It would be a sin not to call the Kawasaki H2R ‘mighty’ every time we have to address the motorcycle because this Japanese mothership is ‘mighty’ in all the aspects known to the motorcycling world. The 2021 iteration of the H2R has been launched in India at INR ₹79.90 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). For the record, previously, the bike was priced at ₹75.80 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Kawasaki decided that the H2R doesn’t need an update just yet so the rocketship has remained exactly the same as before.
The 400 kph+ rocket isn’t road-legal and can only be ridden at airstrips or at the three racing tracks in India. Among them, we doubt if this bike will ever lay its rubber down at Kari for its short and tight layout.
Also, the Mirror Coated Matte Spark Black paint scheme is similar to the previous bike. It gets a special coat that allows scratches to repair themselves, enabling the paint to maintain its high-quality finish. The way it works is that soft and hard segments in the coat work together like a chemical spring, creating a trampoline effect that absorbs impacts. In some cases, it takes about one week for recovery, however, the paint will not recover in the case of scratches caused by a coin or key, or zip fasteners.
Specs and features
Unlike its road-legal version which also cranks out in excess of 200 Hp, the Ninja H2R is powered by an In-Line four, Liquid-cooled, 998 cc engine which generates 310 PS at 14,000 rpm or 326 PS (With Ram Air) at the same engine speed. Torque? 165 Nm @ 12,500. All of that is transferred to rear slicks via a quick-shifting, dog-ring type transmission which is commonly found in MotoGP and was developed with feedback from the Kawasaki Racing Team.
Also read: 2021 Kawasaki ZX-14R Could Be The Last Hurrah For The Iconic Hyper-Tourer – Here’s Why
And while it’s only recent for motorcycles in MotoGP to start using winglets for downforce, the Ninja H2R had them fitted right since launch. The hardware kit on the motorcycle includes 43mm upside-down forks at the front and an Ohlins TTX36 gas-charged rear mono-shock. The braking duties are performed by dual 330mm discs at the front and a single 250mm rotor at the rear. It also gets an Ohlins electronic steering damper as part of its performance kit. The bike tips the scales at 216kg (kerb).