Kawasaki’s supercharged Ninja H2 is a winged beast

There are bikes that go fast, bikes that go very fast and bikes that take a special kind of insanity to contemplate, let alone build. The Kawasaki Ninja H2 belongs in the third category. Powered by a 998cc 4-cylinder supercharged engine, the H2 is capable of producing a stupendous 200 PS of power. That makes it the fastest two-wheeled machine that you can legally ride on Indian roads today.

Hard though it is to conceive, the H2 is a toned-down version of an even faster bike- the Ninja H2R, which produces a full 100 PS more than its relatively tame street sibling. Kawasaki tweaked the exhaust and added a muffler to reduce noise levels and also removed the aerodynamic fins mounted on the fairing to minimize the possibility of maiming fellow road-goers

“Most of the time, we just build the kind of bikes that we want to ride,” said Shigeto Nishikawa, the Deputy Managing Director of India Kawasaki Motors, trying to explain the thought process that went into the production of the H2.“With these bikes, there was no compromise on targeted performance.”

The supercharger, which is more commonly found in aircrafts, is what gives the H2 its fearsome power. Built using design inputs and technologies from Kawasaki’s aerospace and hydraulics divisions, it allows the H2 to go from standstill to 100 kmph in about 2.5 seconds. The bike also features a steel trellis frame and single sided swingarm, which allows it to remain incredibly stable and comfortable to ride even at breakneck speeds. Electronic driver aids like launch control, engine brake control, electronic steering damper and a nine-stage traction control are also thrown in to help the rider cope with the bike’s frenetic engine.

The H2 is available as a completely built unit imported from Japan at an ex-showroom price of ₹ 29.2 lakh and will be sold through exclusive Kawasaki showrooms across India.

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