Japanese firm brings back the boost, with the Kawasaki Ninja H2 supercharged superbike returning to the UK market. £52k 300bhp H2R track bike also available to order now…
Is it really more than ten years since we first saw the Kawasaki Ninja H2? It surely is: 2015 was the first year it went on sale, and while it didn’t quite have the broad impact some expected, it’s been the jewel in the crown of the Japanese firm’s line up since.
A high-tech 999cc inline-four engine with a built-in mechanically-driven supercharger made well north of 220bhp in a gorgeous superbike chassis complete with trellis-type frame and single-sided swingarm.
Euro emissions regs killed the H2 off for a while in the UK and Europe though: it went off sale in 2020, with the last version a Euro 4 compliant design only.
For 2027 though, the blown beastie is back, with a new Euro 5+ engine, a bit less power, but new Brembo HyPure brakes and the same sweet styling package.
Kawasaki says that the motor now has more midrange – never a problem on the boosted litre bike to be fair – but peak power is now down to 208bhp. There’s been a hefty update inside: the engine has new pistons, cylinder head, cylinder, crankshaft and camshafts, there’s a completely redesigned supercharger impeller, intake and exhaust systems, updated throttle bodies and tweaked gearbox ratios.
The new exhaust system features optimised pipe diameters and a redesigned pre-chamber layout and compact silencer, which Kawasaki says is lighter, and contributes to increased low to mid-range torque. The spec looks similar to the H2SX sport tourer engine which has stayed on sale, so we imagine the motor is now essentially the same as on that bike.
On the chassis front, we keep the steel tube trellis frame and single-sided swingarm, with KYB AOS-II forks up front and an Öhlins TTX36 monoshock out back.
The new Brembo HyPure brakes with 330mm discs are a solid upgrade, and you get the full set of Kawasaki electronic rider aids too: KCMF (Kawasaki Cornering Management Function), KTRC (Kawasaki TRaction Control), KLCM (Kawasaki Launch Control Mode) , KIBS (Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System), KQS (Kawasaki Quick Shifter), Kawasaki Engine Brake Control and cruise control, as well as an Öhlins Electronic Steering Damper.
There’s also a new LCD colour dashboard setup, with two selectable display types. Type 1 features a layout inspired by the silhouette of the air ducts, while Type 2 features enhanced boost and aviation-inspired lean/attitude displays.
Weight is still the downside of the chonky H2 though: it’s around 40kg fatter than the best current litre superbike (a 218bhp BMW M1000 RR is 194kg wet) at 238kg wet.
If the standard machine isn’t fancy enough, you have a couple of options. The limited-edition Ninja H2 CARBON is once more available featuring a carbon-fibre upper cowl made from high-rigidity, lightweight CFRP (Carbon-Fibre Reinforced Plastic), while the truly loopy can opt for the 300+ horsepower track-only Ninja H2R – still available on an order only limited-edition basis.
Kawasaki says the H2 will be arriving in the UK in limited numbers at the end of this year: speak to your local Kawasaki dealer as soon as possible to find out more about grabbing one. The Ninja H2 is priced at £28,600, the Ninja H2 Carbon will cost £31,350, and the H2R £52,000.
More info: www.kawasaki.co.uk.