Kawasaki Z H2 Living With Review
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 9. 03. 2021
- BJ spent some quality time with the Kawasaki Z H2, what's the crazy supercharged super naked like to live with. đ€Ș
www.bikedevil.co.uk
#kawasaki #ZH2 #H2R - Auta a dopravnĂ prostĆedky
One of the best and most inspiring bike reviews I can ever remember seeing. Seriously. Brilliant job!
Almost speechless by that, thank you Nino!
This is the type of review I look for when I look for reviews. Thank you for giving me valuable information.
"Get blown. Be happy, forever. Word."
Dally Llama
How did you know he'd texted me that?! ;-)
never thought of it that way, but it makes sense!
One thing video just doesn't get accross is the sound of these things.
Have seen a few in the wild now, and you genuinely hear the supercharger above everything. It's amazing.
Very true, the sounds are a big part of the whole experience.
Love to see and hear BJ again đđđœđđđœđ
Too kind Julius!
Great & detailed "seat of the pants" info, much appreciated! Must have! Cheers from Canada :)
what I like about your reviews is that youâre not afraid to show the potential of the bikes in the videos, great riding
Oh I'm nowhere near that really Miguel, spirited for sure though i guess :-)
you are very modest keep up the good work
@@miguelcosta530 Ha, I'm about middle of the pack when it comes to bike journos, but thank you anyway buddy :-)
@@benjaminkubascronin3082 you welcome
Great review and very relatable. Humble in your reviews but you definitely have the skills to put this through itâs paces at times on the roads, nice riding!
Thanks very much indeed, appreciated!
Love a bit of BJđđđđđ
Said the vicar!
best ZH2 review so far ..good job
Thanks Burak!
Terrific review. Will seriously look at at one if they ever bloody decide to get one in where I live!! Thanks for the video, well done.
Thank you Andrew!
Great review, really enjoyed that
Fantastic take on the zh2 , great video
Thanks very much!
Best review on the ZH2 from someone who has ridden it to its limits
Great review. Shows the bike as it is and where itâs good. In the real world. We donât all ride on track all of the time thus why this bike is such a good road bike. All be it a full on bike for every day. I own one. Plus an sv650 and a vtr1000. So when the zh2 is a bit too much I ride the others. As I said a great, honest, real review. Top marks
That's one sweet garage right there! Thanks Big bubba!
Love those West Wiltshire roads :-) my playground too!
I dunno, a lot of them could do with a fresh pair of shoes, grumble... ;-)
I love the look, that black and red looks nice.
Sick Review! I need this, I will own this soon and make a vid to share as well, so amazing.
Great video as always.
Bike World do a great job!
"Would you kindly" awesome ;)
And by sheer coincidence, I downed and restarted that just the other day!
Sorry missed the surfing analogy got distractedđ
Why was that Toby?! ;-)
Me too.
Sounds like a winner to me
Felt like one too!
Best street bike eva đ
Fair shout!
Excellent value for money đ
I honestly think it really is.
Spot on review. 100% true. The new Z H2 SE will probably take the first position for best super naked bike out there, followed by the Z H2.
Thanks Dan! For road only it would have every chance, it'll get a bit of a kicking on track but it's not meant for that so much.
I have the SE model and it's on a whole nother level. You can change your suspension on the fly through the TFT display or from your mobile phone. It is quite amazing!
Great review! đ
Thanks very much indeeed!
Great video!
Cheers!
Awesome review
Gracias!
great review. please do more
We aim to please! Well, most of the time... :-)
LOVE mine !! Added a tooth on the rear spr. extended the swing arm little over 5 inches, but my favorite add on is the blow off valve ! I didn't care for the chirping sound it made coming off boost. Now sounds absolutely awesome. Unreal torque on this machine, can't imagine how much it would cost to buy a car that can move this fast. I also added a slip on from Brocks. That huge can had to go !!
* Note to self* don't let anyone ride this bike that doesn't have a ton of time on super bikes. REALLY!!
@@barttunnicliffe True dat!
What can you say WOW !!!!
