance or touring capability.
Built for: A quirky, high-revving small-bore cruiser that rewards riders who enjoy an unusual mix of inline-four smoothness and laid-back cruiser ergonomics.
Not ideal for: Not a good fit for riders seeking long-distance touring comfort, serious off-road use, or genuine high-speed performance.

Scores are derived from the spec sheet using the same model across every bike, so they compare like for like.

Will it fit you?

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Your height

Inseam (optional)

Units

At 705mm, a rider of 68.9" with a 31" (estimated) inseam will reach the ground with both feet flat on the 1988 Kawasaki ZL 400 Eliminator, with a moderate knee angle of around 115 degrees and an upright riding position.

Assumes about 30mm of suspension sag once seated. This is an approximation from category-typical geometry, not a measurement of this bike or of you - sit on one before you buy.

More bikes at 750 mm or under — Short Kings →

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Reliability & safety

Bike Reliability score, safety recalls and owner complaints

Bike Reliability

How the score works →

out of 100Poor

The Kawasaki ZL 400 Eliminator passed its annual roadworthiness test first time 70.7% of the time, 11.7 points below expected for bikes of the same age and mileage. That beats 16% of models.

Bikes first registered in 1988 have 73 tests, too few for their own score, so this covers every year.

70.7%Passed first time

16.5%Failed outright

12.9%Fixed during test

25,000Typical miles

334Tests

Pass rate by miles ridden

10-20k

76%

20-30k

74.5%

30-40k

67.3%

All years of this model.

Score by year first registered

19861987

Against its rivals · ranks 6 of 6

#	Model (all years)	Score	Tests
1	Honda CMX 450 Rebel	40 Average	403
2	Kawasaki EN 500	35 Below average	6,754
3	Suzuki GS 450 L	33 Below average	563
4	Suzuki GN 250 E	31 Below average	1,673
5	Yamaha XV250 Virago	25 Below average	123
6	Kawasaki ZL 400 Eliminator	16 Poor	334

Rivals are the most-viewed bikes on MotorcycleDB in the same category and engine size, from within three years of this model.

From British annual roadworthiness tests, 2005-2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA MOT test data, Great Britain). How Bike Reliability works.