Kawasaki Ninja H2 – Built Beyond Belief
The Kawasaki Ninja H2 is the road going version of the engineering masterpiece, the Kawasaki H2R. For 2019 the power ahs been increased to an eye watering 236 BHP.
Although a toned down version with regard to power, the 200 Bhp that the Ninja H2 makes is completely different to any other machine you could possibly ride. It makes smooth but totally exhilarating power from idle. This engine just pulls and pulls and pulls all the way to the redline.
Somehow, Kawasaki have produced what is a beast on wide throttle openings to also being a pussy cat at low speeds and in town. Remarkably this is a rider friendly rocketship.
Utilising the latest New Uni-Trak, Öhlins TTX36 gas-charged shock with piggyback reservoir, the suspension compliments both the chassis and the powerful engine.
The electronics package that offers cornering ABS and traction control thanks to the latest developments by Bosch ensures that the Kawasaki Ninja H2 stays under control at all times.
The whole concept behind this bike was to build for a purpose. The bodywork being designed with optimised aerodynamics in mind. The detailed trellis frame with it's conical tubing being utilised to offer rigidity where required but also flexibility when deemed beneficial.
The supercharger that is completely built by Kawasaki is in itself a total work of art. The impellor is geared at 9.5:1 to the crank speed, resulting in it rotating at some 130,000 rpm when the bike is at maximum revs. It is this that is responsible for the huge gains in acceleration over any naturally aspirated or even RAM Air aspirated engine.
Kawasaki really have set a new benchmark in motorcycle engineering.
Why not take a look at our Accessorise My Kawasaki page where you can search for and buy genuine Kawasaki accessories for your H2.
In-house-designed Supercharger
The supercharger used in the Ninja H2 was designed by Kawasaki motorcycle engine designers with assistance from other companies within the KHI Group, namely the Gas Turbine & Machinery Company, Aerospace Company, and Corporate Technology Division. Designing the supercharger in-house allowed it to be developed to perfectly match the engine characteristics of the Ninja H2.
The highly efficient, motorcycle-specific supercharger was the key to achieving the maximum power and the intense acceleration that engineers wanted to offer.
Original-Design Wheels
Cast aluminium wheels were designed specifically for the Ninja H2.
Öhlins TTX36 Rear Suspension
The addition of Öhlins’ highly acclaimed TTX shock offers numerous rider benefits:
- Increased rear stability,enhanced cornering performance.
- Excellent damping, increased riding comfort and sportier handling
- Increased rider confidence on circuit.
- Superb feedback from the road.
- More stability at speed, and lane changes executed more easily.
- Around town, the supple suspension absorbs bumps with ease, adding to ride comfort.
KCMF (Kawasaki Cornering Management Function)
KCMF monitors engine and chassis parameters throughout the corner—from entry, through the apex, to corner exit—modulating brake force and engine power to facilitate smooth transition from acceleration to braking and back again, and to assist riders in tracing their intended line through the corner. On the Ninja H2, KCMF oversees the following systems:
- KTRC (including traction, wheelie and sliding control)
- KLCM
- KIBS (including pitching and corner braking control)
- Kawasaki Engine Brake Control
Bosch IMU
The use of Bosch’s compact IMU allows an additional layer of precision to be added to the already high-level KTRC, KLCM and KIBS.IMU enables inertia along 6 DOF (degrees of freedom) to be monitored. Acceleration along longitudinal, transverse and vertical axes, plus roll rate and pitch rate are measured.
Bank Angle Display
New instrument features include bank angle display and max bank angle recording function (possible thanks to the addition of the Inertial Measurement Unit)
Power Unit Designed to Withstand the 300 PS Output of the Closed-course Ninja H2R
Despite it’s familiar In-Line Four configuration, the Ninja H2 power unit is loaded with technology developed specifically for this supercharged engine: some new, others with know-how from the Kawasaki Group. Every component of the engine was chosen to achieve a certain function. In order to accommodate the higher air pressure from the supercharger as well as ensure a high reliability with the over 300 PS output of the closed-course Ninja H2R, the whole engine was designed to be able to handle stresses 1.5x to 2x greater than on a naturally aspirated litre-class engine. In fact, aside from its camshafts, head gaskets and clutch, the engine unit is exactly the same as the unit designed for the Ninja H2R.
