Kawasaki’s supercharged naked Z H2 was well received in the market when released earlier this year and in 2021 it will be joined in overseas markets by a slightly more full-featured sibling with the advent of the Z H2 SE.
2021 Kawasaki Z H2 SE
Here in Australia though KMA have decided to stick with the H2 model for now and have no immediate plans to import this new SE variant.
2021 Kawasaki Z H2 SE
Z H2 SE also boasts a huge array of electronic rider aids including, electronic cruise control, integrated riding modes (linking KTRCS sport traction control), power modes, traction & launch control, selectable power modes an up/down quick shifter plus Cornering Management Function, launch control and Intelligent anti-lock Brake System working in conjunction with high-spec’ Brembo Stylema calipers and radial master cylinder.
2021 Kawasaki Z H2 SE
Electronically damped 43 mm Showa SFF-CA (cartridge) forks and a high-spec BFRC lite rear shock now work with Showa’s Skyhook technology. With a 1 millisecond reaction time, Skyhook adjusts the damping electronically to suit vehicle speed and suspension stroke speed as the suspension follows and automatically reacts to the dips and deviations in the road surface.Deceleration is also considered, allowing the pitching that occurs under braking to be managed.
2021 Kawasaki Z H2 SE
An all LED lighting package illuminates the Z H2 SE while a Bluetooth equipped TFT allows connection with a Smartphone for a variety of functions courtesy of Kawasaki’s free to download Rideology app.
2021 Kawasaki Z H2 SE
2021 Kawasaki Z H2 SE at a glance
Kawasaki Electronic Control Suspension with Skyhook EERA Technology
Brembo Stylema Monobloc Brake Calipers and Brembo Front Brake Master Cylinder
Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK riders Alex Lowes and Jonathan Rea made more positive steps with the new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR at Motorland Aragon this week, despite weather conditions preventing them from riding on the final day of their planned two-day test. However, KRT states that a highly productive session was held on Wednesday with Lowes posting 66 laps and Rea 57 laps.
Jonathan Rea
Rea finished off with the fastest single lap time, a 1’49.716, with Lowes very close with his 1’49.832 best.
Fog and poor track conditions rolled in on Thursday, meaning the KRT squad decided to not risk any more track action.
2021 KRT ZX-10RR
Jonathan Rea – 1m49.716s
“The first day was positive because we kept working with the items we had from the recent Jerez test. We really worked step-by-step on the engine side to understand all the feelings I have and all the different parameters we can explore with the new bike. We drew some really good conclusions. The lap time was very fast and I feel good on the bike – but I feel the potential is much better. We did not do any mileage on day two as the weather was full of fog all morning and afternoon so we packed up early, content and satisfied with our winter test programme so far. It has been really nice to ride so fast after Estoril and our first impressions of the new Ninja ZX-10RR are already positive. We have been fast, consistent and the feeling with the bike is getting better lap-by-lap. I am looking forward to some downtime now at home with my family. All the team, all the staff can go home and relax after a great season. I want to thank everybody for the huge effort at these winter tests, and this season during difficult times. We are going to recharge and get ready for the 2021 season.”
Jonathan Rea
Alex Lowes – 1m49.832s
“Day one was pretty good for me. Of course the temperatures in Aragon are a little bit cold, so it took a while for the track to warm up so that we could get into some proper testing. With new parts to try we wanted to take the opportunity to confirm some of the things that we tried that were positive in Jerez. A couple of things that worked well last week have worked well this week, so from my side we are really happy. Two tracks, in two different temperature ranges, and we feel really good with the new bike. The guys worked very well and there is always a lot to do at testing, especially when you have got new parts, fitting stuff on-and-off the bike and so on, so thanks to them. Unfortunately the weather was not our friend today in Aragon but we had a good day yesterday, a good couple of days in Jerez last week, and we know the areas we are working on going into the 2021 season. We have had strong tests this side of the season and now we are looking forward to going home and relaxing a little bit.”
Alex Lowes
Having already confirmed some important items on day one the team and technical staff can now define the next steps to take with machine-set-up in 2021 which boasts a much more significant aero package in the new model, along with further ligthening of the engine internals and base geometry changes.
