Kawasaki Ninja H2R

The Kawasaki Ninja H2™R is the ultimate performance motorcycle, built using state of the art technologies with cooperative development across Kawasaki’s high-performance motorcycle, aerospace and gas turbine divisions. Since it is designed exclusively for closed-course use, the Ninja H2R is a pure exercise in pushing the limits of technology. The result is the most powerful, distinctive, brutally functional and modern motorcycle ever offered. For those ready for the ride of a lifetime, the Ninja H2R will propel them like no other production motorcycle can.

The launching point for the development of the Ninja H2R was a strong desire to offer riders something they had never before experienced. The bike needed to deliver intense acceleration and an ultra-high top speed, coupled with supersport-level circuit performance. The H2R has fully encapsulated what it is like to ride a Kawasaki Ninja.

Vehicle

The Ninja H2R is a closed course riding use only model and is not manufactured for use on public roads, streets or highways. All usage of this vehicle should be limited to riding on a closed course.

ENGINE

The Kawasaki Ninja H2R engine had to be compact and produce high horsepower for intense acceleration comparable to, or exceeding, that of a MotoGP machine. A supercharger was deemed necessary, but not just any existing supercharger would do. The collaborative effort across Kawasaki’s engineering divisions resulted in a highly- efficient supercharger that didn’t require an intercooler to reduce the temperature of the air being fed to the engine.

Engine designed to handle stresses 1.5-2 times greater than a naturally aspirated engine of the same size.

Crankshaft inertial moment was made as low as possible and combined with a lightweight flywheel for quick engine response. The relatively light rotational mass also contributes to quick handling characteristics.
Dual secondary balancers assure extremely low engine vibration.
Connecting rods balance strength and weight, and have a large big-end and bolt diameter for strength and durability in the high-output environment.
Cast pistons offer better strength over forged pistons for the very high temperatures generated by the engine. The unique casting process creates hollow areas to achieve idealized thickness with reduced weight.

A V-groove on the second piston ring land prevents top ring fluttering for reduced blow-by and oil consumption.
Two oil jets per cylinder help cool the pistons. One nozzle sprays the entire underside of the piston dome, while the other concentrates spray on the exhaust side of the dome bottom.
Large, deep-sump oil pan helps cool oil. Oil pan design ensures the oil pump is always surrounded by oil to prevent cavitation. Additionally, the unique angled shape and position of the oil strainer also helps prevent cavitation during strong acceleration and deceleration.
High-flow oil pump contributes to oil cooling and has a high flow rate to provide optimum lubrication to the engine and transmission.
Flat piston crown and combustion chamber design applied from Kawasaki’s Gas Turbine & Machinery Company to prevent knocking.
One-piece cylinder/upper crankcase utilizes dummy cylinder head during honing process for more precise cylinder dimensions, which allows use of low-tension piston rings to reduce mechanical loss and boost engine response.
Machine-formed combustion chamber helps achieve high power and helps prevent engine knock due to precisely controlled chamber volume.
The cylinder head has a water jacket between the exhaust ports of each cylinder, large cooling passages around the spark plug holes and valve seats, and a large coolant outlet for optimum cooling performance.
High-lift camshafts with wide valve overlap timing help increase performance.
Exhaust valves have heads made of Inconel, an extremely heat-resistant alloy, and heat-resistant tapered stems. Stainless steel is used for the intake valves.
Polished intake ports with idealized shape combined with straight exhaust ports that do not converge in head help boost power.

Supercharger

Kawasaki designed and built centrifugal-type supercharger has a pumping capacity of more than 200 liters of air per second with intake air reaching speeds of up to 328 feet per second, at a maximum 2.4 times atmospheric pressure.
Planetary gear gets driving force from the crankshaft and spins a 69mm impeller, specially designed using Kawasaki Gas Turbine and Aerospace technology, up to nearly 130,000 rpm.
Since the supercharger design is highly efficient, compressed intake air is minimally heated so no intercooler is necessary.

Carbon fiber ram air intake duct feeds the supercharger fresh air through a non-woven fabric filter in as straight a line as possible to help provide high output.
Aluminum intake chamber between supercharger and throttle bodies helps radiate heat to keep intake air cool. Stainless steel nets positioned over the intake funnels promote fuel misting from the secondary fuel injectors to further cool the intake charge and increase filling efficiency.
ECU-controlled blow-off valve regulates pressure gain in intake chamber when throttle is closed to prevent impeller surging and abnormal vibration.
48mm titanium header pipes taper from eliptical-shape which match dual straight exhaust ports to round, and combined with the straight-pipe silencer with glass wool packing create ideal exhaust pressure for the engine characteristics.

Digital Fuel Injection

50mm throttle valves operate with high precision to help provide smooth engine response. The system also enhances input to S-KTRC and accommodates the Kawasaki Launch Control and Kawasaki Engine Brake Control features.
A high-pressure fuel pump is utilized to enhance high output from supercharger.

