A road legal version of the incredible and rather monstrous Ninja H2R has been unveiled at the EICMA 2014. Dubbed the H2, it is a detuned version of the Japanese manufacturer’s supercharged rocket on two-wheels, the H2R, that was unveiled last month.
This more ‘sedate’ version’s 998cc in-line four supercharged mill has been detuned from 300bhp to 200bhp but thanks to the ram-air intake has a power figure of 210bhp. It has undergone only a few minor changes to comply with emission and noise regulations. This engine has been mated to a six-speed sequential box.
It shares the same trellis frame with the H2R which the company says, will provide sharper handling as well as high speed stability. The front and rear get a KYB suspension with fully adjustable shocks while stopping power comes courtesy 330mm dual discs in front and 250mm disc at the rear.
Adding to the aerodynamic stability are the specially shaped mirrors as well as the chin spoiler. Kawasaki has also fitted a quick shifter and an Ohlins electronic steering damper. In terms of electronics net, the H2 gets multi-level traction control, launch control and ABS.
One of the newer features of the H2 is that it has been coated in a chemical solution of silver-ions and a reducing agent to form a layer of pure silver. This allows the bike to look black in the shade but have a mirror finish effect in the light.
The Kawasaki Ninja H2 and the track- only H2R represents a major leap in superbike design and power figures. The company says that it could have used a larger engine to achieve the same output but this for all obvious reasons would have added a lot of mass to the overall package leading to a completely different set of problems.
We expect that this is the future of bike design and it’s only a matter of time before other major manufacturers latch onto the trend.
