Tag Archives: supercharger

Motorcycle News, News

Kawasaki supercharges Bimota Tesi H2

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Kawasaki is supercharging Bimota which it recently bought with the launch of the Tesi H2 powered by their H2 supercharged 998cc inline four.

Not only is it propelled by the stonking supercharged H2 engine, but there is a fair bit of H2 in the “origami” design.

It follows the release last week of Kawasaki’s fourth model in the H2 range, the naked Z H2.

Kawasaki Z H2 - Bimota
Kawasaki Z H2

Tesi H2

There is no word yet on price for the limited-edition Tesi H2.Bimota Tesi H2ension

However, you can bet it will be eye-wateringly expensive being fettled with Öhlins suspension, Brembo brakes, plenty of carbon fibre and CNC machined bits and pieces.

As a guide, the current Ducati-powered Tesi 3D EVO is $A50,890 and the Tesi 3D Naked is $55,990.

Bimota Tesi 3D
Bimota Tesi 3D

That’s a lot more than the current Kawasaki H2 at $29,290, H2 SX SE at $34,999 or the Carbon version at $40,400.

Bimota is also not releasing a lot of technical details, although we can see they are continuing with their front swingarm instead of conventional forks.Bimota Tesi H2

But most significantly, the power figure is missing.

Kawasaki’s track-only H2R has 240kW of power, the H2 is set at 170kW and the SX SE and new naked are both 147kW.

We tip it will be somewhere between the H2 and H2R.

The current Tesi 3D models are powered by a 1078cc Ducati air-cooled engine from the old Monster 1100 which only outputs 78kW.Bimota Tesi H2

Bimota history

Bimota has worked with Kawasaki before, using their engines and we expect the new ownership arrangement to result in more collaborative models.

The Italian boutique manufacturer was founded in 1973 in Rimini, Italy by Valerio Bianchi, Giuseppe Morri, and Massimo Tamburini who designed the beautiful Ducati 916 and equally elegant MV Agusta F4.

They have also had relationships other motorcycles manufacturers such as Ducati and the other Japanese manufacturers.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Is BMW planning supercharged M bikes?

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BMW Motorrad has applied for trademarks for the model names M 1000 RR, M 1000 XR and M 1300 GS which hints at performance versions, possibly with superchargers.

Their car division has been using the M model code for performance models for years.

They have more power, better suspension and brakes, plus styling differences, usually including their motorsport division logos and colours.

The same could be coming to their motorcycles.

So the M 1000 RR and XR could be performance versions of their S 1000 RR and S 1000 XR.

However, the unusual name here is the M 1300 GS.

Is it a bigger-capacity performance version of their boxer-powered R 1250 GS which has only recently increased engine capacity from the R 1200 GS?

Or will it be a GS version of their K 1300 four-cylinder models that they retired a few years ago?

Will M mean superchargers?

While these trademark applications hint at performance updates with some cosmetic changes, BMW could also be considering supercharged versions.

Last month, BMW Motorrad filed a patent for a supercharger with a drawing of an S 1000 RR.

Supercharged BMW S 1000 RR patent drawing
Supercharged BMW S 1000 RR patent drawing

Perhaps that will be called the M 1000 RR!

After all, most of their M cars are turbocharged.

Supercharging and turbocharging could be the future as motorcycle manufacturers such as Kawasaki and Suzuki have also applied for patents.

Forced induction makes sense as it allows the manufacturers to get the same power from smaller-capacity engines and still meet tougher emissions regulations.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Will Kawasaki supercharge the Z1000?

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A teaser video from Kawasaki showing a supercharger and the letter “Z” seems to indicate the company is about to expand its supercharged lineup, possibly the Z1000.

Currently the company supercharges its H2, H2R track-only model and H2 SX super tourer.

Kawasaki H2 SX SE supercharged tourer centre
Kawasaki H2 SX SE supercharged tourer

Super Z1000

The video shows a “Z”, not a “ZX”, so it is likely to supercharge the top of the Z fleet, the Z1000, rather than the ZX-14R, although that would be hoot!

We don’t expect they would supercharge their Z900RS and Z900RS Cafe retro models.

But they could also introduce it in the Z900 or even the Z650, although that would rule it out of learner-approved status.

