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and all other electronic aids.<br />
Interestingly, Sport and Road<br />
share a throttle map, which is a<br />
sporty pairing well suited with<br />
the H2’s personality. At higher<br />
rpm, a bit of abruptness can be<br />
felt when initially closing the<br />
throttle, though it doesn’t upset<br />
the chassis. TC is bumped down<br />
to the lowest setting in Sport,<br />
giving you plenty of leeway;<br />
Road reigns it in a bit. Rain cuts<br />
power and softens the throttle<br />
considerably, while also jacking<br />
up TC to its maximum settings.<br />
Rider mode allows the owner to<br />
customize the Z to taste.<br />
6. A full suite of IMUsupported<br />
electronics is<br />
standard on the <strong>2020</strong> Z H2. As<br />
linear and easy to control as the<br />
supercharged engine is, it’s still<br />
good to have state of the art<br />
technology watching over your<br />
shoulder. Standard features<br />
assisted by the six-axis<br />
Bosch IMU include cornering<br />
ABS, three-level lean-angledetecting<br />
traction control,<br />
wheelie control, slide control,<br />
cruise control, and launch<br />
control. Also, three power<br />
modes are available—Full (full<br />
power), Middle (75 percent<br />
power), and Low (50 percent)<br />
let you tailor the maximum<br />
output to your needs.<br />
7. Let’s crunch the numbers<br />
and dive into the electronics.<br />
Kawasaki approaches the Z H2<br />
with a mind for simplicity and,<br />
while that strategy restricts<br />
certain types of adjustment, it<br />
isn’t something I’d be critical<br />
of as this isn’t a track-focused<br />
motorcycle. Still, the Z H2 is a<br />
street bike, so I want things to<br />
be as easy as possible. ABS is<br />
paired with the selected ride<br />
mode and works quite well.<br />
I tested this in a chicane set<br />
up on the oval track, slowing<br />
from 160+ mph, down to a slow<br />
2nd gear corner. ABS engages<br />
under extreme braking, but it<br />
won’t make the lever go numb,<br />
“Overall, it has a more compliant chassis feel to<br />
it. It isn’t as stiff as a ZX-10R or as soft as the H2<br />
SX SE sport tourer...”<br />
preventing you from slowing<br />
properly. The three-level TC<br />
also integrates WC; they are<br />
not adjustable separately.<br />
TC levels 1 and 2 let you loft<br />
the front under a power<br />
wheelie for quite a while, and<br />
intervention is progressive<br />
throughout each setting.<br />
8. An all-new steel trellis<br />
and swingarm are unique<br />
to the <strong>2020</strong> Kawasaki Z H2.<br />
One of the most significant<br />
challenges facing Kawasaki<br />
engineers was the steel trellis<br />
frame. They needed it to be<br />
strong enough to handle<br />
the power and weight of the<br />
platform, without making it<br />
too stiff or uncompromising<br />
for the road. To solve that<br />
issue, an all-new trellis frame<br />
was developed, along with a<br />
stronger, yet lighter doublesided<br />
swingarm. In practice, the<br />
Z H2 communicates everything<br />
to the rider nicely, and is a<br />
neutral handling machine with<br />
updated geometry figures,<br />
when compared to its cousins.<br />
The Z H2 boasts a tighter, more<br />
sporting 57.3-inch wheelbase<br />
than the H2 SX platform, but<br />
a slightly relaxed 24.9-degree<br />
rake for improved stability.<br />
9. Fully adjustable Showa<br />
suspension takes care of the<br />
rough stuff. There is a 43mm<br />
SFF-BP fork with a linkageassisted<br />
shock. Together,<br />
they do well to soak up most<br />
of the bumps and bruises of<br />
the road, featuring an initial<br />
setup that leans towards the<br />
comfortable side. Cranking the<br />
spring-preload and damping up<br />
will have you feeling too much<br />
of the road for my taste. While<br />
that’s good for high-speed or<br />
heavy braking, I opted for a more<br />
casual setup off-track. It doesn’t<br />
make the Z H2 as pointed as I<br />
experienced on the road course<br />
and oval while going flat out, but<br />
is far more pleasurable on the<br />
mean streets.<br />
10. The Z H2 is downright<br />
gentlemanly when it comes<br />
to handling. Overall, it has<br />
a more compliant chassis<br />
feel to it. It isn’t as stiff as a<br />
ZX-10R or as soft as the H2<br />
SX SE sport tourer, striking a<br />
solid middle ground between<br />
them. It comfortably leans<br />
onto the edge of the tyre and<br />
transitions well, with no real<br />
effort being exerted on the<br />
bike. The Z H2 doesn’t steer too<br />
quick or too slow. It has just the<br />
right amount of sportiness for<br />
a spirited pace, and is surefooted<br />
on the edge of the tyre.<br />
There is some suppleness to<br />
the chassis, and I attribute that<br />
to its hefty 527-pound curb<br />
weight. Regardless, it never<br />
gets out of shape when hitting<br />
big compression bumps.<br />
11. Brembo M4.32 calipers<br />
keep the shiny side up.<br />
Kawasaki opted for dual<br />
Brembo 4-piston M4.32<br />
calipers to clamp onto the<br />
RIDEFAST MAGAZINE MARCH <strong>2020</strong> 6 3
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