Kawasaki Ninja H2R Unveil at Intermot 2014

Calling upon its decades of experience force-feeding air into everything from WW2 bombers to 310-horsepower Jet Skis, the new ZX-10R-derived H2R uses a centrifugal supercharger to extract “in the region of 300 horsepower” from the 998cc 16-valve four cylinder.



There was a bit of an embarrassing discrepancy between the horsepower claim for its last new ZX-10R, in 2011, so you can reasonably bet Kawasaki won’t be making any claims the H2R can’t live up to. The last 10R we dynoed made 162.8 hp at 11,900 rpm. A sealed ram-air duct leads to the supercharger inlet, which then shoves pressurized air into a big airbox. One fuel injector per cylinder is located below the butterfly in each throttle body. The supercharger, specific for the H2R application, was designed completely in-house, Kawasaki says.



Instead of the typical beam frame everyone expected, the H2 gets a steel trellis complete with single-sided swingarm. The trellis “provided both the strength to harness the incredible power of the supercharged engine, and balanced flex to help stability for high-speed competition riding.” The single seater is cloaked in what appears to be carbon-fiber bodywork adorned with various aerodynamic aids designed by Kawasaki Aerospace Company to keep the H2 land-bound and tracking straight with minimal drag. Mirror-finish black chrome paint was specially developed for this model.

And now for the big let-down you knew had to be coming: “The H2 is only available as a closed-course model. Fitted with slick racing tires, it may not be ridden on public roads and should only be ridden by experienced riders.” That would explain the lack of lights, then.


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