Kawasaki is no stranger to forced induction with the GPZ750 turbo way back in the 1982.

With the success of the retro Z900 RS models, maybe the Japanese manufacturer is bringing back the 750cc displacement to honour the GPZ750.

Japanese motorcycle z1000
Kawasaki GPZ750 Turbo

The new supercharged Kwaka could be introduce at the Tokyo Motor Show next month or at EICMA motorcycle show in Milan in November.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Is BMW chasing a supercharged future?

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BMW Motorrad has filed a patent for a supercharger with a drawing of an S 1000 RR (above) which could challenge the supercharged Kawasaki H2R as the fastest and most powerful motorcycle in the world.

Bimota and Hesketh have also launched supercharged models in recent years and Honda is rumoured to be working on a similar project.

Hesketh introducing a Valiant Supercharger supercharged
Hesketh Valiant Supercharger

Meanwhile, Yamaha has filed a patent for a turbo and Suzuki has been considering turbocharging for several years with its Incursion concept.

Suzuki Recursion with turbocharging
Suzuki Recursion

This industry move toward forced induction is not just about setting power records, but also meeting the coming tougher emissions laws.

Now BMW has joined the charge toward cleaner and more efficient forced induction with a supercharger with an electric compressor to free air into the combustion chamber via an intercooler.

Turbo or supercharged?

blown turbo supercharged
1980s Honda CX 650TC Turbo

In the 1980s, several manufacturers played with temperamental turbo technology, but it was a difficult to control the light-switch power delivery so they had a short life.

However, modern turbos are more efficient, lighter, smaller and more reliable.

While a turbo takes its power from the exhaust gases, superchargers that power from the crankshaft.

Kawasaki H2 paint supercgarged
Supercharged Kawasaki H2R

There are advantages and disadvantages in these two technologies.

Turbochargers are quieter, smaller, more efficient, but also more complex.

Superchargers can deliver their boost at lower revs than a turbocharger and are more reliable and easier to maintain. However, they are harder on the engine.

It will be interesting to see which way the industry goes in coming years on forced induction.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Yamaha’s future might be blown!

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Yamaha might be going down the blown track like Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Ducati with a patent filing for a turbocharged parallel twin.

It follows Kawasaki’s H2 supercharged bike and patent filings by Suzuki and Honda for turbocharged engines, while Ducati applied for a patent for an exhaust system turbine.

So it seems the future for motorcycle engines might be blown, either with forced induction or exhaust.

Blown filing

The Yamaha patent filing shows drawings of a turbo in an MT-09 which is actually powered by a triple-cylinder engine.

However, patent drawings don’t necessarily mean they will build the engine, the bike or use the MT-09 to house the engine.

If it’s the MT-09 engine with a cylinder lobbed off, it would be about 588cc which would be the same engine capacity as the Suzuki Recursion turbo concept unveiled in 2013 with a single-overhead-cam parallel-twin turbo engine.

Suzuki Recursion - Katana turbo blown
Suzuki Recursion

Blown era

The switch to smaller, lighter, more powerful yet more fuel-efficient blown bikes makes a lot of sense given the stricter emissions rules in Europe and California, as well as tough imposts such as a charges for or restrictions on older bikes entering CBDs.

Turbo was the “next big thing” back in the ’80s with models from several of the Japanese manufacturers, including the Honda CB500 Turbo, Yamaha XJ650 Turbo, Suzuki XN85, and Kawasaki GPz750 Turbo.

They had manic light-switch power that made them not only difficult to control, but dangerous. They were also temperamental and unreliable.

However, modern low-boost mini turbos and superchargers which have revolutionised the car industry in recent years would be a lot more controllable and reliable than the temperamental rocketships of the ‘80s.

Turbo problems

Turbos and superchargers require a fair bit of plumbing and coolers.

They are easy to fit in a car where space is not scarce like on a motorcycle.

The Yamaha patent presents two different solutions to the problem.Yamaha turbo blown

In one filling, the exhaust headers merge into one to pipe the gas through an intercooler into a low-mounted turbocharger in front of the engine with the catalytic converter underneath.

The other filing (top image on this page) has the turbo upside down and closer to the headers, allowing the cat to be mounted in front of the cylinders.

It is not only more compact but would also heat the cat faster and decrease emissions.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com