VOLUME 57 ISSUE 8 FEBRUARY 25, 2020 P85
In addition, the intake and exhaust are
model-specific, and the fueling map and
final drive gearing were revised to em-
phasize the low- and mid-speed focus.
These revisions mean that peak torque is
achieved 1000 rpm lower than on the SX.
The motor is just as powerful, but the lack
of wind protection makes the experience a
bit more dramatic.
Even with all of that, the most signifi-
cant difference is the price. The H2 costs
$29,000. The H2 SX SE will set you
back $25,000. But the Z H2 is by far the
cheapest way to get yourself a produc-
tion supercharged motorcycle, as it costs
"just" $17,000. That's not cheap, but it's
a bargain compared to any other ~200hp
naked sportbike.
H2 VS. Z H2
The result is a motorcycle that's much more
forgiving than you might expect. Ito-san calls
it "friendly," which sounds like a stretch for
a supercharged supernaked that makes
197 hp/101 lb-ft of torque and weighs 527
pounds, but he's not wrong. When it comes
to these power figures, tractability is much
more important than an additional horse-
power or two. The Z H2 delivers on that
front thanks to good fueling (despite a tiny
hiccup when you're closing the throttle)
and a suite of electronics with a laundry list
of acronyms: KTRC, KCMF, KIBS, KLCM,
KQS, KECC. Simply put, that alphabet soup
lets you know that a Bosch IMU is manag-
ing traction, braking, launch control and
even how high you're allowed to wheelie to
Far from being a straight clone of the H2 frame,
the Z H2 trellis frame is all new.
