STUART’S STRO
KAWASAKI NINJAH2
When I arrived at Fast Bikes HQ I was pretty surprised to see the H2 sat there – for me! For a sports touring test! It’s impossible not to be blown away by it, and I’ll admit I was intimated by its presence (the biblical thunderstorm didn’t help either!).
The first impression I got was a numb throttle response, which I’m sure is a feature of the supercharger. It also feels long and was very stable, it wasn’t until we got onto the motorway that I really had a chance to stretch the throttle cable and this is the point you break down into fits of giggles – this thing is FAST! The acceleration and torque takes your breath away, and getting the boost gauge on the dash maxed is virtually impossible at road legal speeds!
At the ferry terminal loads of bikers came up to marvel at the otherworldly look. It’s like it was made by aliens and feels like you’re riding a space ship, however the lack of anywhere to put luggage, enough space under the seat for nothing bigger than a fun-size choccy bar, and a fairing that you have to bury yourself inside to get any protection quickly wore me down and I looked on in envy to the guys with panniers, big screens, cruise control and heated grips.
As fun as this bike is, it’s too focused for touring, even the S 1000 had heated grips and cruise control. After eight hours’ riding, the ability to smash out miles on the motorway in comfort is something I really missed. After having ridden all of the other bikes on test, I had to admit that the initial excitement of this weapon had worn off, and even the odd straight-line blast and car park presence wasn’t enough for me to fall in love with it. Sad face...