Moto GP Inspired Clutch/Transmission

Compact clutch has 10 friction plates to help handle the enormous torque generated by the engine and Kashima coating on the housing and hub enables clean disengagement and increased durability.
Back-torque limiting “slipper” clutch used to help reduce rear wheel hop when downshifting.
Hydraulic clutch actuation achieved through Brembo radial pump master cylinder for smooth actuation and superb linearity.
Cassette-style transmission facilitates quick gearing changes.
Dog-ring transmission uses MotoGP technology in which the gears are fixed to the input transmission shafts and rings move to engage the gears on the output shaft. The result is lighter shifting, improved feel and quicker shifts.
Transmission oil jets at every gear mesh and shift fork position provide direct cooling and exceptional lubrication for high durability.
Contact-less potentiometer-type quick shifter for quick upshifts that enable seamless acceleration.
Downshift function within the Kawasaki Quick Shift (KQS) system allows clutchless downshifts when the throttle is fully closed.

ELECTRONICS

KAWASAKI NEXT LEVEL ELECTRONICS FOR THE TRACK

Kawasaki’s cutting-edge electronics have always excelled on the track due to the highly sophisticated programming that gives the ECU an accurate, real-time picture of what the chassis is doing using minimal software. With a Bosch IMU and the latest evolution of Kawasaki’s proprietary dynamic modeling software, the Ninja H2’s electronic management technology is next level, changing from setting-type and reaction-type systems to feedback-type systems. This greater capacity helps assist riders experience the Ninja H2’s full potential, on the track.

Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)(KP)

The IMU measures inertia along 5 axes: acceleration along longitudinal, transverse and vertical axes, roll rate, and pitch rate. The yaw rate is calculated by the ECU using Kawasaki’s patented software to provide six-axis chassis attitude input of lean angle and acceleration/deceleration force for more precise management of the electronic riding aids.

The IMU allows KTRC to incorporate more feedback to help maximize acceleration when exiting corners on the track.
Unlike competitors’ systems that have pre-set limits,

Kawasaki’s proprietary race-developed software enables the Ninja H2™R to have a dynamic system that has a higher level of chassis awareness and adapts to changing track conditions such as rider inputs, vehicle attitude, and pavement conditions.

Kawasaki Cornering Management Function

Corner Management Function uses both KIBS and KTRC to assist racers trace their intended line through a corner on the track by suppressing the tendency for the bike to stand up while braking in a turn. The IMU helps the system maintain optimum hydraulic pressure based on the bike’s lean and pitch angles.

Kawasaki Launch Control Mode (KLCM)

Designed to assist the rider by optimizing acceleration from a stop, KLCM electronically controls engine output to help prevent wheelspin and thereby minimize front end lift when launching from a standstill.
Riders can choose from three modes, each offering a progressively greater level of intrusion. Each mode allows the rider to launch from a stop with maximum throttle operation.

Kawasaki Traction Control (KTRC)

Multi-level modes offer riders a greater number of settings to choose from, with each mode providing a different level of intrusion to suit riding conditions and rider preference, and all modes are designed to manage output when a sudden slip occurs.
Riders can choose from three modes, each offering a progressively greater level of intrusion. Each mode has three additional rider-selectable levels, adding more or less intrusion, for a total of nine possible settings. Riders may also elect to turn the system off.
Modes 1 and 2 are tailored for circuit riding, while Mode 3 settings were optimized for more slippery conditions. Each mode has three sub-settings that allows fine tuning for specific riding conditions.
Using complex analysis, the system moniters traction conditions. By acting before slippage exceeds the range for optimum traction, drops in power can be minimized, resulting in ultra-smooth operation.

Kawasaki Engine Brake Control

The Kawasaki Engine Brake Control system allows riders to select the amount of engine braking they prefer.
When Kawasaki Engine Brake Control is activated (by selecting “LIGHT” in the settings), the effect of engine braking is reduced.

CHASSIS

The chassis design had to have the strength to harness the great engine power while being able to handle external disturbances at track speeds. Additionally, a relatively short wheelbase was required to maintain sharp handling and performance. Finally, the chassis had to help dissipate the heat produced by such a high-output powerplant.

Trellis frame is made of high-tensile steel with pipe diameter, thickness and bend of each piece carefully selected to obtain the necessary stiffness for that part.
Ideal rigidity balance enables high-speed track riding while providing the ability to absorb external disturbances to facilitate stability.
Slim frame design and horizontal mounting of the die-cast aluminum rear sub-frame helps keep seat narrow and contributes to an easy reach to the ground for the rider’s legs.
Open design of trellis frame allows air to pass through it to help dissipate engine heat.
Swingarm mounting plate is bolted to the back of the engine to make it part of the frame. This eliminates frame cross members to help keep the frame light and enables the chain tension generated by the high-output engine to be efficiently transferred to the rigid engine block.

Suspension

Uni-Trak® linkage rear suspension system provides progressive action to the KYB rear shock so that small bumps are damped lightly and large bumps get heavy damping for a smoother ride and better steering and handling.
The H2™R utilizes a single-sided swingarm. Composed of forged and pressed aluminum parts, it is highly rigid and light weight.

