Known as the “green” brand amongst motorcycling enthusiasts for its striking and omnipresent green livery of the bikes, Kawasaki has been at the technological forefront amongst the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers; delivering some of the most powerful and sharp two-wheelers on the planet. The Ninja marquee is associated with motorcycles that evoke the classical elements of the dreaded Japanese Ninja – fast, agile, and ruthless against the competition; and the highlight of the marquee is their flagship product, the Kawasaki Ninja H2.
Exteriors and Styling
The Kawasaki Ninja H2 is a mean machine being focussed on the streets, unlike the ZX-series Ninja counterparts that are more geared to scorch racetracks; and it is visible in its styling. The H2 has combined the look and seating position of a sports bike with the feel of a tourer – it is neither as sleek as the former and nor as bulky as the latter. What Kawasaki did with the H2 is provide ample carbon fibre to the entire bodywork, from the large and aggressive front fairings to the exhaust intakes on the front below the twin-split headlamps, Kawasaki had shifted from its trademark lime green towards a more darker look, with black being the primary colour and green taking up the accents to create a futuristic design, reminiscent of a bike that a superhero would ride. The rear tail lamp LED cluster is similar to other Ninjas such as the Ninja 250 and the Ninja ZX-6R, but is more angular in nature, with straight lines dominating the aesthetic throughout. The huge metallic exhaust on the right side is definitely one that belongs to a street bike, creating a muffled roar when you rev the throttle.
Engine and Performance
The Kawasaki Ninja H2 has one of the most impressive engines strapped between your legs. It is one of the few street-legal bikes with a supercharger, and the engineers at Kawasaki have developed it from the ground up, taking the help of the company’s aerospace division to create a one-of-a-kind engine coupled with a supercharger but lacking an intercooler, thereby reducing the weight to a large extent. The 998cc motor has a total power of about 326bhp, a number, while being short of those superbikes having a racing lineage such as the Kawasaki ZX-10R or the Yamaha YZF-R1; is enough to propel you to the front of the pack on any street. The supercharger gives the bike an additional impeller which rotates at 9.2 times the crankshaft speed, generating an enormous 130,000 rpm, when the engine is maxed out at 14,000rpm.
On the electronics front, the Kawasaki Ninja H2 is loaded to the hilt with every possible electronic wizardry to ensure that the performance is smooth and stable while allowing you to jump past any vehicle easily. The Kawasaki Traction Control, or KTRC has three distinct modes – Track, Street and Wet, which lets you control how the power is delivered from the engine to the wheels. An add-on mode, called Rain is available separately, which can limit the power delivery of the engine by half. The Kawasaki Launch Control Mode is the company’s superior stability system while starting the bike from zero velocity. It prevents excessive wheel spin and prevents wheelies off the mark, so you can extract the maximum out of the supercharged bike from a standstill for a faster getaway. On open roads the two systems work in tandem, creating a stable and fast-paced performer under various conditions.
Final Verdict
The Kawasaki Ninja H2 has some of the best build quality coming out of the top four Japanese manufacturers, with enough power to move the bike from standstill to 200mph without batting an eyelid! With its aggressive looks, aggressive power delivery across the first few gears, and boasting of a supercharger in a street-legal vehicle; the H2 is the perfect buy for those who love to show their need for speed!