The next tests take are scheduled for January 2021.
Hot on the heels of a sixth consecutive WorldSBK title, the Ninja ZX-10R and ZX-10RR homologation special feature a number of highlights for 2021, some of which are easy for the eye to spot while a few others hide under the skin… Let’s take you through them.
New geometry moves the front-rear balance slightly forward (0.2%)
2021 Kawasaki ZX-10R at a glance
Chassis geometry and suspension settings changed
Next Generation aero with integrated Winglets
Ergonomic changes put rider in new position
New Power Mode selections
New Colour TFT instrumentation
Ohlins electronic steering damper
Kawasaki engine brake control
New Air-Cooled Oil Cooler
New Electronic Throttle Valves
New Exhaust System
New Transmission Gear Ratios
TPS relocated to bar eliminating throttle cable
Swingarm pivot is 1 mm lower
200 horsepower at 13,200 rpm for the ZX-10R
201 horsepower at 14,000 rpm for the ZX-10RR
With ram-air effect at speed Kawasaki claim an extra ten horsepower
Significantly improved drag resistance, increased downforce from sculpted front cowl with integrated winglets, and better wind protection from a taller screen
The striking new front end features integrated winglets. Kawasaki claim 17 per cent more downforce is achieved thanks to the new design.
Reversely slanted nose sees new LED headlights positioned on the underside of the upper cowl
Inside the new cowling a race style TFT dash (including Bluetooth connectivity), four handlebar button selectable rider modes, along with electronic cruise control and optional heated grips.
High-grade full colour display features TFT (thin-film transistor) technology, delivering a high level of visibility. The screen’s background colour is selectable (black or white), and screen brightness adjusts automatically to suit available light.Operation of the Electronic Cruise Control is done from the left bar.
A two-way quick-shifter is standard and the comprehensive electronics package takes its cues from a Bosch IMU.
Dual-direction KQS system allows both clutchless upshifts and downshifts Swingarm pivot is 1 mm lower Longer wheelbase (1,440 mm >> 1,450 mm) care of a 2 mm greater fork offset and an 8 mm longer swingarm offers greater overall stability. The revised fork offset results in a shorter trail, which facilitates changing direction, especially in the off-throttle phase of the corner (after tip-in, before apex).Revised collector pipe arrangement to help meet Euro5 along with one of the catalysers moved further upstream where it heats up quicker. To accommodate this the engine pre-chamber volume is decreased while the silencer itself is now 126 mm longer
A redesigned rear seat contributes to an area of low pressure behind the rider while a new foot-peg positioning, a 40 mm higher screen and handlebars have been adjusted according to KRT rider input.
Compact new 4.3” all-digital TFT colour instrumentation offers additional features unavailable on the previous model.
Chassis updates include a 1mm lower swing-arm pivot point (adjustable on the RR), 2mm greater front fork offset and an 8mm increase in actual swing-arm length all contributing to increased stability and greater traction.
More circuit-focused shock settings include a stiffer spring rate (91 N/mm >> 95 N/mm), complemented by softer compression damping, and softer rebound damping. Revised settings make it easier to induce pitching motion even when on the throttle while maintaining the rear height steady
Spring rates have changed too with the front now softer and the rear harder while a wider fork clamping area for the lower triple-clamp revises the rigidity balance for the fork outer tubes.
Wider fork clamping area for the lower triple-clamp and revised rigidity balance for the fork outer tubes. More circuit-focused settings in the forks include a lower spring rate (21.5 N/mm >> 21.0 N/mm), complemented by firmer compression damping and softer rebound damping to make it easier to weight front wheel
Brembo M50 monobloc calipers clamp 330 mm semi-floating front discs and a radial pump master cylinder complete the braking package.
2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R
All LED lighting utilises direct projection unit headlamps from Mitsubishi; their luminous optical modules being adopted for motorcycle use for the very first time.
2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R
Gear ratios are refined with 1st, 2nd and 3rd lower than its predecessor while the rear sprocket has gained a couple of extra teeth with final drive now 17/41.