Öhlins Shock

Equipped with an Öhlins TTX36 shock featuring a machined cylinder body, TTX GP-style damping adjusters and remote preload adjuster. The shock enhances cornering performance, is supple for riding comfort and sporty handling, contributes to a planted front end feel, and provides superb feedback from the track.

The patented shock features a unique concentric twin tube design and a solid main piston that only moves the oil in the shock cylinder. Damping generating components are all located at the top of the shock cylinder between the cylinder head and reservoir. The simple construction allows shock components to be lighter and more compact, ensures very consistent damping performance and prevents cavitation.

Since the shock construction makes it difficult for cavitation to occur, gas pressure is about half that of a standard shock so that lower tension seals can be used for reduced friction and smoother shock action.
Separate channels connect the compression and rebound valves to their corresponding side of the main piston, allowing completely separated adjusters for compression and rebound damping. This helps with suspension set-up since changing one damping setting will not affect the other.
Compression and rebound damping are each 22-way adjustable using the high-quality, machined finish TTX GP-style adjuster knobs that can be turned by hand or with an Allen key.
Remote hand-turn preload adjuster makes it easy to adjust settings without using tools.

Kayaba AOS-II Forks

Fully adjustable with compression and rebound damping and preload adjusters, all located on the fork caps for easy setting changes.
Kayaba AOS-II (Air-Oil Separate) 43mm fork features twin chambers to separate the damping oil from air for more stable damping performance. The fork provides smooth initial action and strong bottoming resistance at the end of the stroke.
DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating on the inner tubes reduces stiction for improved fork response and helps prevent wear.

Electronic Steering Damper (ESD)

Steering damping characteristics are changed electronically. At low speeds, the settings were chosen so that damping does not interfere with the bike’s intrinsic lightweight handling. At higher speeds, damping increases to provide enhanced stability. Using input from the rear wheel speed sensor (provided via the engine ECU) the electronic steering damper’s ECU determines the vehicle’s speed as well as the degree the bike is accelerating or decelerating to provide just the right amount of damping.

When entering low-speed corners, steering is light and neutral. Entering high-speed corners, ideal damping levels that help riders to set the bike on the line of their choosing.
The enhanced feeling offered by the electronic steering damper helps reduce rider fatigue.
During strong acceleration or deceleration, damping is increased to provide enhanced performance.
Features Öhlins’ special twin-tube design that ensures stable damping performance even under racing conditions, and provides superb kickback absorption.
The damper’s high precision construction and use of an integrated clamp help minimize friction as the damper piston moves so that initial motion is very smooth.

Brembo® Brakes with Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System (KIBS)

Radial mounted 4-piston front brake calipers feature Brembo sylema monobloc calipers with four opposed 30mm pistons that clamp huge 330mm Brembo discs for superb braking force. The outer edges of the discs have grooves down the center of the outer edges to help dissipate heat.
Brembo radial pump master cylinder and reservoir are calibrated so that very little lever movement achieve strong front brake force.
KIBS high-precision anti-lock brake system provides smooth feedback and minimal lever pulsing for added braking confidence.
The engine ECU communicates with the compact ABS ECU (which monitors wheel speed and front caliper hydraulic pressure) to provide highly precise brake pressure control. The high precision control means brake performance is not reduced due to excessive pressure drops and there is a more consistent lever feel instead of sharp lever pulses felt with conventional ABS systems.
Rear brake features Brembo caliper with two 32mm pistons that clamp onto a 250mm disc.
Cast aluminum wheels are specifically designed to enhance handling and are shod with Bridgestone VO1 superbike slicks for circuit use only.

Aerodynamic Bodywork

Functional design enhances stability on the track and maximizes engine cooling performance.
Upper fairing is made of carbon fiber to make it as light as possible.
Upper cowl incorporates a chin spoiler to help create downforce for added high-speed stability. Air scooped by the chin spoiler is deflected to the sides through special air passages to reduce drag.
Downforce is also created by a dual-blade winglets on the side cowls and additional wings on the upper cowl, designed by Kawasaki’s aerospace division.
Compact side cowls leave the engine almost entirely exposed and when combined with the trellis frame makes it easy for hot air to escape for better heat dissipation.
Stepped front fender design helps direct airflow to the radiator to help cooling.
River mark emblem on the front of the cowling represents Kawasaki performance heritage and the

Aerodynamics

Upper cowl winglets have strake and dogtooth extensions to generate vortices that help suppress front lift at high track speeds, create more downforce if the front does lift and help direct wind away from the rider.

Cockpit

Riding position optimized for high-speed circuit riding. Compared to the Ninja® ZX™-10R, there is less forward lean, slightly wider handlebars and 10mm more forward-positioned footpegs.
Solo seat is tapered at the front to facilitate touching the ground and wider at the rear for rider support and comfort. Compact rear cowl has adjustable side hip supports to help brace the rider during intense acceleration.
Advanced, fully digital meter design and analog tachometer with rpm numbers that light up to chase the tachometer needle as it moves. All meter functions are controlled from the compact handlebar switches.

Instrumentation

Lean angle added to the display and boost pressure display is updated to show both segments and boost percentage for better visibility of changes in boost pressure.