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In the book, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the doctor made a serum that transformed him into a self-indulgent character that brought forth his true personality. Thankfully for some of us, motorcycles do that just fine. And no, we don’t go on a murder spree, but shed the suit of sophistication and don the cloak of puerility.

The Kawasaki Eliminator and the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 are the Mr Hydes of the cruiser world. They don’t want you to go on just straight roads, chasing sunsets all while perched comfortably like you would on a recliner. They want you to forget everything that we perceive of cruisers and hoon around, and maybe even scare the living daylights out of a few streetfighters and supersports while at it.

And come on, both of them look the part, too, right? The Eliminator has this air of mystery around it. Draped in an all-black cloak, there’s almost nothing that reveals its identity. Yes, it has subtle branding on the side and the back of the seat, but under the night lights, it’s hardly visible. Meanwhile, the Shotgun wanted me to look at it. With its bold paint scheme and a contrasting black treatment for the engine parts, it demands attention but the butch appearance also warns bystanders to keep their distance. It is a borderline show-off. That said, both look like cruisers from afar.

Everything changed the moment I sat on the bikes. I wasn’t in that ‘on the couch’ posture that will set my mind for a calm ride. On the Kawasaki, I felt like I was on
a comfortable naked bike. The handlebar was close to me, my feet weren’t stretched forward and it was narrow enough between my legs. On the Shotgun, the feeling of not being on a cruiser was even more intense. Flatter ‘bar, tall(ish) seat, mid-set footpegs… it felt like anything but a cruiser. Oh, and no, the Shotgun is not a bobber, either. A kilo less than its cruiser counterpart, and tipping the scales at 240 kg, it can’t qualify to be called something that’s meant to be a lighter version of a cruiser.

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On the go, the Kawasaki reminded me every minute that it is not a cruiser. Deep inside, it is a bratty roadster. And why wouldn’t it be? The 451cc parallel-twin is a bored-out version of the engine that was on the Ninja 400, and now also is on the Ninja 500. It loves to be revved and ridden like a naked. Yes, as the revs build, there are vibrations on the ’pegs and the handlebar, but it’s fun beyond the 5000-rpm mark. It’s not just the engine, but the way the chassis is designed, you can shoot past corners that would murder the confidence of some roadsters.

The Shotgun, on the other hand, threatens with its brutish force. It doesn’t rev as quickly, but the amount of low-end grunt it has ensured I was quickest off the line, almost always. The riding posture meant I could sweep through corners more confidently, but direction changes? After the Eliminator, the RE felt dull.

Not only is the Royal Enfield heavy, but the Ceat tyres feel like they aren’t up to the job when the inner Mr Hyde completely takes over. Sometimes, the rear losing traction makes the inner demon happier, but the fact that the suspension travel is limited and the brakes lacking adequate feedback had my inner Dr Jekyll trying to talk sense into me, which I dreaded.

The Eliminator’s suspension absorbed most of the bumps and potholes we encountered, yet, through a corner, it never lost composure. The brakes? They had a strong bite and provided adequate progression and feedback. What was an eyesore, though, was the instrument console of the Kwacker.

Well, not the console itself, but the hideous number plate holder that surrounds the console. I am sure there could have been a more subtle way to mount the plate than a photo-frame-like holder. The Shotgun 650’s console isn’t bad, either, but unlike the Kawasaki, there’s no gimmicky Bluetooth connectivity features that only show call/SMS alerts, but something useful like navigation.

It was after the ride that the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in me had an intense argument. The former leaned towards the Royal Enfield. It was cheaper to buy, and probably to live with, too. The Shotgun also had oodles of low-end torque and looks that grabbed attention. And Mr Hyde? His stand was clear — should money always come in the way of having fun? The Kawasaki is expensive, but it is fun around town, through corners, is lightweight, and isn’t hungry for attention. So, who won, you ask? Seems like this time, too, it was Mr Hyde who had the upper hand.