Bikes

Image Gallery: Inside the 2015 Kawasaki Ninja H2

A closer look at the new supercharged Ninja

January 9, 2015

Aside from minor differences inside the engine, as well as intake and exhaust systems tailored for street use and emissions standards, the supercharged engine in the H2 is essentially identical to the closed-course H2R engine. The supercharger unit was designed in-house by Kawasaki motorcycle engineers with assistance from other companies within the KHI group, namely Gas Turbine & Machinery Company, Aerospace Company, and Corporate Technology Division

The supercharger is a centrifugal-type unit with a cast aluminum housing, located centrally behind the cylinder bank - the best position to evenly distribute compressed air to all four cylinders. The KHI-designed supercharger offers high efficiency over a wide range of pressure ratios and flow rates, something that would not have been possible with an aftermarket automotive-type supercharger. The unit's high efficiency and minimal heat gain mean an intercooler was unnecessary.

The supercharger is driven by this planetary gear train running off the crankshaft, again designed using technology from Kawasaki's Aerospace Company. Impeller speed is up to 9.2 times crankshaft speed, using a 1.15-time step gear and an 8-times planetary gear. Impeller shaft speed at an engine speed of 14,000 rpm is almost 130,000 rpm.

The impeller itself is formed from a forged aluminum block, and is 69mm in diameter with six blades at the tip, expanding to 12 at the base. The grooves etched into the blade surfaces help direct airflow. Pumping capacity is more than 200 liters/second, with intake air reaching speeds of up to 100 meters/second; pressure is up to 2.4 times atmospheric, or 35 psi.

The camshafts, head gaskets and clutch are the only differences between the H2 and H2R engine internals. The combustion chamber is complemented by flat-topped pistons; intake valves are stainless steel, while the exhaust valves are formed from Inconel, an extremely heat-resistant alloy used for the valve head and the lower half of the stem, and steel for the upper half of the stems. The two parts are friction-welded together, and the stems are tapered, varying from 4.5 to 5mm in diameter.

The H2's pistons are cast rather than forged, as this offers better strength under very high temperatures. The unique casting process used is similar to forging and sees unnecessary material removed, and creates hollows to achieve ideal thickness.

Unlike a standard motorcycle transmission, where the shift forks slide the gears into position, the dog-ring transmission used in the H2 has gears that remain in place. Only the dog rings move, sliding into position to engage the desired gear. As a result, shift effort is lighter and feel is improved.

The hydraulically actuated clutch is a back-torque-limiter unit. Brembo parts are used for the radial-pump master cylinder and clutch release mechanism, and receive extra attention from Brembo before being shipped to Kawasaki; with each part examined and adjusted to help eliminate any ineffective stroke.

Air enters the supercharger via this single ram air intake on the left side of the H2. The frontal area of the duct is three times the area of the supercharger inlet, and the shape of the duct was created to match the impeller characteristics.

The airbox measures six liters in capacity and is made from aluminum rather than plastic. This offers better heat dissipation, helping to keep intake air cool, and also is more rigid, ensuring a better seal for the pressurized air.

The top injectors spray fuel onto these stainless steel mesh panels over the intake funnels. This helps to create a more uniform air/fuel mixture and promotes misting, which helps cool the intake air. The fully electronic ride-by-wire system allows more precise control of the traction control system and facilitates the addition of launch control and engine braking control systems.

The intake ports are polished, while the exhaust ports do not converge in the cylinder head; the straight-line design improves exhaust efficiency. The header-pipe entry is oval, tapering to a round cross-section. The header and collector are manufactured using hydroforming.

Inside the engine, the water jackets extend between the twin exhaust ports of each cylinder, and large coolant passageways extend around the spark plug holes and valve seat areas. Oil jets lubricate the supercharger chain directly, the pistons and the transmission. The radiator's size is similar to current literbikes, but flows approximately 1.5 times more air and is more efficient - in part due to the design of the side cowl and lack of lower fairing.

The steel trellis frame offers the optimum balance of stiffness and flexibility for the H2, and its open design helps to dissipate heat generated by the supercharged engine. A swingarm mounting plate is bolted to the back of the engine, essentially allowing the swingarm to be mounted directly to the engine; as such, the frame does not need a crossmember at the back.

The NInja H2 and H2R are the first Kawasaki models with a single-sided swingarm. This allows the H2's exhaust to be mounted closer to the bike's centerline, improving mass centralization and allowing for more ground clearance.

The KYB AOS-II suspension is based on the Air-Oil Separate cartridge fork developed for motocross racing. As the suspension works, a 32mm free-floating piston at the top of the cartridge pumps oil up to a sealed area between the inner and outer tubes, providing a friction-reducing film for reduced friction.

The top of the KYB shock mounts to the swingarm mounting plate rather than a frame crossmember. The bottom link mount also mounts to the swingarm mounting plate.

Instrumentation consists of a full digital LCD screen with an analog tachometer. Rider aids include KTRC (Kawasaki Traction Control), KLCM (Kawasaki Launch Control Mode), Kawasaki Engine Brake Control, KIBS (Kawasaki Intelligent Anti-Lock Brake System, and KQS (Kawasaki Quick Shifter).

The H2's electronic steering damper was developed in conjunction with Ohlins, and takes into account vehicle speed as well as deceleration or acceleration. At low speeds, the damper setting is low so as not to interfere with handling; at high speeds, damping increases for more stability.

The H2's riding position was designed for "high speed and circuit riding." The rider triangle is similar to the ZX-10R's, but more relaxed. Hip-supporting pads flank the rear of the seat, and can be adjusted to suit the rider's size.

The all-new Kawasaki Ninja H2 features many innovative technical features unique to the supercharged H2 and H2R models. Here we take a closer look at those features through a series of detail images released by Kawasaki. Scroll through the gallery above to see the images and learn more about the Ninja H2.

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