2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R
The inlet ports have been changed for more performance and are fed by new throttle valves while spent gases now exit via new exhaust system.
2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR – a number of engine changes enable the the Ninja ZX-10RR’s rev limit to be increased from 14,300 to 14,700 rpm. Raising the rev limit not only moves the powerband 500 rpm higher, it enables an even wider powerband which helps with gearing flexibility.
A new KRT developed air-cooled oil cooler transfers straight from track to street reinforcing the link between race and road for Ninja fans.
Rather than routing coolant from the radiator to the oil cooler and back to the engine, the new oil cooler is air-cooled and has an independent circuit. Oil is routed from the left lower crankcase to the oil cooler, where it is cooled, then returned on the RHS.
For the RR homologation model new Pankl pistons and matched DLC coated piston pins are 20 g lighter each and mated to Pankl connecting rods which allow the RR to extend its rev capacity 400 rpm higher than the regular ZX-10R. Weighing 102 g less each, the lighter connecting rods contribute to reducing the crankshaft’s moment of inertia by 5 per cent. In addition to benefiting engine response and handling, this makes it easier for riders to weight the front wheel on corner entry. The RR pistons have one less piston ring than standard which enables a much shorter piston height at 33.7 mm and reduces friction.
The RR also sports new cams and valve springs while the intake funnels in the air-box has been dramatically reduced in height, they were 10-30-30-10 mm but are now an even 5 mm across the four intakes.
The RR rolls on Marchesini rims and adds braided brake lines.The RR is a limited-edition model with only 500 units produced worldwide.
2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R is limited to only 500 units worldwide 7-spoke multi-directional forged aluminium wheels jointly developed with Marchesini contribute to quicker changes of direction
Kawasaki are set to unveil their new models for 2021 at some point next week but that hasn’t stopped the Kawasaki Racing Team showing off the fresh new face of their ZX-10RR machines during WorldSBK testing in Europe overnight.
2021 Kawasaki ZX-10RR
WorldSBK rules mandate that the front end or ‘face’of the race machines must closely resemble that of the model they are based on. Thus how in recent years we have seen the painted on headlights etc. on the front of the WorldSBK machines which, in my opinion, look great.
2021 Kawasaki ZX-10RR
So what we are very likely to be looking at here is the face of the production ZX-10RR for the 2021 model year.
2021 Kawasaki ZX-10RR
The design reminds me of the Kawasaki MotoGP machines from last decade mixed in with some styling cues from the current model supercharged H2 Kawasaki.
2021 Kawasaki ZX-10RR
We should also mention that Jonathan Rea was the fastest rider at the test.
2021 Kawasaki ZX-10RR
Jonathan Rea
“We started to work with some items for 2021, part of the test plan KHI sent us. Like always we were collecting information and tried many things – a different front fairing to give our feedback to Kawasaki, engine feeling, front fork, some brake items and a front tyre for Pirelli. We did quite a lot of work and I set a lot of laps today with an old tyre. I have not been super-fast with a fresh tyre but the more laps I did on a tyre the faster I got. That is a good problem to have! There were pluses and minuses and we have a lot of information to go back now and assess everything before we return to the track and go further at Motorland next week.”
2021 Kawasaki ZX-10RR
Pere Riba – Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea
“It was all OK, as usual. We have the new bike and we have been testing all the items, the old ones and the new ones, just to collect the information. The engine has a new character and this has an effect. The aerodynamics of the new fairing seems to be working very well and it helps in different areas. It also makes the bike work a little bit different in terms of balance and we need time to look for the best package. We followed the plan, and the items that KHI requested. Johnny was finally the fastest rider, with a Q tyre, but he did very well.”
Kawasaki Heavy Industries released a statement this week that may have a few Kawasaki Motorcycle fans a little nervous, but we don’t think they have anything to worry about.
The huge conglomerate that is KHI builds ships, trains, planes, helicopters, hydraulics and robotics along with gas turbines and jet engines that run on hydrogen, amongst many other things.
