RideFast Nov 2019

N E W K A W A S A K I Z H 2
SUPERCHARGING
AHEAD!
OK freaks, here’s your naked,
supercharged Kawasaki Z H2.
Design Concept: SUGOMI & Minimalist
The styling of the Z Series flagship Z H2 was shaped according to its
SUGOMI & Minimalist design concept. Its dynamic crouching form,
which calls to mind a predator poised to attack, and the asymmetric
Ram Air intake on its left side are elements of its fiercely intense
and highly individualistic SUGOMI design. Its compact chassis is the
product of a minimalist design philosophy, with all functional parts
shown simply, without flourish, and made as small as possible.
Conversely, the prominent display of the new steel trellis frame its
aluminium pivot plate only underscores their importance – both
functionally and as styling elements. Finally, when discussing the
Z H2’s styling, the significance of the Kawasaki River Mark emblem
displayed on the headlamp cowl should not be forgotten. Its use,
an honour permitted only for machines powered by supercharged
engines, confirms the Z H2 as a flagship model.
Kawasaki has
finally dropped
the supercharged
super-naked it’s
been threatening to
unleash for several
months now. The Z
H2 melds the looks of
recent Kwaka nakedbikes with the
197-horsepower lunacy of the blown
H2 motor, and it’s not for the timid.
Unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show,
the new Z H2 will be an absolutely
wild machine to ride. We still giggle
to ourselves, sometimes in public,
thinking of what the original H2 did
to time and space when we held
the throttle open. The first half of
the tacho was butter-smooth and
manageable, and the top end was a
crazed slingshot rush of lunacy.
Well, the Z H2 (terrible name, by
the way), has had its motor slightly
remapped from the way it appeared
in the H2 SX, resulting in a good thick
dollop of extra torque below about
7,000rpm, and a slight dip in power at
about 8,500rpm before the slingshot
action kicks in to take you to the same
197-horsepower peak just before the
redline. At this point, you’ll either hit the
standard quickshifter for another wild
race to the redline, or button off for a
breather and enjoy the chittering chirp
of the supercharger winding down.
As far as looks go, it’s probably
about what you’d expect, retaining the
Transformer robot looks and gogglelike
headlight mask of bikes like the
recent Z1000, but beefs up the frame
with extra lurid green trellis lines. The
H2’s signature mirrored grey paint
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