How exclusive?

7596 Views 24 Replies 14 Participants Last post by GoFaster, Dec 19, 2014

OKH2

Discussion Starter · Dec 15, 2014

What I want to know that no one seems to be able to tell me is whether or not is will this be the only opportunity to own an H2 or H2R. For now you can order between Nov. 4th and Dec. 19th, but what about next year? Will Kawi offer the H2 up again in the future? Will it end up on the showroom floor in the future?

I purchased a 2001 Mustang Bullitt thinking it was going to be somewhat exclusive since it was released and sold in limited numbers in 2001. Then Ford decided to make another run of them with the 2008 body style. Kind of ruined it for me and I ended up selling the Bullitt.

As of this past Friday 12/12, my dealer said no other Kawi dealers in the state of Oklahoma have ordered an H2 or H2R. If this bike is true on time purchase then I can only imagine the exclusivity of this bike.

Do you guys remember the BMW HP2? BMW only made that bike for like two years in limited numbers and it sold for around $22K. Pretty cool bike with a performance boxer motor. I considered buying one of these last year to replace a Hot Rodded Thruxton I had. They seemed to maintain their value well and are being ridden limitedly and taken care of by their owners a lot like the H2 will be.

So what do you think, is this a one time run for the H2 & H2R or will it be released again in the future?

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GoFaster

· #2 · Dec 15, 2014

You're asking for speculation, so I'll speculate.

If you want one of these in the form that you see it here ... this is it. Place the order this week or it's not happening.

BUT, the ZX10R is due for a makeover, and I think you will see elements of the H2 in the next ZX10R. But not the supercharger (doesn't fit the roadracing rulebook), and not the silver/black paint (too expensive), and not the single-seat arrangement, and not the single-sided swingarm (too heavy), and it will have some form of enclosing bodywork (roadracing requires oil-containing bodywork - OEM bodywork doesn't but it can be closed in and retain the same shape).

I'd say it's entirely possible that the next ZX10R will use a very similar (but not identical - lightened) engine, and maybe even the trellis frame, probably similar electronics, and will probably have styling inspired by the H2. But it won't be the same bike. The ZX10R will have to be lighter, by quite a bit.

Reactions: 1

OKH2

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 16, 2014

GoFaster said:
If you want one of these in the form that you see it here ... this is it. Place the order this week or it's not happening.

I hope you're right about that for sure. And agree that the technology is going to trickle down.

Greenguy

· #4 · Dec 16, 2014

OKH2 said:
I hope you're right about that for sure. And agree that the technology is going to trickle down.

Just an aside here...I talked with my dealer this afternoon...he did some more research with Kawasaki...there will be NO after order production runs for this bike.This is it...you get it now,or you don't get it...get it?

This is from SilverbirdH2 so maybe it is the only production year

OKH2

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 16, 2014 (Edited)

Outstanding! I was hoping that was the case, my dealer thought this was a one time run but no one at Kawi corporate would confirm. To me that makes the price for this bike even more reasonable.

Fireball36

· #6 · Dec 16, 2014

So, 4 bikes a day for how many days? Say 200 days - so total production could be as low as 800? Maybe even 400? Worldwide!

Not matter what, it's going to be a rare bike.

For reference they've built over 2000 Lamborghini Aventadors at a rate of 5 per day - but they build every day and continue to build them. Even right now.

I wish I knew when mine is coming!

Greg

SilverbirdH2

· #7 · Dec 16, 2014

4 bikes a day was only a 'guess'...we don't know how many guys are assembling these bikes at that factory in Japan.How long does it take to assemble one if the guy doing it(and will be)a professional...and faster than you know what.The Japanese are extremely suited for rapid assembling of things...motivated..they have a very keen ability to do things like this.I think they're putting out a lot more than 4 a day... and as for a number of how many overall....that's conjecture also...not bad...but conjecture.I 'heard'(read somewhere) at least 500 H2R's....as for the H2?No clue on this one.But probably a lot.Thousands?Possible.Europe is going gaga over this bike...

Turtle1000

· #8 · Dec 17, 2014

I think that even Ducati has stopped with the trellis frames. The twin spar and a newer way of using the engine itself as part of the frame. I kinda hope the next 10r has a twin spar.. I think the trellis is necessary for the heat of the h2. I have to get the gen 5 10r so getting the h2 when I already have a '13 gen 4... 😱

SilverbirdH2

· #9 · Dec 17, 2014

The trellis frame IS lighter than the twin spar...if I recall correctly..and this one is specifically designed for this motor's characteristics...not for a 998cc N/A bike.