Thus while Kawasaki is a massive global force in the motorcycle world, in the grand scheme of things, the motorcycle business is not their core asset, not even close.
This month in market and planning updates Kawasaki have indicated that they plan to ‘spin-off’ their motorcycle and engine business around October next year, 2021.
Now what does this actually mean… Well in essence, the motorcycle side of the business will be separated from KHI and placed into a new company structure that endeavours to give them more flexibility as a separated entity. So this could actually be a good thing for Kawasaki Motorcycles in the long term.
An increased focus on their off-road and side-by-side development has been indicated in other strategic documents we have seen along with mentions of more autonomy in the management of the powersports side of the business after the split away from KHI.
Excerpt from Kawasaki statement
The Power Sports Business which comprises a part of the Motorcycle & Engine Business, includes motorcycles and off-road four wheelers, and is Kawasaki’s only mass-production consumer-facing business. Spinning off this business will speed up decision making, and by offering products and services in sync with customers – including new lifestyle offerings – Power Sports will further enhance its role as the flagship Group business building the strong Kawasaki brand.
In the short term, we will continue working to improve our financial situation. However, when taking a broad view of the industry as a whole, it faces significant issues such as an aging customer base and compliance with environmental regulations. Kawasaki is strengthening intraindustry cooperation – such as through joint development of electric drive and advanced safety technologies as well as greater commonality of functional parts – in order to catalyze growth in the Power Sports Business and achieve market revitalization.
The Motorcycle & Engine Business is also instigating innovative projects to capture new business opportunities. Its initiatives include extending corporate resources to mass-production businesses in cooperation with the Precision Machinery & Robot Business, collaborating in the agricultural machinery and turf care markets in hydraulic systems and general-purpose engines, and promoting the development of near-future mobility such as by incorporating robotics and remote technologies.
Kawasaki won the Manufacturers’ Championship to add to the Riders’ Championship win scored by Jonathan Rea on his KRT Ninja ZX-10RR in 2020Eli Tomac – 2020 Monster Energy Supercross 450 SX Champion
PRA No. – 2020/18540 Date published – 1 Oct 2020 Campaign number – DAJ980A
Supplier – Kawasaki Motors Pty Ltd Traders who sold this product – Kawasaki Authorised Dealers Where the product was sold – Nationally Dates available for sale – 1 October 2018 – 1 September 2020
The wiring harness for the horn may not be durable enough and could break due to vibration at a certain engine speed range, preventing the horn from operating.
What are the hazards?
If the horn does not operate correctly, this could increase the risk of an accident or injury to the rider and other road users.
What should consumers do?
Kawasaki Motors will notify all affected owners by direct letter or email and advise them to make an appointment for repair.
I visited the (then) newly opened US Kawasaki HQ in Orange County, California back in 2016 to photograph the KR500 that Eddie Lawson rode in 1982 (Kawasaki KR500 Grand Prix Motorcycles – A Short History – LINK). While I was there I also had the opportunity to shoot another rare green machine – the KZ1000 S1.
Kawasaki’s KZ1000 S1 Racer
In 1982 Kawasaki built 30 (or possibly 29) race-only S1s for the KMC Racing Team plus US dealers who wanted to go Superbike racing. It was basically a copy of the bikes Eddie Lawson and Dave Aldana campaigned in ’81-’82.
Kawasaki’s KZ1000 S1 Racer
Due to most of the company’s race resources being directed towards the European GPs it was decided that while KHI (Kawasaki Heavy Industries, the parent company) would develop the motor, long time Kawasaki mechanic Randy Hall (based in the US) would develop the chassis. The S1 featured an alloy swingarm of his design.
Kawasaki also released a slightly modified KZ1000 – the ‘Eddie Lawson replica’ for street use. The bike seen here is incorrectly fitted with the side cover badges from the street bike.
Randy Hall and Eddie Lawson pose with the KZ1000 S1 in 2016
The dealer cost for the S1 was US$10,999 with no retail price supplied. An original S1 (with spares kit) sold for USD $107,000 in 2013.
