Kawasaki H2R The Monster of SuperBike
The numbers only tell half the story. Driving a monstrous and supercharged Kawasaki Ninja H2 or H2R is something we can hardly define in words.
While Kawasaki's mechanics remove the heating blankets, two brand new Bridgestone V01 Slicks appear. But they will not last long. Is that on top of them is the new Kawasaki H2, the first series production bike that uses a compressor. With the H2, Kawasaki combined the wisdom of the various divisions of the Akashi group, whether at the level of aeronautics, as well as at the level of compressors, materials, and technologies.
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The result of this ambitious project is the H2R track only with its 310 hp, from which the H2 road version with 200 hp is derived. It is true that other manufacturers have already used turbos instead of compressors on production bikes. And the current "thousand" easily reach 200 hp. But a compressor had never been used in this way, especially when it offers a torque curve that is so linear that it reaches 133 Nm. This is why the compressor has been incorporated in the construction of this engine since its inception. Thus, the cooling and lubrication systems are integrated into the engine. Cold air is sucked through a channel on the left side of the engine, so an intercooler is not required.
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"The turn of your life," was how Martin Lambert, communications director for Kawasaki, referred to H2 the night before the test in Losail. Perfect! But first, I discovered that H2 even offers a nice "work environment." The handles are 10 mm higher and fixed 10 mm further forward than the ZX-10R. The seat allows good range of movements and the rear section of this adjusts to 15 mm to better fix us in acceleration. The clutch is so light that we hardly realize that we are in command of a monstrous motorcycle. In the first few curves, caution still prevailed. With the transmission passing all the power to the rear wheel, between 6,000 and 8,000 rpm these Ninjas seem to be all the same as a "normal" sporty 1000cc. But then the fun starts! The "Kawa" begins to inhale and breathe out deeply. The acceleration is enormous, inexhaustible, regardless of the speed at which we are going. We are accompanied by a whistling of the compressor and the sound of the discharge valve when we reduce the accelerator.
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The violence of the engine pulls the tire and the rear bumper to the maximum, and we feel the rear give way to the unbelievable pressure exerted on it. The way this engine reaches its peak performance is amazing, as it has a massive force but at the same time is extremely smooth. In such a gentle way that we often reach the limit of 14,000 rpm without realizing it and then, in a hurry, we try to change the box to the next ratio using the "quick shift" to continue our way in Losail. After a few laps, I started to see 299 km / h at the end of the finish line.
The brake "cocktail" consists of discs 330 mm in diameter, four-piston Brembo calipers and radial pumps that can withstand the strength of the H2, back to back, without denoting fatigue. The braking power means that we do not have a "bite" too fierce, because the touch is doable and progressive, without losing effectiveness. Despite its 238 kg full, the Ninja H2 likes to attack aggressive trajectories. It may not be as refined as a ZX-10R, but in the case of the H2, what is sought is pure, hard brutality. So we have amazing speed, stability, agility enough for aggressive trajectories, but also, and maybe it's one of the characteristics that makes H2 "around your life," an aggressive accelerator. If we are too bold, the bike jumps forward too fast, and the front rises toward the sky.
The H2R arrives: Before the technicians put the machines to work, earplugs are distributed. So ... an infernal symphony begins. With a barbaric sound emanating from the full titanium exhaust system, the H2R wakes up for life. My guts shake with every spin up and compared to that, even a MotoGP box is quiet. To the palms of the perspiration, I feel a lump in my throat. The first lap on the track is done with more caution than usual. But even slowly, I quickly realized that the H2R has a much more powerful "hammer" than its sister. In H2 the air inlet is only made by a channel, while in the H2R both "nostrils" inserted in the front are wide open to let in fresh air. The camshafts are different, different head gaskets, the aforementioned racing exhaust system, and an ECU with injection maps release the full potential of the four-cylinder engine.
Then I reach the goal line for the first time, and then the "hammer" decides to fall with all its force! The compressor starts rotating at 9.2 times the crankshaft speed and operates at a maximum pressure of 2.4 bar. The compressor sucks 100 liters of air at a speed of 100 m / s. That is five to ten times more air than what goes into a natural aspiration engine. I am catapulted to the front in an impressive way, and even a MotoGP will find it difficult to accompany this Kawasaki in a sprint duel. At its maximum speed, the CNC machined compressor runs at 130,000 rpm, far more than the speed of sound. And it is at the speed of sound that we feel at the controls. With the heart beating hard, we do not have time to look at the pit wall, nor look away to the left or right. The gaze is fixed on the braking point. Of course, I get the brakes too soon. But even so they are already marked 320 km / h on the speedometer! The H2R remains stable in the brakes, with the rear wanting to "dance" a little.
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But fortunately the sliding clutch, together with the adjustable engine brake, can digest all this. The constant murmur and whistling of the compressor are the perfect soundtrack to the madness that happens in the straight lines. H2R is notoriously more accurate, more stable and more direct than H2. Suspension adjustments are slightly tougher, which, together with the less than 22 pounds, greatly improve handling, accuracy, and feedback. The throttle response is a bit softer, but the traction control is always doing "overtime" at each corner exit. It took me two or three laps until I hit the braking points and calm my nerves along the goal line, and then I could see on the dashboard 332 km / h! From here I was pulling on the H2R and felt the ABS disconnectable (not disconnectable on the H2) to tighten the brake lever once or twice. In the "closed door", I discovered that the H2R has already been measured at more than 370 km / h.
This engine is a "beast" that wants to roar out loud at every opportunity. All normal braking points stop working on this bike, and it was impossible to make a full turn without getting your heart to beat harder. The tubular frame in steel holds up with the greatest efforts. It is elegant and has a slender silhouette. In functional terms it allows better heat dissipation of the engine when compared to a double aluminum frame, whose beams contain the heat inside, and therefore the radiator can be relatively small. In addition, this painting reveals welds, partially made by hand, which are a feast for the eyes. The H2 and H2R are the embodiment of the purest construction art. In fact, the process of building these bikes is wonderful. This engine integrates Kawasaki's first detonation sensor, and the cylinders are designed to withstand twice the explosive load of a naturally aspirated engine.
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The exhaust valves are composed of a steel shaft to which a valve has been added in Inconel, a nickel and chromium metal alloy. This is the only way the engine can withstand the stress of the electronic-controlled start-up control system or the adjustable engine brake or the Öhlins electronic steering damper or the traction control using a variety of sensors to limit slippage about. The traction control can withstand most of the time the sliding of the rear, but it is inevitable that, at the exit of the turns, we are offered with one or another "slide". Therefore, the pilot should always keep an eye out. And you should also be aware of the "horsepower", because the engine rises very fast, too fast for the traction control system to intervene before the front wheel rises to the sky, and therefore H2R requires greater sensitivity the throttle. The H2R is pure madness. Martin Lambert was right: it's the turn of our life ... and there's nothing like it!
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