Kawasaki H2

[vfrpaul98_imp]

Honda was busy back in the day with development when the international racing organizations got wind of it and said oh no you don't.![url=http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/vfrpaul98/media/img002_zps3c91bef8.jpg.html]

[Dakota_imp]

Below is a good read.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question122.htm

Supercharges need HP to produce HP therefore most of the HP gains are at the top of the RPM range. There will be dead spots unless they can figure out how to get torque up at the lower rpm range.

"The biggest disadvantage of superchargers is also their defining characteristic: Because the crankshaft drives them, they must steal some of the engine's horsepower. A supercharger can consume as much as 20 percent of an engine's total power output. But because a supercharger can generate as much as 46 percent additional horsepower, most think the trade-off is worth it."

My wife and I both have supercharged Pontiac cars and the boost is effective at lower rpm ranges. There are no dead spots. This design also bypasses the supercharger unless the engine requires boost which results in minimal parasitic losses (several HP on a ~240HP car). A pretty good system.

[The Spaceman_imp]

One of the car makers (Volvo, who'd a thunkit?) has combined a supercharger with a turbo in an upcoming engine. The supercharger provides the power at lower RPM, and then as the engine spins up, it's disconnected and the turbo takes over. You get the best of both in both performance and fuel economy. I like this stuff...it's the future and the future has more power and uses less gas!

http://jalopnik.com/volvos-supercharged-...1162227064

[NightRider_imp]

When I saw "Kawasaki" and "H2", I had an entirely different post in mind.

Although one of my favorite bikes ever was the GPz 750 turbo of '83, I'm not a general fan of unnaturally aspirated engines on motorcycles. Probably because most have been attempts to bolt an aftermarket turbo/supercharger to an engine that wasn't designed to use it.

Looks like Kaw is going for a ground up build with resources that actually know a lot about compressing air with turbines (aerospace dudes). I'll be interested to see what they come up with.

Tradition is fine, but they should have at least considered calling it the H3.

BTW, my first ride on the original H2 was simultaneously the most exciting and frightening bike I ever rode up to then.

Got that right. That front end would not stay down, but that jet engine like only a three cylinder two stroke whine is a sound only that bike can make and I suspect this new one can not sound the same.
Quote:Buy your literbike normally aspirated air cooled CBs while you can!
I got mine!

[The Spaceman_imp]

Kawasaki has released a new video for the H2. You can finally see the entire bike, inside and out. The website in the link below says it has 300 horsepower. I haven't seen that number anywhere else, so I question it. Most estimates are 250. They had to put aero-wings on the front to keep the wheels on the ground. What a stunning bike. This may be one of those rare times when the hype is actually matched by the hardware. I have to have one...

http://lanesplitter.jalopnik.com/the-psy...1640740797

[the Ferret]

There are 2 versions Spaceman track only 300 hp and street legal 225 hp from what Ive seen. And Kaws explanation on the wings was not to keep the front end down but to channel air to the radiator for cooling. See here for info on that one and a who.e slew of new models. Intermot show in Cologne Germany opened today. Lots of new models shown.

http://www.motorcycledaily.com

[The Spaceman_imp]

I have seen the future, and its awesome! PThe "about 300 HP" H2 is on display in Orlando at the AIM Expo.

The H2 is clearly the next generation in performance motorcycling. From the engine to the aerodynamics, from the chassis to the "paint" (panel surfaces are finished with what looks like liquid metal), this must be like seeing the prototype CB-750s back in the sixties. I think this bike meets the hype (for once) and is truly a paradigm shift in the industry.

I doubt I'll own one, but I'm sure that now that Kawi has raised the bar, H2 tech is going to trickle down across the industry. Maybe it will inspire Suzuki to get busy and build the Recursion.

[CB4ME_imp]

This thread needs more pictures:



There - that's better.

[The Spaceman_imp]

Thanks for the photo, CB. When form follows function like it does with the H2, its always beautiful. Like the 911.

[CB4ME_imp]

What's the diameter of those front disks? They are enormous! MotoGP just went to 34mm (13.4").

Meanwhile the exhaust is reasonably sized, not like some of those megaphones on recent bikes. Three of those would cover a football field.