A modern road bike needs modern tyres, and they don’t come more modern than the 204bhp Kawasaki Ninja H2.
This monster of a machine from Japan is a real game changer, and to keep all that power under control, Kawasaki chose to fit Bridgestone’s latest Racing Street rubber, the Battlax RS10, which uses technologies derived directly from their MotoGP race tyres.
But surely, despite all the hype, and all that power, the Kawasaki Ninja H2 is just a normal motorcycle, right? Well, to put that notion to the test, MCN sent Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves to Geneva and back for a quick European tour.
The first thing Michael noticed in their August 12th edition was how uncomfortable the riding position was for covering any kind of distance. Sportsbikes are not exactly renowned for the levels of comfort they offer, but the H2 apparently takes that to a whole new level. Thankfully the fuel warning light comes on every 85 miles or so, giving him regular opportunities to catch his breath.
When you take the discomfort out of the equation, the Kawasaki is amazing to ride. All that power sees it accelerate in the high gears, the way a normal sportsbike would in first or second. The bike comes into it’s own in the big, sweeping turns of the Jura region of France, and eats up the miles on the A-roads at unbelievable speeds.
“In high-speed, sixth gear sweepers nothing offers the same kind of stability as the H2″ says Michael. Its long 1455mm wheelbase (30mm longer than a ZX-10R’s) makes it unflappable and on these kind of roads the suspension is plush and controlled. The trackday Bridgestone RS10 tyres load you with confidence and Kawasaki’s electronic engine braking control keeps things smooth off the throttle and barreling into corners. Right now it’s hard to imagine how any bike could keep up.”
Rolling into the mountain regions around the Swiss border, rain started to fall. Now, dry trackday rubber is not designed for use in the wet, so it’s fair to say that Michael had a few twitches and shimmies as the tyres struggled in conditions they had not been designed to cope with, especially with all that power at the back wheel, but the advanced ABS and traction control systems on the Kawasaki saw him through to the finish line.
It might be a bike that pushes boundaries, but it’s certainly no tourer if comfort is what you’re after. However, as Michael sums up at the end of his review; “One thing is for sure, every time you swing a leg over than chrome tail unit you’re in for a special ride.”
Find out more about the Bridgestone Battlax RS10 here.