Double WOW? ;-)
đ Great review
You don't want to be showing too many what great roads we have down in the shires.
Ah, got ya, will remember that in future! ;-)
Iâve had my eyes on one for a while, but the looks! Hmm. Saw it when it first came out on the Kawasaki stand at Phillip Island WSBK and didnât like the look of it, but I like everything else about it, the electronics, up/down quickshifter etc. The Kawasaki muffler was ugly but I see youâve fixed that. Iâve done track days on a S1000RR so I know what insane power is like. I imagine the Kawasaki would be more insane with the its torque. Great review btw, must have taken hours with the editing.
I still think the special silver paint version adds a lot to the otherwise marmite aesthetic, but at the same time there's no wrong or right answer (or opinion) when it comes to looks, eye of the beholder, everyone's different, all that jazz, etc etc. Yet as an experience on the road it's uber slick and nought but impressive. I usually fall down on the sportier side of, well, everything, but this is the first Roadster that properly makes me think hmmmmmm...
@@benjaminkubascronin3082 The front end and the muffler put me off, but I see the muffler is fixed. My street bike is a 2018 Z900RS Jaffa, so you can see I like good looking bikes, in my opinion anyway haha
I had the old ZX12R, Kawasaki make great high power ROAD bikes.
I loved those, they fitted me way better being skinny and tall, the 'Busa always makes my back ache!
@@benjaminkubascronin3082 when I had that I was skinny and tall. Now I'm fat and tall and therefore suit my adventure bike more đ€Ł
@@TheAegisClaw Happens to us all! well, most of us...
Love the ZX12R, I have a modified 2005. Think if I could afford a new bike right now it would be the Z H2. Have fun on your adventure bike
@@jhhd1 did you upgrade the brakes? They were always a weak point on that bike.
Lovely sound to her.
It's sharp with the SP can on for sure!
very good video. so good, i don't have any critiques.
keep it up.
Wow, couldn't ask for more, thanks John!
Love the bioshock shirt! I'm really interested to know what Wind screen that is? It is very nice without being too big and intrusive.
Five stars for the âpower deliveryâ comparison đđđ»ââïžđđ!!!
It was the words used, right?!
@@benjaminkubascronin3082 ; Oh đł, you were saying something ??? đ€Ș
@@Dan-56 Boom boom! :-)
Brilliant review....
Iâve got an H2SXSE and your right, unless youâve ridden one your not qualified to pass judgement..... Awesome bit of Japanese wizardry...
As for adjusting settings, Iâve never had any issues, I personally think itâs very easy to use unlike Honda and Ducati systems!
Done some touring miles on one of those, and was the most fun i've ever had on a bike of that ilk, amazing thing.
Likewise my friend, did over 3000kms around the Picos in Spain, two up. Brilliant bit of kit...
@@skts2610 Nice!
This bike is amazing... so much want
It really is mega!
Owning the bike, can't say I can really complain with anything at all, since I've bought it knowing what it is, and knowing what I want to do with it.
I bought a hypernaked that's made for the road, daily use. And what I got was a bike that's very comfortable, planted to the ground, while being able to transform to a rocket in an instant.
What I didn't get is, a bike that's made for the track, that's made for off-road, a bike that costs $$$ and that came with all the tech and specs that a $$$ bike would come with.
Again, for what I bought it for, I have 0 complaints. The engine is smooth, and is powerful enough for my everyday needs + having fun when you really push it.
But on the basis of the looks... I will have to agree with a lot of people that it really isn't the most gorgeous looking 1000cc naked bike.
But it isn't ugly... and when you see it in real life, I describe it something like a bull. It's huge and muscular at the top, tapering down, and then you've got those wheels.
It's an eye-catcher in real life... and of course, there's that supercharger sound.
Spot on. On the road it's magic whether on the daily grind or grinding it out. I don't much care what a bike looks like so long as it feels good, and the Z H2 is all about the feel.
