Kawasaki's Supercharged Sport Touring Bike

I personally think this would be an incredible bike for long day trips or quick over-nighters. Kudo's to Kawi for bringing it to market. $22K is a lot, but there are a lot of other bikes out there that cost that much without nearly the tech this thing has. I'd love to ride one sometime!

https://www.motorcycledaily.com/2018/03/2018-kawasaki-ninja-h2-sx-se-md-first-ride/

From another article: "Between 10,000rpm and the red line at 12,000rpm, it sometimes makes a chirping sound. According to Kawasaki that’s the tips of the supercharger rotor blades breaking the sound barrier."

Now that is some sick engineering....

Sounds like very impressive performance, and somewhat of an actual bargain, bang-for-the-buck wise. But it looks a little odd to me, and those saddlebags are uglier than 50 miles of dirt road on a rainy night. BUT, I sure would like to take one for a little jaunt..........

We looked at one at the Canadian bike show and I will have to say it looked pretty darn good. I have enough trouble keeping my drivers license with the FJR so I think that bike would get me in big trouble. But it sure would be fun.

I sat on one at the Progressive show in January, and made the appropriate vroom vroom noise, and found the ergos better than expected. I don't think it would comfortable for me for a 300 mile day, but I wouldn't hesitate for a test ride if offered one. I also sat on new Gold Wing at that show and it had very nice ergos for me. I'd like to test ride one of those too.

I called Kawasaki and asked to arrange a demo ride, but no can do! I'm just not into laying down 20K for a bike I can not at least test ride for a few miles. On the other hand, I have bought a new bike in the past without a ride and that has worked out well.

Eagle Six, this review mentions the bike's similarities with the ZX14R, looks like you've got that bike so should be an interesting read. Please just buy one and tell us what it's really like

https://www.visordown.com/road-tests-first-rides/first-ride-kawasaki-ninja-h2-sx-se-review

I hate the color and the bags look girlish. No offense Wendy.

About the only thing that green belongs on is a soda can.

Dave

Putting a couple of cheesy looking bags, a center stand and some electronic do-dads on a sport bike doesn't make it a "sport-tourer". Not saying it wouldn't be a hoot to ride (I'm sure it would be) but it couldn't trade places with a FJR.

I think I would love to have one - for about a day! And maybe another day after I got my driver's license back.

Niehart said:

Niehart: We looked at one at the Canadian bike show and I will have to say it looked pretty darn good. I have enough trouble keeping my drivers license with the FJR so I think that bike would get me in big trouble. But it sure would be fun.

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And the ergos fit me very well, thank you!

--G

Spud said:

Eagle Six, this review mentions the bike's similarities with the ZX14R, looks like you've got that bike so should be an interesting read. Please just buy one and tell us what it's really like

https://www.visordown.com/road-tests-first-rides/first-ride-kawasaki-ninja-h2-sx-se-review

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"Please just buy one and tell us what it's really like", that's what I am seriously thinking, but without getting my hands on one, the comparison between it and my ZX14R just aren't stacking up very well. The smaller liter size engine and supercharger are intriguing to me, but not the maintenance. As a liter bike it looks smaller, should weigh less and that I like. But when I compare the specs, not so much. The wheel base, rake & trail, seat height, curb weight (my ZX14 is 50 lbs lighter than stock and my ZX14R is 25 lbs lighter than stock) are so close to the H2 SX SE that there is little advantage of the H2 over the 14. I do like the added ride control electronics and ABS (both my ZX14's lack ABS. I'm not in love with ABS, but it is nice to have I suppose). The extra mileage isn't a factor for me in my area and riding style. So, until I can see one up close it is easy to talk myself out of it. However, next month I will venture to the Phoenix Metro to have some maintenance done to my 06' ZX14 and while there I will be contacting all the Kawasaki dealers to hopefully locate a live H2 SX in the showroom. They are not going to let me test ride it, but I should be able to at least sit on it, and sometimes that is all it takes. Fortunately (or unfortunately!) for me there are plenty of Wells Fargo bank branches I can access my account for the cash if I get overwhelmed with impulse buying!!

I rode with, but not on a friends H2 last year. What a cool bike, you will have one after Phoenix

08FJR4ME said:

I hate the color and the bags look girlish. No offense Wendy.
About the only thing that green belongs on is a soda can.

Dave

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So sorry to disagree with you on that point.... 3 years in a row WSBK champion - looks OK to me

Spud said:

"Between 10,000rpm and the red line at 12,000rpm, it sometimes makes a chirping sound. According to Kawasaki that’s the tips of the supercharger rotor blades breaking the sound barrier."

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Too bad Yamaha couldn't think of something like that a few years ago to explain away those tickers. :lol:

Russ, I don't think those two bikes are the same color, unless one of those pics is filtered a lot. So I'm agreeing with 084ME on that. And agreeing with RossKean about the "sport tourer" designation. With that hunched-over windscreen? Naaaah.

I'm pro green also, I love the color. And whether it's a sport-touring bike--- so you take a sportbike, give it upright ergos, add luggage, put on a centerstand, give it heated grips, add a bigger windscreen, and get "that's not a sport touring bike!"

I know shaft drive would be nice, but what more does it take? Trailer hitch? Wouldn't be my choice to drone on a freeway all day, but I'm sure for a lot of riders it would be more than comfy enough to knock out a couple back to back 3 or 4 hundred mile days. But then I also find the stock FJR seat OK...

Spud, Spud, Spud.... what you forget is on the H2 you can knock out a hundred miles of the boring flat stuff in like what? 25 minutes?

That H2 Green is the bees knees.

On closer inspection I'd agree that it may not have the same metallic finish, but I still think green is OK for a "real" motorcycle!

I'd roll that green bike and laugh like an idiot the entire time. It looks fast enough to be fun enough!!

You can't link directly to it, but there is a drop down menu that is "sport touring capability" under the pic. Mentions a few things including electronic cruise control, which I didn't realize it also had. Also a 5 gallon tank, which is respectable. With one-key hard bags, heated grips, cruise, and decent range, I think this bike would be really fun for solo overnighters.

https://www.kawasaki.com/Products/2018-Ninja-H2SX-SE

RossKean said:

Putting a couple of cheesy looking bags, a center stand and some electronic do-dads on a sport bike doesn't make it a "sport-tourer".

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Actually, Ross, that is exactly what defines a Sport-Touring bike. The original ST bikes were in fact sport bikes with bags. While many of us think the FJR and its ilk are the definition of ST, they are really pretty far over into the Touring side of the category.
That said, I prefer the riding position and comfort the FJR provides over more sporty ST bikes, even if it means giving up some performance.