Kawasaki Eliminator

KAWASAKI ELIMINATOR

ENGINE MODIFICATIONS ON the Turbo Eliminator started with the removal of the bevel-gear housing on the left side, and the addition of a 900 Ninja countershaft and some of its attendant gears, the first steps in the conversion to chain drive. Next came a set of oversize, low-compression Arias pistons that brought displacement up to 946cc. That overbore, along with re-timed stock cams, allowed the Eliminator to retain much of its off-boost performance. On-boost performance was handled by the Rotomaster turbocharger, working through a Keihin 34mm carb as used in Mr. Turbo’s 900 Ninja kit. Mr. Turbo had to modify the standard Ninja turbocharger kit only slightly to fit on the Eliminator.

Power was the strongest point of the turbocharged Eliminator engine; when running 15 pounds of boost, it must be put out well in excess of 150 horsepower. Boost begins building at 6500 rpm, so the hard-hitting part of the engine’s powerband is about 4000 rpm wide, narrower than that of most of the production turbos.

The chassis changes involved in the conversion to chain drive bordered on the ridiculous. Originally, Sandy Kosman estimated only a day would be required to make a swingarm and have the bike driven by chain. But the Eliminator chassis had been designed without any thought of a chainline, and much hardware behind the sidecovers had to be moved to clear the chain. In the

end, the modifications took a week, and even then, the chain still rattled against a frame member. But other than the drive conversion,the Eliminator chassis was made strip-ready by the installation of struts, a wheelie bar and the Michelin slick.

Engine

Mr. Turbo street turbo kit(forNinja 900) . . .$1795.00

Arias 74mm, 946cc 8:1 piston kit 281.50

Bore and hone cylinder . . 120.00

Engine total . $2196.50

Chassis

Chain-drive conversion (reference only) $3000.00

Wheelie bars . 325.00

Michelin 15/61 - 16 roadracing slick 110.00

Chassis total $3435.00

Grand total . $5631.50