I traded my African twin adventure sport 2020 in for a 2020 kh2 Iâm exchanging it mon I did have a quick ride on it just to make sure I like it only took 20 mins had only gone down to Maidstone bike shop to have a look but after the test ride I wanted it đ wife was out shopping told her that evening over a glass of red đ€Ł I did have a zzr1400 before the African twin and a z1000 as well so know Kawasaki quite well.the Honda just didnât do it for me.was quite excited about picking it up mon now watching your review even more excited đ great review đđ»đđŹđ§have ordered a short acropovic exhaust for it as didnât like the massive can that was on it đ«Ą
Really nice...the bike and the girl.
Great video, though I didn't hear a word you said between 6:10 and 6:26. đ
Shame on you! ;-)
Right, it is a comfortable road bike with an awesome engine...got it.đ
Basically that!
Yes itâs a bit ugly, soâs a bulldog but people love them , thumbs up to Kawasaki for making something look a bit different,mine looks (and sounds) fantastic when Iâm on it!
Truly breathtaking performance đ
Great to see someone giving it the beans đ„
That's the great thing about Kawasaki, they're taking chances and sticking two fingers up to anyone who doesn't like what they do or how it looks - must say, fair play to them for having a go!
Wow BJ I'm still trying to get used to my old zx9 and I've had that nearly 20 years đ€Łđ€Ł
I don't think it's going to happen as I'm 52 now and getting slower with arthritis and sensibility.
Nice to see you back, love your videos đđ
Ahhh, loved those things, such great road bikes at the time and probably still now too!
Also, i'm only about a handful of fingers behind you in years!
Which version do you have btw?
@@benjaminkubascronin3082 I have a c2 from 1999 in blue and purple. It was a bike I had always wanted and I've definitely grown with it. I took it on a few track days in my day and to me it was awesome. But it is ace as a road bike, surprisingly light and nimble and with the right tyres turns pretty quick, I have got 016 pro on it now, same on my k6 1200 bandit.
In the latter years I lowered the pegs 30mm with some ally plates I made at work so it's dead comfy now and I've still never had ground clearance issues. Maybe that shows how slow I've gotten đ€Łđ€Łđđ
@@vainparasite Remember them well, I liked the clean lines of that model, they got all a bit jutty thereafter. Excellent second-hand machines if you can find one that's been loved, and of course pre heavy restrictions, meaning a big sack of torque - nice.
I own this bike... its incredible.
How appropriate that envy is green, then!
Beautiful â€ïž
Er, thanks?!
ZH 2 đđđđ
Nice review Iâm getting 1
Cheers!
I want this in S.E trim and an MT10 Garage done. Oh and maybe a Ninja 650 or SV650 with flat bars for an intown or bike for friends to borrow đ€
Still to try the SE, the lecky suzzies will just make it an even better road bike, the Showa kit just about edges it as the best on the road of all the electronic bouncy bits out there, so it can only do great things for the Z H2!
Long way from a KH 250 BJ !
This with the "old" Z1000 lookin and IÂŽm all-in!
Not a bad point, the Z does look mean as hell, but then I can't see the Z H2 when I'm riding one so I'm not hugely fussed about the looks - so long as it rides as well as it does (and ir really does!), it could look like Pat Butcher for all I care! Apologies to any Pat Butcher admirers out there at the same time, of course...
đđ
I'd have that thing in the slowest mode it's whole life đ€Ł
I really want that motor on a power Cruiser frame... a throwback to the 85-86 Kawaski ZL 900 and 1000's.
I have herd rumors... I can only hope... ;-)
I think we'll find a fair few sticking SCs etc on all sorts of bikes before the inevitable move to electric, keep 'em crossed!
I still have my 87 ZL1000A1 I bought in January 87, but this one is on my radar 100%
Too Much is just Enough, Ride one they are absolutely insane and utterly addictive.
What he said...
đđŸ What he said
@@Curry3659 So say we all!
"Get blown, b happy forever.,...word" đđŒđ
I enjoyed that. Does sound pretty good though. Unfortunately I just canât get on with how it looks but I do need to see in the flesh so perhaps reserve my right to change my mind đ
One thing that was cut to keep the time down, was saying the version with the special silver paint makes a huge difference especially in the flesh - it really does.