Ryder

· #10 · Dec 17, 2014

Turtle1000 said:
I think that even Ducati has stopped with the trellis frames. The twin spar and a newer way of using the engine itself as part of the frame. I kinda hope the next 10r has a twin spar.. I think the trellis is necessary for the heat of the h2. I have to get the gen 5 10r so getting the h2 when I already have a '13 gen 4... 😱

That sure seems to be the way kawi should be expected to go.

Turtle1000

· #11 · Dec 17, 2014

SilverbirdH2 said:
The trellis frame IS lighter than the twin spar...if I recall correctly..and this one is specifically designed for this motor's characteristics...not for a 998cc N/A bike.

Yeah like I said heat was a/the major factor in the trellis frame being used with the H2s. Plus imo it woulda been harder to show off that sc with a twin spar

I'm not sure about weight but my guess is they would be fairly close. I have heard that they flex better and provide more/better feedback with the road but I have never personally ridden one

edinlr

· #12 · Dec 18, 2014

Exclusive, h'mm, guess it depends on how well the bike and the economy do. Think back to the turbo bikes of the early 80's. The big four all built bikes, but they all pretty much fizzled out, plus they were expensive. The idea of paying a lot for a 500 so you could get 1000cc performance at the 1000cc price did not compute. All these bikes were discontinued within two years and Honda gave away the bulk of their 650's. The economy crashing did not help either. We have seen a lot of limited production bikes since then. Think Ducati with their Hailwood models. BMW sort of does it, but this year's high dollar special model could easily be next year's standard. If Kawasaki could sell 1000 to 2000 of these, they may consider a stripped down semi-standard for $12,000 next year and maybe sell 10,000 of them. If it is a hit they will probably sell more, a dud.....probably last we will see.

Somefun

· #13 · Dec 18, 2014

Well from what I heard from my dealer they have sold 25 H2R's and not quite 200 H2's so regardless of the economy this bike will be a collectors item at some point. **** the first H2 sold for what about 2500.00 and now you see them on E bay for 11k.....that's a pretty good jump.

Reactions: 1

Bazza

· #14 · Dec 18, 2014

Trellis' are more conducive to limited scale manufacturing

als 15 h2

· #15 · Dec 18, 2014

Somefun said:
Well from what I heard from my dealer they have sold 25 H2R's and not quite 200 H2's so regardless of the economy this bike will be a collectors item at some point. **** the first H2 sold for what about 2500.00 and now you see them on E bay for 11k.....that's a pretty good jump.

It that quantity of 25 H2R's & 200 H2s for the World or only the Country where you reside.

Bazza

· #16 · Dec 18, 2014

UK has had its allocation bumped up, not sure what that says globally...

A Kawasaki spokesperson said that numbers are still limited but more H2s and H2Rs will be reaching UK shores, increasing the original UK allocation.

Martin Lambert, Communications and PR Manager for Kawasaki UK, added: ‘Such has been the interest in the Ninja H2 and Ninja H2R that the ordering window was slightly extended - in part due to the phenomenal response to the H2R rolling road feature at Motorcycle Live. As a result there is still some availability of the Ninja H2 model and a very small number of H2R machines un-allocated.

More Kawasaki Ninja H2s coming to the UK - Motorcycle news : General news - Visordown

ZX-14R_stealthrider

· #17 · Dec 18, 2014

The H2 just became "less" exclusive by one...

Just became $5000 poorer... Deposit made.

December 18th, 2014 is the last day for secure ordering in Canada.

Reactions: 2

NinJAHfu

· #18 · Dec 18, 2014

ZX-14R_stealthrider said:
The H2 just became "less" exclusive by one...

Just became $5000 poorer... Deposit made.

December 18th, 2014 is the last day for secure ordering in Canada.

Good to know we have one more future owner on this thread

Do you know what position at you're at, at the dealer you placed your order at?

Reactions: 1

ZX-14R_stealthrider

· #19 · Dec 18, 2014

NinJAHfu said:
Do you know what position at you're at, at the dealer you placed your order at?

Currently, I'm #3 .

Don't want the bike till mid-to-late May 2015... waiting for the better weather and since I have the 3 other SuperSports.

OOgnirts

· #20 · Dec 18, 2014

Bazza said:
UK has had its allocation bumped up, not sure what that says globally...

More Kawasaki Ninja H2s coming to the UK - Motorcycle news : General news - Visordown

Is that marketing lingo for: crud we did not sell the allotment yet. Let's make people think these are selling well to entice others to buy and extend the timeframe so we can sell out the allotment?

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