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Kawasakis Supercharged Future?

13K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  Rick150 
#1 ·


You guys have already begun to speculate on what Kawasaki intends to do with the H2 moving forward. We think Kawasakis next move is more about the technology then the H2 itself.

Back in March it was quietly announced that Kawasaki had trademarked the "Ninja R2" name in Europe along with several variations in Japan.

The trademark case details don't tell us terribly much. We do know that it was first registered in August 2013 and it was registered by KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA (doing business as KAWASAKI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.)

KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA is the same name that applied to patent both the Turbine and the Supercharged Engine

Granted, a name isn't much, well we went looking for a bit more. Turns out KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA registers all KHI's high profile, high tech patents. We feel it is significant that the trademark has been registered by KHI itself and not their subsidiary Kawasaki Motors Corporation, which is perfectly capable of applying themselves.

We're not quite sure what this all means, but we are positive that Kawasaki is interested in getting more mileage out of their breakthrough technology.

Japanese magazine Young Machine recently published a report claiming that Kawasaki is working on a lower spec version of the H2, called the R2. The idea is logical as it would allow Kawasaki to retire the H2 and H2R as bonafide Halo bikes, while still able to capitalize on the technology. In the same issue YM also mocks up the rumored 650cc supercharged Ninja S2.



If you asked us we would tell you that we think Kawasakis biggest opportunity with Superchaged technology is in SE Asia where consumers are constrained by punitive displacement laws restricting most riders below 250cc. A supercharged 250cc Ninja would satisfy that markets growing taste for powerful and fast bikes without breaching the displacement bracket.

Regardless, Kawasaki is expected to show one or both of the Ninja R2 and S2 at the Tokyo Motor Show at the end of October. Stay Tuned.
 
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#5 ·
My wife has a ninja650 and its being a twin cylinder is a lot lighter than the FZ1 she rode before it. If you decided to put that SC on any bike that you don't intend to make insane power I think you could keep things plenty light. A new case with mount the SC itself a drive chain and gears so maybe 20-30 lbs max?

If they do it we will be welcoming a lil sister S2 to the H2 family :)
 
#9 ·
Too much codine and time means too many whack ideas at the mo. Google images Eric Offenstadt kawasaki,,,that floats my boat. toying with taking the air intake to the rear , yes I will loose 10hp but that can easily be re found. that will free the front of duct work and that awkward air tube running along the bike. This would enable a very small frontal area, strangely the original headlight has survived. Early days
 
#10 ·
I can't imagine a smaller displacement s/c bike being a success. The extra weight and cost will quickly offset the power boost. The small bikes usually have fairly high compression to help max the power. When you lower the compression on a 250 or 600 down to 8.5:1, the bike will be a real slug until the boost starts. I own the old 500 & 650 Honda turbos and the boost lag is noticeable until it builds rpms. The Kawa 750 turbo was pretty much a dog at low rpm too. As an engineering design it may be a great idea, but as a commercial success I have my doubts.
 
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#11 ·
I remember riding the old GPZ 750 Turbo and I was very impressed with it back in the day and I don't remember it being a "dog " at low revs , maybe a bit laggie but very fast .
I do agree with you that a small engine capacity supercharged bike would not be successful . I think that's why the 1980s turbo bikes only had limited success as why would you buy the 750 Turbo from Kawasaki when they were making at the same time the GPZ 1100 making the same power and without the added complication of the turbocharger? Would you really buy a 500cc supercharged bike when you could just buy a normally aspirated 650 cc bike ?

For me the only place for Turbo and supercharges on bikes is on super bikes / high end ,special bikes .
 
#12 ·
I remember riding the old GPZ 750 Turbo and I was very impressed with it back in the day and I don't remember it being a "dog " at low revs , maybe a bit laggie but very fast .

It may have been awhile since you rode one, trust me, those low compression bikes were dogs on the low end. I hate riding them in the twisties as the power is still unpredictable. A high-compression, twin with lots of torque is the best, but a lightweight four is a close second.
 
#20 ·
i rode mine 2 weeks ago.....trust me its no dog...completely stock unrestored..only mods is race mode enabled and a small hidden blow of valve higher fuel pressure.great bikes one of my favs:)
 
#13 · (Edited)
But this in not a turbocharger and at idle SC is already spinning 10k rpm's which means the air box already has positive pressure. The way I see it a 500 twin with SC is a 600 off idle and by the time its at red line its pumping air through like a 1000 and very linearly. I think it will be less about raw power and more about efficiency and low weight for the masses. with the engineering and manufacturing these days it wouldn't shock me if it was less than a 500 twin very light and getting great mileage. yet still give you a rush like a 2 stroke when its really wound up tight. I'm excited to see what Kawi comes up with.
 
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#14 ·
Kawi, I understand about the difference between the s/c and turbo. I can't help but think that the engineers and marketing guys forgot their history and want to try boosted horsepower again. I doubt the added complication, extra parts, extra weight, etc. will offset any advantage of a n/a 600. There is virtually no cost difference between building a 500/4 vs a 750/4, but adding a supercharger costs a bunch more. These bikes will never be sold in the quantities of n/a bikes, so they have to charge more to offset the development costs. It is one thing to build an ultimate 1000 and charge $25,000, but how many people would pay a huge premium to have the ultimate 250-500-600? Not me, just too small of a market.
 
#15 ·
but that market may exist where access to larger bikes is restricted. For example in Malaysia if you buy bigger then a 250 you're hit with 40% in taxes IIRC.

There could be a huge opportunity there, AFAIK the Japanese are making money hand over fist in those regions, NA is quickly becoming the second fiddle to SE asia in terms of moto sales...
 
#16 ·
^ ...And with a mass market production costs go down exponentially. The SC research has been done now so how do you recoup that cost? you sell a bunch of them. The SC as a bolt on part with a drive chain and sprockets to me is very simple. if those relatively simple components replace 2 pistons, rings, bearings. rods, valve-trains ...etc. You can basically cut the engine in half that is a lot of stuff to delete. So maybe a 250/2 can hang with a 750/4 if you could wrap it up to 14k rpms or more all day long? I could be totally wrong But I agree there is opportunity that the Japanese usually excel at.
 
#17 ·
Kawi, again I don't disagree with you on the possibilities. I for one am just nutty enough about these things that I will probably buy one and probably one of the Suzukis if they bring out a 600 size bike. I agree with the other post about 250cc limits and other sizes. I guess I am thinking more of the environment in the US where the insurance companies just rub their hands with glee when they hear the word "supercharged". I'm not sure that anyone recoups their development costs on turbos or superchargers short of selling a 100,000 units. To me it seems it would be much easier to chop two cylinders off of a an R1, S1000R, or a zx10R and add Showa or Sachs forks, in-house brakes, decent tires and then sell a 100 hp twin that weighs about 325 to 350#. Last, a 250 would not sell in the US in any kind of quantity. Too many people see that as a beginner's bike. The only way they can ever sell small bikes again is if they go back to the format we had in the 60's and 70's and offer cheaper 90's, 175's and 250/350's. They could easily out source those to China or India to keep costs down. A $999 Honda 90, or a $1500 175 would start the ball rolling again.
 
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