Motorcycle specifications KawasakiNINJA H2 2018 Between hypersport and madness

After provoking THE shock in the world of sports bikes with its Ninja H2R, its supercharger and its 326 hp (dynamic), Kawasaki is taking out the airbrakes a little to validate its madness to the common biker. The H2R promises to be an exceptional motorcycle; why not offer a big slice of this exclusivity to a less elitist, almost accessible clientele? This is the role of the H2, without the R, more than 100 horsepower less, with the vast majority of the H2R's technology, and for a less toxic price.

Since 2017, all H2s have improved on several levels. Keen observers will have noticed a touch of gold under the rear end. And an Öhlins logo that makes no mistake about quality. The Kawa missile gains a Swedish TTX36 shock absorber, superior in quality to the original. More rigorous, easier to adjust and more stable, it offers 22-position adjustable compression and rebound damping.
On the regulatory front, we had to master the transition to Euro4. After the compulsory retro-reflectors, the staff set about managing the exhaust system. Larger catalytic converters, a redesigned internal structure for the silencer and a new manifold configuration enabled us to comply with the standards. Without any loss of power, the Ninja H2 can still deliver a heavy load with its 210 dynamic horsepower.
Brake and clutch levers are shorter and perforated. This is to avoid the slightest pressure on them at high speed.

New functions have been added to the dashboard. You can now see the angle of inclination of the H2, which can also be recorded. This is thanks to Bosch's IMU multi-axis inertial unit. With this additional co-pilot, the H2 can improve the response of its electronics. In addition to the evolution of ABS, which becomes active when cornering, the box also enables KTRC traction control to be retroactive in addition to already being predictive. All electronic aids become more precise and efficient.
On a different note, but still to assist the rider, the shifter now acts on both upshifts and downshifts.

Is this enough to take it away from the H2R? No, the superfull version remains unique and far more powerful. In this "road" version, the H2 has lost a lot of horsepower. a 39% reduction in watts spoils the picture a little, when the public was crowing about its surreal, demonic power. A piece of the dream is torn away, the scent of fantasy withers. Then reason takes over. Hey, guys, 200 drunks is quite a cavalry, and only 0.1% of bikers are capable of exploiting it. What happened to bring the 998cc block down to the border of "standard" missiles?!
Kawasaki isn't very prolix about technical modifications. But if we look at the revs at which maximum power is obtained, we can presume that the on-board electronics limit rotary thrust: the H2 slams 200 bhp at 11,000 rpm / the H2R reaches 310 bhp at 14,000 rpm. Is the H2's 4-cylinder just electronically limited? Certainly not. It's the same block on both machines, but the camshafts, head gasket, clutch and other engine parts are different. Also, the H2 has only one of the two air ducts to breathe through.

Less revs, less watts, but the same technology on this H2. Kawasaki has designed a modern 4-cylinder engine, with nothing extravagant except that famous compressor. The air first rushes through the fork-head gills, past a turbine where it's compressed in the airbox, up to 2.4 bar (H2R). And this turbine grinds like crazy. Driven by a set of gears linked to the crankshaft, its rotation speed reaches 130,000 rpm at full load, and the air flow is up to 200 liters per second (H2R).
By opting for a compressor rather than a turbo, Kawasaki saves space. The circulating air heats up much less, so there's no need for an intercooler. Or a whole mess of ducts to redirect exhaust gases. And because of its design, the specific compressor for this machine enables a much earlier and stronger engine response.
I can see some people still bitter that a machine like this produces the same potato as a ZX-10R with a non-supercharged boiler. Just think: boilers react differently. On the H2, the compression ratio is only 8.5:1; the hypersport compresses to 13:1. And in terms of torque, for the same displacement, the H2 produces 2 mkg more (and even 5 for the R).
Above this engine, the airbox deserves your attention in more ways than one. With the pressure balanced by the compressor, it was out of the question to fit a plastic box like you see under every fuel tank. On the H2 and H2R, it's a highly rigid piece of aluminum. Inside, you'll find only the intake cones and a set of injectors (the other is positioned in front of the intake duct). The air filter has been relocated and is now positioned in front of the compressor.
These technical choices will surprise and excite the rider. While the H2, like its cousin the ZX-10R, delivers 200 horsepower, it's in terms of engine response that the former outdoes the latter. With its turbine, it's a much denser mixture that bursts into the cylinders. Kawa has announced an exceptional burst of power, as if a hypersport had eaten into the torque and availability of a 1400 ZZR. Let's put it simply: if you open the throttle wide, a ZX-10R accelerates while an H2 soars.

