Kawasaki Ninja H2R

The Kawasaki Ninja H2R is the Japanese brand’s flagship bike, but it's not a road-legal bike. Rather, track-only, since it doesn’t have bits like a headlight, tail light, indicators, and rearview mirrors. It trades off the latter for winglets. Which, along with the rest of the fairings, are made of carbon fibre. All in the interest of making the Kawasaki Ninja H2R one of the fastest bikes in the world! And that performance came at a price - almost Rs 80 lakh when it was on sale in India. The H2R is a showcase of Kawasaki’s engineering prowess, and their show of might, if nothing else. 

Kawasaki Ninja H2R Engine

The H2R is powered by a supercharged 998cc inline-four engine that makes 310PS (326PS with RAM air intake) at 14,000rpm, and 165Nm at 12,500rpm. That makes it the most powerful production bike in the world, and has a claimed top speed of more than 300kmph, in its stock configuration. However, it’s not just the engine that helps it do that. 

Kawasaki Ninja H2R Suspension, Brakes, And Other Details

The H2R has top-shelf equipment like the Ohlins TTX36 gas-charged rear shock with complete adjustability. And it not only goes fast, it stops fast – dual 330mm discs up front with Brembo Stylema Monobloc calipers, and a 250mm disc at the rear with a Brembo 2-piston caliper. Even with all the equipment, the Ninja H2R weighs in at just 216kg (kerb). It has a 17-litre fuel tank, that should last a decent number of laps of your favourite circuit before it needs to be refueled. That said, being a track bike, it has a ground clearance of just 130mm. It has a relatively tall seat height of 830mm.

Kawasaki Ninja H2R Features

With great power comes great responsibility, and the Ninja H2R helps the rider be safe with its expansive rider aids kit. Apart from basics like cornering ABS and cornering traction control, the bike has complex aids like cornering engine brake control, slide control, wheelie control, and not to mention, launch control. All intended to make the H2R the perfect track weapon. 

Kawasaki Ninja H2R Design

The Kawasaki Ninja H2R looks quite similar to the road-legal Ninja H2, except body parts needed for road riding. Its carbon-fibre bodywork has a unique silver mirror paint scheme that has a premium-looking mirror-like shine. All the bodywork shape on the bike is intended to make the bike more aerodynamic. 

Kawasaki Ninja H2R Competition

The Kawasaki Ninja H2R is not an everyday motorcycle – in every sense of the word. It is built to complete only one objective – being the fastest motorcycle around a circuit. Its closest rivals are the Ducati Superleggera V4, the Aprilia RSV4 X, and the BMW M 1000 RR.