The rear shock is usually highlighted as a weakness of the bike. I wonder how much of a difference a quality rear shock would make to the 'day to day'?
We currently have one on long term loan from Kawasaki, we could check that out.
"around my way"...where is that, roughly....it looks oddly familiar....
in Denmark , if u do a wheeli they will take your bike , and u cant ever get it back xD its cracy
Man...Talk about policing fun.
Then you have nothing to lose and shouldn't stop for them lol
What kind of windscreen does this bike have in this video?
Ah, I remember John and Luke reviews. Good times. This one, eh.
It looks a bit better with the flyscreen.
The supercharger chirping would get on my nerves after a while.
Screen does make a difference to the looks, you're right, and up to legal speeds works damn well to boot!
Not surprised to hear the H2 may be too much for the street, my 21 ZX 14r is a handful so I can only imagine what the H2 feels like..
Too much if you're throttle-to-the-stop'ing it is the caveat, the rest of the time it's a big cuddly, seriously thrusty teddy bear with a dubious visage!
Nice one.
Cheers!
@@benjaminkubascronin3082 Have you got anything else coming up for this channel ? (if your allowed to say).
@@shadowred1980 Things are afoot!
@@benjaminkubascronin3082 Great stuff.
Ravey rave! Want one.
There is a bit of the old big-box-little-box about it when it's cooking!
One thing is for certain, mankind is never satisfied with the power he can grasp for the time. Man wants more power, be it political, physical, emotional, theoretical. Man is never truly satisfied with power.
Realistically, it's a great road bike. Not a great track bike, not a great gymkhana bike, not a great stunt bike, not a great tight twisty bits bike, but a great road bike. Going stupid fast in a straight (mostly) line, or covering a lot of distance without much fairings. Outside of a dedicated sports touring bike, this is it. My personal preference is toward stuff that weighs about 80 to 90 pounds less than the ZH2 but also has torque and rips well enough. Z900, MT-09SP, Duke 890R, etc. fill in the blank.
Yep, pretty much bang on there!
Iâve never had any problems with it. If you ride around in your life like the guy in the video who is doing wheelies and making it scream at every possible point of the ride and you are not up to that skill level sure itâs going to be too much. Thatâs not normal riding, itâs not even close. You tell it what to do, and if you donât tell it to go 160 or pull up the front right before a sharp turn etc etc, it will simply never happen. I guess my problem is that I love just about every bike I see, and I donât push anything I ride to the limits of its mechanical ability, and consequently I never feel anything but enjoyment on any of them. I often do go fast when itâs okay to, but you simply have to make it crash. It wonât do that without your choosing to crash.
I own one of these.
On paper it seems unremarkable, 197bhp, 239kg. A superbike makes similar power and weighs 40kg less.
Paper tells you nothing though, and you realise this the first time you twist the throttle past 30%.
Ive never ridden a bike which I can't open more than 50% throttle because of constant wheelies. Honestly, i challenge anyone to open the throttle more than 50% in the first 3 gears.
Does the bike come with paving-slab over that front wheel.
Needs one!
đź
Technically very nice bike, indeed. The only downside of it is its design & some compromising components. It looks like a designer team responsible for h2/sx went away and been replaced by some lazy/cheap designer who just took a looks of much cheaper models and scale it a bit. Shame Kawasaki. P.S. new SE model got some good high Q tech bits and peanuts, but its look has not been improved...
All good points, beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all, but I'm one of those 'if I'm riding it I can't see it' kind of guys! ;-)
I've thought for some time that Kawasaki should supercharge a 1000cc parallel twin instead of an inline 4. Give me super torque at 4-7K instead of 200 hp at 13k.
Dude, this thing makes a tested 130Nm of torque from almost nothing! Turn off the TC etc, stick it in fourth gear at about 10mph, gas it hard and it will smash your face in before you even know what's happened, it brilliant! :-) However, I also like the sound of your idea too - superchargers for everybody!