Öhlins Electronic Steering Damper
At low speeds, the settings were chosen such that damping does not interfere with the bike’s intrinsic lightweight handling. At high speeds, damping increases to provide enhanced stability.
KQS (Kawasaki Quick Shifter)
The Ninja H2 was the first Kawasaki motorcycle to be fit standard with a quick shifter. For 2017, the quick shifter also enables clutchless downshifts.
Dog-Ring Transmission
To facilitate smooth, quick shifting, a dog-ring type transmission was selected. This is the kind of transmission commonly found in MotoGP or Formula 1, and was developed with feedback from the Kawasaki Racing Team.
Brakes
A pair of massive ø330 mm Brembo semi-floating discs with a thickness of t5.5 mm married with the excellent Brembo M50 mono bloc calipers they deliver superb braking force.
Aerodynamically-Designed Bodywork
It is no accident that when viewed from the side, the Ninja H2 does not seem to have the aggressive forward-canted stance of most modern supersport models. While supersport bikes use their front-leaning attitude to aid in quick steering, at the speeds for which the closed-course Ninja H2R was designed, such a posture would create drag that would hinder top speed aspirations. Instead, the stance is very neutral, almost flat—think Formula 1 car—to make the body as aerodynamically sleek as possible.
Hydraulic Assist & Slipper Clutch
A high-quality hydraulic clutch offers less maintenance, ensuring the initial touch condition can be maintained. And with Brembo components, superb linearity and smooth actuation are also benefits.
Boost Indicator
LCD screen uses a black/white reverse display (white characters on a black background), contributing to the high-quality image. In addition to the digital speedometer and gear position indicator, display functions include: odometer, dual trip meters, current mileage, average mileage, fuel consumption, coolant temperature, boost indicator, boost (intake air chamber) temperature, stopwatch (lap timer), clock and the Economical Riding Indicator.
Maximising Airflow Efficiency
All engines need to breathe. In addition to ensuring the engine has sufficient air, how the air is supplied is another concern. To maximise performance of the supercharged engine, airflow efficiency was of paramount importance. How air enters the supercharger, how the compressed air enters the engine, and then how the combusted fuel-air mixture is discharged were all carefully analysed for maximum efficiency and to ensure the airflow characteristics that would best match the desired engine character.
Suspension
On the front KYB AOS-II racing suspension makes its debut on an on-road bike. On the rear KYB fully adjustable mono-shock rear suspension offers superb stability
KIBS
Kawasaki developed KIBS to take into account the particular handling characteristics of supersport motorcycles, ensuring highly efficient braking with minimal intrusion during hard sport riding. It is the first mass-production brake system to link the ABS ECU (Electronic Control Unit) and engine ECU.
In addition front and rear wheel speed, KIBS monitors front brake caliper hydraulic pressure, throttle position, engine speed, clutch actuation and gear position. This diverse information is analysed to determine the ideal front brake hydraulic pressure. Through precise control, the large drops in hydraulic pressure seen on standard ABS systems can be avoided. Additionally, the tendency on supersport models for the rear wheel to lift under heavy braking can be suppressed and rear brake controllability can be maintained when downshifting.
ABS
Sudden over-application of the brakes, or braking on low-grip surfaces (surfaces with a low coefficient of friction) such as wet asphalt or manhole covers may cause a motorcycle's wheel(s) to lock up and slip. ABS was developed to prevent such incidents. Kawasaki ABS systems are controlled by high precision and highly reliable programming formulated based on thorough testing of numerous riding situations. By ensuring stable braking performance, they offer rider reassurance that contributes to greater riding enjoyment.
And to meet the special requirements of certain riders, specialised ABS systems are also available. For example, KIBS (Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System) is a high-precision brake system designed specifically for supersport models, enabling sport riding to be enjoyed by a wider range of riders. And by linking the front and rear brakes, K-ACT (Kawasaki Advanced Coactive-braking Technology) ABS provides the confidence to enjoy touring on heavyweight models. Kawasaki is continually working on the development of other advanced ABS systems.