For 2021 Kawasaki’s KX250 gets a new frame and swingarm based on the most recent updates to the KX450 along with further engine improvements that push peak power up by around three per cent and the operational ceiling up by another 350 revs to 14,500 rpm. The KX250 also loses the F suffix from its nomenclature.
The use of coned-disc springs contributes to lighter clutch actuation when the lever has been pulled in, and a wider clutch engagement range
Electric start makes an appearance for the first time on the KX250 and it now also scores the hydraulic clutch set-up from the KX450.
Starting is electric only, via button
Superbike derived DLC finger-followers are struck by high-lift cams actuate 32 mm intake valves and 26.5 mm exhausts which in-turn are fed by enlarged and reprofiled ports.
Like the KX450, the KX250 features a valve train designed by Kawasaki’s World Superbike engineers. Finger-follower valve actuation enables a higher rev limit and more aggressive cam profiles
The exhaust cam timing is retared by three-degrees which contributes to the increased engine performance and the valve springs are stiffer than the previous model.
A short skirt, reinforced external ribs and the use of a bridged-box bottom, featuring internal bracing, contributes to a light, strong piston design. A dry film lubricant coating on the piston skirts reduces friction
A new piston with a dry film lubricant coating swings off a 3 mm longer connecting rod that helps reduce mechanical losses while the cylinder itself if offset forward by 3mm. The crank is lighter and offers less windage.
The twin-injector set-up continues with the downstream injector timed for response while as revs increase the primary fuelling switches its bias towards the upper injector which is used primarily for top-end power.
2021 Kawasaki KX250F
Different magneto rotors are available to change the inertia of the engine to suit rider preference and track conditions.
Launch Control Mode gives riders an edge when lining up at the start gate.
The lines of the new KX250 are smoother and the seat line flatter than before.
Revised design for the top of the fuel tank top allows an even flatter progression from the seat to the tank. The flatter design gives the rider greater freedom of movement
The standard settings of the suspension have been refined to better absorb bumps and aid traction.
High-performance Kashima Coat KYB 48 mm inverted coil-spring fork handles suspension duties up front. Large-diameter inner tubes enable the use of 25 mm damping pistons, delivering smooth action and firm damping.
A choice of four handlebar positions and two foot-peg mounts allows riders to personally tailor their riding position to suit body size and preference.
The New Uni Trak rear suspension system mounts the suspension arm below the swingarm, allowing a longer rear suspension stroke. The longer stroke in turn allows more precise rear suspension tuning.
Renthal Fatbars are now standard while a new KX450 derived front master cylinder aids braking power and control. The rear disc rotor is now 10 mm smaller than before.
The KX FI Calibration Kit features the handheld KX FI Calibration Controller, which enables riders to adjust engine characteristics (by rewriting actual data maps) to suit their preference. This convenient tool can be used without a PC, simply by plugging into the engine’s ECU.
Add established features such as the option of an accessory KX Fi calibration kit for ultra-fine tuning in addition to the three easy to interchange “tuning plugs” and the KX250 mounts a strong argument for your dollar.
Adjusting engine settings to suit conditions is simple with the KX-style DFI couplers.
On the subject of dollars, the 2021 KX250F will arrive in September with a RRP sticker of $11,499
2021 Kawasaki KX250F
2021 Kawasaki KX250F Specifications
Engine – 249 cc four-stroke, four-valve single
Bore x Stroke – 78 x 52.2 mm
Compression Ratio – 14.1:1
Induction – EFI, twin-injector, 44mm throttle body
Lubrication – Forced semi-dry sump
Gears – Five-speed, hydraulic clutch
Fuel capacity – 6.2 litres
L x W x H – 2180 x 820 x 1265 mm
Wheelbase – 1485 mm
Caster / Rake – 28-degrees
Trail – 118 mm
Seat Height – 950 mm
Weight without fuel – 102.9 kg
Kerb weight – 107.5 kg
Frame – Aluminium perimeter
Forks – KYB 48 mm spring, fully-adj’, Kashima Coat
Shock – Uni-Trak fully-adj’ including high-low comp’