@@benjaminkubascronin3082 I suppose it comes down to whether or not super charging eliminates the pros and cons of engine configuration. I'm not a mechanical engineer, so I don't know the answer. If we assume that a twin will make peak torque lower in the rev range than an inline 4 regardless of supercharging then I'm still in favor of the idea. If supercharging diminishes or eliminates the differential in torque production in a twin vs. inline 4 configuration then the idea is pointless.
Regardless, the abstract idea is that I want a super charged engine that I can thrash without smearing myself against a tree. That might mean twin with less total horse power or it might mean a smaller inline 4. I'm up for either. Actually, it probably means a smaller engine regardless. Maybe a 750cc twin with a redline around 9-10k?
@@thealtered7 Ridden a few different bikes with SCs on over the years, and all they ever seem to do is amplify what one would call the stock engine experience - it's mostly the same in terms of character, just more everywhere! Rode an SC'd Mille once and it was magnificent!
This bike has super torque at 4-7k.
It's like riding on the speed of sound after it's finished doing cocaine.
im just craving even more power, 1290 owner here
And few thousands more
@@sugarrfree i hear with a tune this thing can push 240 HP ?
@@Nekminute check the guy called mooremafia, hes havin lots of bike on his dyno đ
KTM hardly compares to flashed Kawasaki. 1290 slightly better looking bike. Which isn't saying much.
More is better, or so my American friends tell me and in this instance, they're probably right!
What windscreen is that
Official accessory, standard on the Performance version.
What will the avg fuel consumption be when ridden "spiritedly"??
Over the five or six weeks it was 38.4 day to day, rising to 53 on shortish m'way jaunts, though I think it would do more on longer stints. Around 32 for the tone of riding you mentioned
In other words, kind of pathetic, but it's supercharged so that's to be expected
@@benjaminkubascronin3082 Thanks! I assume you are talking miles to the gallon? If so, it is not too bad considering the performance AND the Euro 4 / 5 crap that is pumped out of Brussels...
@@TheJWC56RSA Aye, MPG, it's fine I think but then I never cared about fuel consumption, correction, whenever I ran out petrol I did, but not any other time! ;-)
@@hvymtal8566 Bingo!
6:09 not a single word was heard.
6:10, I'm not sure but I think she's into you mate
I was too busy washing me 'air...
Can you repeat what you said at 6:10->6:25 ? I didn't listen well.
I had one of these brand new!
Sold it after a month.
im 6ft 2 found it uncomfortable too much weight on wrists...seat too hard.
Rideoligy thing was crap. Too short for tall riders..imo
Just didnt feel special.
MT09 Turbo? Did you mean MT10 Turbo?
The rumour was for the 09, which surprised us too.
That would scare the sh!t outta me.
Nah, so easy to ride when biffing about, you'd love it!
Too fast for the road & Get Blown. They'll sell shed loads on those statements alone. Also make a killer T-shirt.
I thank you!
Great review. Crap wheelies.
Two hundred and thirty nine kilogrammes!?
Fully wet
@@benjaminkubascronin3082 I never take any other weight into consideration. A modern liter superbike is well under 200 kg fully wet
@@AnIdiotOnTwoWheels We previously used dry weight figures for years as a base, mostly because of different levels of tank/fluids size/measures etc. Even manufacturers often didn't bother with a full wet weight figure until the last decade or so. We (well, a previous outfit), also once took apart a couple of bikes and weighed every individual part to see if the claimed dry figures matched up with reality. They didn't! But nowadays specs are pretty much bang on.
@@benjaminkubascronin3082 I think the wet weight should not include any fuel (or, say 10 liters for everyone) because it tends to incentive manufacturer to build smaller and smaller tanks
Itâs shite! And thats that. Engine and quickshift, nice. The rest, shite.
"These videos only happen because...our sponsors"
Well I guess me watching doesn't mean anything
Of course you're important dude, as is everyone that views the vids and moreso to those who take the time to contribute as you just have, but the fact remains that doing this kind of thing (properly) is far from cheap, and unless you have hundreds of videos all nailing tens of millions of views, YT provides very little in return. I think here Bike World is just being upfront from the start, and that's a good thing :-)
Rubbish. You rid to conditions on the road.
That thing is just silly fast.đïž
Sure is!