2019 Kawasaki Ninja H2 review: this supercharged sports bike has more power and far better handling

Launched in 2015, Kawasaki’s Ninja H2 was like a hyperbike from outer space, with alien looks, a cartoon exhaust, chirping supercharger and the kind of straight-line performance that blew the doors of any superbike it came up against. We loved how it stuck two fingers up at the establishment and awarded it MCN’s 2015 Bike of the Year.

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Updated in 2017 with revised mapping and an Öhlins rear shock, Kawasaki aims to breathe new life into the 2019 Ninja H2 with more power, beefier brakes, grippier tyres, an uprated colour dash and ‘self-healing’ paint.

Kawasaki’s claim of more power might not show up on our dyno, but it hardly matters with an engine already overflowing with supersonic levels of addictive power and grunt.

The unrivalled savagery in which the H2 accelerates never gets old, but its supercharged power delivery is still deliciously smooth and thanks to its excellent electronics, accessible, too. Low rpm throttle response is still too sensitive and the seat is as uncomfortable as hell after a few hours, but improved braking power, extra grip and a classier dash transforms the H2 from expensive drag racer into a well-rounded and impressively refined sportsbike.

Alongside the H2, there's also the Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX SE, which is an impressive hyper-tourer.

Related: Watch a Kawasaki Ninja H2 hit 209mph at Bonneville

Bridgestone’s latest RS11 fast road/trackday rubber replace the old RS10s, which would struggle to harness all that supercharged power, especially in the cold and damp (praise the lord for the H2’s well-judged traction control).

The new tyres offer more grip and confidence, especially at the front, which, added to the powerful new brakes and the Öhlins upgrade of a few years ago, gives the Kawasaki more poise and a lighter feeling in the corners, despite still weighing a hefty 238kg. The H2 used to be a one-trick, straight-line pony, but now it’s finally a well-rounded sportsbike in its own right.

Whether it was down to the pad choice, discs or ABS control, braking power was always an infuriating H2 weak point (as it is on the 2015 generation ZX-10R) and if you ever needed to stop in a hurry you’d need to grab a big fistful of front, a big dose of rear and downshift like a maniac – supercharger chirping in protest. But now the H2 has brakes to match its formidable engine. New Stylema Brembos, first seen on the ’18 Panigale V4 (Ducati had exclusive use of them for a year) bulge with power and create a more connected, enjoyable ride.

With its new H2 SX-derived air filter, airbox, spark plugs and ECU, claimed power is up 30.6bhp and produces a measured 206bhp on our dyno…exactly the same as the previous model, with 4ftlb less torque. We asked Kawasaki to explain, but they won’t comment on independent dyno tests.

Does this matter? No, because the H2 has never lacked in the trouser department and the way it surges smoothly forward in a cocoon of strange calm, as it manically hoovers up the horizon in any gear, at any rpm, still defies belief. Anti-wheelie perfectly controls an eager front wheel, but low speed fuelling is still snatchy and we saw just 38mpg during our test.

Despite its supercharger and monstrous power the H2 enjoys typical bombproof reliability, and that's backed up by our Kawasaki H2 owners' reviews.

In fact, it's quite the opposite, with owners stating "beautifully put together", "excellent build quality as you would expect from kawasaki", and "this is Kawasaki at their best".

It isn’t cheap, but fit, finish and cycle parts ooze the kind of luxury you’d expect from a machine of this price.

When launched, the Kawasaki H2 didn't really have any specific rivals. The Suzuki Hayabusa was fairly similar in its straight-line performance, although probably appealed to different buyers and was far less sporting in corners.

Track-focused sportbikes like the Ducati Panigale V4R may attract similar buyers, and ditto the latest Panigale V4 SP.

It’s out with the LCD and in with the crisp new light-sensitive colour TFT display. Speedo digits still climb at a stratospheric pace under hard acceleration, but the new dash gives the H2’s cockpit a fresh new look.

There are two main layouts to choose from featuring a smorgasbord of information from the regular speed/gear position/trips to readings taken from the Bosch Inertial Measurement Unit, including lean angle and G-force. You can also sync your phone via Bluetooth to use Kawasaki’s Rideology app, which lets you track your ride via GPS, view received calls/mail and check bike settings.

Colours are a carbon copy of the original 2015 H2, so the Öhlins shock, new Brembos and ‘Super Charged’ engine logo are the easiest way to identify the 2019 version.

Paint is now ‘self-healing’ - think of it as a paintjob that hasn’t quite cured, with the idea that light scratches (but not heavy stone chips, or worse) will seal back up again, like some kind of two-wheeled terminator.