2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle Review Specs Price

Today’s article concerns the 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle review. The Isle of Man TT was won in 1936 by a BMW Type 255 Compressor, demonstrating the reliability and speed of supercharged motorbikes against its rivals. Super and turbocharged motorcycles would have become the norm, not the exception if the FIM’s Killjoys hadn’t banned the forced inclusion of road racing after World War II. At the time, winning the race guaranteed the manufacturer success at the dealership, but the new rules discouraged further study and development on the subject. It would take forty years for turbochargers to take over the mantle of forced induction and start a new race.

Forced induction engines returned to popularity in 1978 when Kawasaki’s Z1R-TC became the first motorcycle in semi-production to be turbocharged. Other manufacturers quickly developed a plethora of new turbocharged vehicles and followed suit.

However, the era of turbocharged motorcycles was short-lived due to large, inefficient intercoolers and constant turbo lag, which required intuitive throttle management to manage their inconsistent power output. Another forty years would pass before Kawasaki finally figured out the forced induction mystery and unveiled its first supercharged Ninja H2 in 2015. The continued success of the H2 lineup suggests that blowers are here to stay.

2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle – Features and Specs

A Supercharged Kawasaki Inline-Four Engine

With the help of its Heavy Industries Aerospace branch, Kawasaki created a surprisingly simple centrifugal supercharger with a planetary drive that solved the puzzle of forced air induction. When air is compressed in a forced air system, it is heated, loses some of its oxygen content, and undergoes combustion. This is why an intercooler is needed to cool the air before it enters the engine.

Kawasaki’s outstanding thermal performance is critical to its creative design. The 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle’s supercharger achieves super-fast acceleration without needing an intercooler, giving the H2 series a distinct personality while adding significantly less weight or complexity.

The 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle’s 998cc, liquid-cooled, 16-valve, inline-four engine and centrifugal blower, inherited from its Ninja H2 cousin, were returned to reduce peak horsepower from 228 to 197. It increased the mid-range performance. Sacrifice maximum speed. Remember that this is a bare horse with no bubble to hide from the wind, for those wringing their hands and mourning the death of thirty-one mighty horses.

Even if the 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle doesn’t match the 205 horsepower of the 2023 BMW M 1000 R and loses the title of most powerful to Ducati’s new Streetfighter V4 SP, it’s still more potent than the KTM 1290 Super Duke R, Aprilia’s Tuono V4. It can generate power. , and over thirty other bikes.

However, the feeling the H2 gives its rider is specific to its constant torque band. Torque starts to ramp up at 3,000 rpm and then plateaus like a desert mesa until 8,500 rpm, reaching a class-leading 101 pound-feet. Regardless of gear, the Z H2 feels ready to go.

A chamberless exhaust system, updated cam profiles, and race-bred engine parts contribute to the 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle’s impressive low-mid-range performance and increased fuel efficiency. The 40mm separate throttle bodies controlled by the ECU provide an incredibly smooth throttle response.

Racing Genes

The Z H2’s dog-ring gearbox, developed for the Kawasaki factory racing team, allows for an extremely compact design and quick gear changes. That helps Kawasaki center the 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle’s mass, which, at 529 pounds wet, is considerably heavier than many of its competitors.

Although the dog rings don’t require a synchromesh to work, their quick shifter (which includes an auto clipper) allows for surprisingly smooth clutchless operation. You won’t hear the unmistakable sound of a dog ring until you short shift. Using a slipper clutch reduces rear wheel chatter, often during forced downshifts.

Unique to the model, the 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle’s steel trellis frame pivots to a lightweight cast aluminum swingarm and houses the engine as a compression element, lowering the bike’s center of gravity. Angles forward. A Showa Unitrack mono shock with a piggyback reservoir and a fully adjustable Showa SFF-BP fork handles the suspension for the essential Z.

Dual 320mm discs, radial-mount Brembo M4.32 calipers, and a single-pot caliper and 260mm disc at the rear handle braking. Kawasaki’s intelligent anti-lock ABS or KIBS is standard equipment.

Proactive Technology

Kawasaki’s most advanced electronics package is available on the 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle. According to Kawasaki, the Z’s next-generation ECU evolves away from static/reactive technology to live-data-driven, active systems capable of creating a real-time data map of what the bike is doing. This is made possible by the latest iteration of Bosch’s five-axis IMU and its proprietary modeling software.

