It’s a doddle to ride fast
The H2 SX’S gargantuan engine is kept civilised by a huge range of electronics, without which wet roads would demand skill and concentration I couldn’t muster for long. With them, though, it’s simple – just point and squirt. And in the dry, those same electronics mean you can use as much of the engine’s performance as you want without having to worry about the rear tyre deciding it’s had enough and is going for a lie down. On the left bar is the power button – scroll from Full to Medium (75%) or Low (50%), then blip the throttle to set. You can do it on the move, but only if the throttle’s closed. It’s the same with the traction control button – you can choose between 1 (least intervention) through to 3, then off. I end up using full power (why have low power, when full power is made safe by the traction and wheelie control?), with the traction control on level 2 (on level 3 you notice it cutting in before there’s any hint of a slide and I wasn’t brave enough to find out how far level 1 would let you slide – 2 seemed the safe bet). And with the safety net in place you’re free to rip across the countryside at outlandish speed while your bum is cosseted by a plush saddle and your wrists remain uncompressed. As standard, the suspension front and rear is plush rather than firm but never felt wallowy or overwhelmed even with a pillion on board. Hammer the radial brakes and the forks compress fast, but that’s a small price to pay for the way they let the H2 SX glide over Portugal’s tree-root infested B-roads. The steering itself feels smooth and accurate, the sharp geometry helping to off-set the bike’s bulk.
‘The H2 SX’S gargantuan engine is kept civilised by a huge range of electronics… just point and squirt’