Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/963756
2018 KAWASAKI NINJA H2 SX SE FIRST TEST P112 Opening the throttle on the H2 SX SE is damn impressive, period. Fast? Even more so than you might think. The front end of the SX is fitted with a set of fully adjustable 43mm KYB forks, which provide tons of feel and support under any condition. The heart of the Ninja H2 SX is a supercharged 998cc engine. Kawasaki put a large amount of effort into tuning its power characteristic to make it worthy of everyday riding. supercharger's unique chirping under deceleration. Keeping the Ninja H2 SX's beastliness in check is a whole host of electronic rider aids, all of which are selectable via the full LCD display that lies aside the analog tachometer. A Bosch five-axis IMU (with a sixth yaw axis added through Kawasaki's own proprietary soft- ware) and ride-by-wire throttle enhances the precision of the motorcycle's KTRC (Kawasaki Traction Control) system as well as the KIBS (Kawasaki Intel- ligent Braking System), which acts as a corning ABS unit. The KTRC is available in three modes aboard the SX— Mode One allowing lofting wheelies and little intervention against wheelspin, Mode Two slightly drawing back the rowdi- ness of the SX's powerplant, and Mode Three being de- signed to handle wet or slippery conditions. In its transition from hyper- bike to everyday rider, the Ninja H2 SX's chassis also got some significant changes. The motorcycle's wheelbase is 30mm longer than that of its H2 siblings, thanks to the single- sided swingarm being extended by 15mm as well as the steer- ing head being pushed out by another 15mm. These changes—in addition to a slightly lower center of gravity due to the engine being titled forward another two degrees— help stabilize the SX's chassis and eliminate the need for a steering damper. In addition, the chassis' rigidity has also been increased to handle the added load of a passenger and optional hard luggage. There's two versions of Ninja H2 SX; the standard model priced at $19,000 and the upper-spec SE version at $22,000. The jump in cost be- tween the two models is due to the number of premium features the SE gets, including a Launch Control mode, up and down quickshifter, TFT color dash- board, LED cornering lights, and rims with machined spokes among other bits. MASTER BLASTING ON THE H2 SX SE Kawasaki's press launch for the Ninja H2 SX begins in Rancho Santa Fe, California, a place where high-end automobiles out-number the residents and money trees line the streets.