Beyond the supercharging and the engine's "well-filled" side, the Kawasaki H2 offers its own dimension of sport and extravagance. The H2 is aggressive in every way, differing from the H2R only in the fitting of the essential homologation components.
Beautiful or nasty, disturbing or exacerbated, furious, everyone will be attracted by this science-fiction plastic. A brute!
Since the H2R, the requirements for riding it on open roads have scratched away at its special features. The fins have disappeared, replaced by mirrors incorporating turn signals. A license plate holder had to be installed, and even he wonders what he's doing here. And where do the headlights fit in? Like a Cyclops, right in the middle of the face. Full LEDs, a lenticular optic, extended by two luminous canines, are in charge of lumens and photons. As for the single-arm, a refinement universally appreciated on pedigree machines and new to Kawa, it houses the same superb star rim as the H2R... shamefully semi-hidden by a huge exhaust. This needs to be removed immediately; well, apparently, there's an Akrapovic better integrated into the options catalog. But without this "gigantic" muffler, I'm not sure the authorities appreciate the high decibels - the H2R with its racing exhaust sends out 120 dB, the level of a jackhammer!
What also surprised everyone, and confirms that the H2 and H2R are exceptional Kawas, is the use of a tubular steel trellis frame. All Japanese sports bikes have been using an aluminum perimeter frame for a long time now. However, it was necessary to promote air circulation within the machine. Its geometry is slightly different from that of the R. Not much, but it's noticeable at this level. The wheelbase is 5 mm longer, from 1450 to 1455 (relatively large for a sports bike), the column angle is more narrow, 24.5° instead of 25.1°, and the headroom has been reduced from 108 to 103 mm. As for rigidity, there's nothing to worry about: the current structure is designed to take almost 330 horsepower. So with 200, you won't be bending a tube any time soon. What's more, it looks great, especially painted in Kawa green. The Akashi brand has developed a highly technical paint specially for the H2. A unique silver-mirror color with delicate characteristics. In the shade, the painted parts appear black-grey; in bright light, the surface becomes reflective and reflects the environment. Surprising!

More Öhlins on board? Yes, the steering damper comes from the renowned equipment manufacturer. It adjusts automatically, using on-board electronics. The forks are supplied by Kayaba. The H2 takes this opportunity to introduce the AOS II racing model on a road bike, based on the separate air/oil cartridge models used on motocross bikes. This 43 mm inverted element adjusts compression, preload and rebound from the top of the tubes. The rear amorto is attached to the Unitrack system and benefits from the same settings.
For the brakes, we go to Italy. Only Brembo brakes could decently fit a bike of this calibre. And the equipment is serious: large 330 mm discs with M50 monobloc radial calipers, aviation hoses, a Brembo master cylinder, and a 250 mm disc at the rear with double-piston caliper.

built like a stealth fighter, the H2 is packed with almost as much electronics. Here's a list of the standard equipment:
- KTRC traction control, with 3 modes (Track, Road, Rain)
- KLMC standing start assist, with 3 modes, to prevent wheelspin and limit wheeling
- KEBC engine brake management, also with 3 modes
- KIBS intelligent sport ABS, the same type as on the ZX-10R but re-parameterized. Its role is not limited to preventing wheel lock-up, but also to regulating and optimizing braking between front and rear. And now for cornering.
- KQS shifter, for lightning-quick gear changes.
- Electronic steering damper
The instrument panel doesn't give in to the full digital TFT LCD tablet trend... A no-frills digital screen, a big needle-type rev counter where the figures start with a moment of suspense, and a ring of symbols enclosing the whole. Sober, complete, elegant; although we were expecting a spaceship cockpit, given the machine's vocation.

With its 1000 Ninja H2, Kawasaki wants to give you a new experience, with acceleration sensations unheard of on any other sportsbike of this proportion. At the same time, you'll be able to make the H2R your own. At 238 kilos - the same as an R 1200 GS - this machine is no lightweight, but its vocation is not competition. It's designed to offer fantasy to its rider alone (the H2 only exists as a single-seater), unheard-of thrust everywhere, hard drugs on the open road. In fact, we had to wait for legalization... I'm sorry, the end of the 100-horsepower law... to be able to afford these bikes. As a result, "civilian" Ninja H2s only arrived in 2016. Kawasaki painstakingly builds them in a dedicated area of the Akashi factory, where each one is hand-assembled by a single person. For the most demanding, and for twice the price, the H2R will let you confuse the track with the stratosphere.

M.B. - Manufacturer's media