The H2 features Intelligent Traction Control, Launch Control, Cornering Management System, and Intelligent ABS that reduce the bike’s tendency to stall during mid-turn braking. Using real-time IMU data, the anti-paint soiling system (my term, not Kawasaki’s) determines and maintains ideal hydraulic brake pressure based on the bike’s lean and pitch angles.

Three preset rider modes—Sport, Road, and Rain—integrate with various rider aids to give different features and levels of intervention. User-defined parameters are possible with the fourth rider option. Combined with three power settings—Full, Middle, and Low—Rider modes provide approximately 100%, 7%, and 50% power, respectively.

A full-color TFT display with two presentation modes and wireless smartphone connectivity does all that data. Electronic cruise control completes the list of amenities offered by the base model. An SE version of the Z H2 is available for riders looking for the ultimate in technical wizardry.

At The Pinnacle of Performance

Our 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle test model has improved brakes and suspension. The SFF-BP fork and Uni-Trak gas-charged mono-shock are controlled by Kawasaki’s Semi-Active Electronic Control Suspension (KECS) system, which integrates Showa’s Skyhook EERA electronic damping and compression software. Preload is electrically tunable from the cockpit, and the KECS system uses IMU data to adjust compression and damping in real time to match riding mode selection and road conditions.

The SE variant also features a Brembo master cylinder and dual radial-mount, four-piston Brembo Stylma calipers. The latter clamps a pair of semi-floating 320mm discs. The rear is handled by a 250mm disc and a two-piston caliper.

Fast Doesn’t Cover This Kawasaki Z

The 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle’s ergonomics are pleasantly laid back. The wide, high bar is easily accessible, and even though the pegs are tall compared to the seat’s 32.7-inch height, I had no trouble bending my knee, even if I had to find a comfortable place to put them. It was challenging to do. Being six feet two inches tall, I discovered that my natural knee posture was forward of the gas tank scopes.

All my knee woes vanished as I embraced the meanest member of the H2 lineup, whose uniqueness is unparalleled. Kawasaki’s exceptionally smooth inline-four and remarkable supercharged powerband give the Z H2 electric-like characteristics. Acceleration is quick and remarkably soft, even at low RPMs, while the insane sound array adds to its futuristic feel.

I threw on the throttle and found enough open road to shift through the gears. There was a brief pause as the supercharger spooled up, followed by a loud screech from the air intake and gut-wrenching, vision-obscuring acceleration. A semi-active system engaged the front wheel and maintained the 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle’s attitude while clever traction control applied power smoothly and steered a cheeky wheel.

The tractor beam feels the shear forces propelling the bike, so prepare to stick tightly. The Z’s precise handling and good front-wheel feedback add confidence when navigating backroads and weaving between turns. When braking in curves, the superchargers snarl like creatures from Jurassic Park and deliver endless power.

Without control, power is meaningless. The electronics package of the 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle is designed to instill confidence in its customers while delivering outstanding performance. Because of its gentle tune, the new Z generates unlimited amounts of useful oomph, perfect for tearing down local canyons or setting lap records on the racetrack. However, he still has more horses than most of us can or brave enough to take down.

The 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle’s electronics, which are compatible with nearly all of its systems and adaptable to a variety of riding styles, allow riders to make the most of their pony, whether they Regardless of the term level chosen by The Z H2’s distinctive character, superb handling, advanced technology, and solid build quality offer a remarkable value for the base model’s $18,500 price tag. However, it needs to be lighter, and its cluttered design won’t appeal to everyone. However, the extra $2,200 spent on the Showa Skyhook/KECS system installed in our tested SE model is more than justified.

2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle – Pricing and Color Options

The only color combination of the 2023 Kawasaki Z H2 is Metallic Phantom Silver and Metallic Carbon Gray, complemented by a bright red frame and wheels, and has an MSRP of $18,500. The Z H2 SE we tested has an MSRP of $20,700 and is available in Metallic Matte Graphene Steel Gray and Ebony with Kawasaki Green accents.

2023 Kawasaki Z H2 Sports Motorcycle – Technical Specifications

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