Ride and Review of the Kawasaki ZH2

Rabid Hedgehog is neither paid or in any way affiliated with Kawasaki and its dealers.... Seriously just a mad man with an opinion that got to ride an amazing piece of engineering.
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Detailed Specs of the ZH2
Engine
4-stroke, 4-cylinder, DOHC, 4-valve, liquid-cooled, supercharged
Displacement 998cc
Bore x Stroke76.0 x 55.0mm
Compression Ratio11.2:1
Maximum Torque101.0 lb-ft
Fuel System
DFI® with 36mm Keihin throttle bodies
Ignition
TCBI with electronic advance
Transmission
6-speed dog-ring, return shift
Final Drive
Sealed chain
Electronic Rider Aids
Integrated Riding Modes, Kawasaki Cornering Management Function (KCMF), Power Modes (3), Kawasaki Launch Control Mode (KLCM), Kawasaki Traction Control (KTRC), Kawasaki Launch Control Mode (KLCM), Kawasaki Engine Brake Control (KEBC), Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System (KIBS), Kawasaki Quick Shifter (KQS) (upshift & downshift), Electronic Cruise Control
Front Suspension / Wheel Travel
Showa SFF-BP Fork with Adjustable Compression and Rebound Damping, Spring Preload Adjustability
Rear Suspension / Wheel Travel
New Uni-Trak®, Showa Gas-Charged Shock with Adjustable Compression and Rebound Damping, Preload Adjustability
Front Tire
120/70-17
Rear Tire
190/55-17
Front Brakes
Dual Disc w/Radial-mount M4.32 Calipers, ABS
Rear Brakes
Single 260mm petal-style disc with single piston caliper, ABS
Frame Type
Trellis, high tensile steel
Rake/Trail
24.9/4.1in
Overall Length
82.1 in
Overall Width
31.9 in
Overall Height
44.5 in
Ground Clearance
5.5 in
Seat Height
32.7 in
Curb Weight
527.0 lb**
Fuel Capacity
5.0 gal
Wheelbase
57.3 in
Special Features
Rideology the App Smartphone Connectivity, TFT Instrumentation

[@stevesmith6236]

I am so impressed by this machine, I ordered one! Should have it sometime this week. Chomping at the bit! ZH2 for the win!

[@Turbo495]

I wanna do the same, I currently have an MT-10 because this wasnt out last year, still debating though

[@paulh6101]

Whats the insurance quote? Full coverage...

[@stevesmith6236]

@@paulh6101 Mine will be paid in full and always stored in a secure building. No full coverage for me, just comprehensive with Progressive Insurance.Quotes are free and are given out (usually) with a v.i.n. If no number is available, a quote based on the model year, manufacturer and model name.

[@alanbacon4722]

Steve Smith I would look at geico, not a fan of progressive. My S1000rr is with geico. Super cheap.

[@EEEBA1]

Any updates? Did you get it and how do you like it? Thank you

[@CraigSmith568]

I would love to have this bike. Love that it has cruise control. First review I have seen of it. You need to get one for a long term review.

[@stevesmith6236]

Just went past the 700 mile mark this afternoon. This bike continues to thrill me everytime I ride it! I did regear it so it's less wheelie prone by (in effect) going from a 46 tooth rear sprocket down to a 42 tooth. Still kicks serious ass but doesn't turn into as much of a wheelie machine, plus it gets better gas mileage. Can't wait until my local drag strip is open next month to see what I can get her to do.

[@captainaverage721]

I'm from Britain and watched this whole upload waiting on a corner!

[@Carvetii]

I live up I cumbria fella I was the same iwould be bored shitless on a bike living there

[@captainaverage721]

@@Carvetii Greetings from your cousins from the other side of Hadrians wall!

[@spvimagery3527]

Love your reactions, I think this bike puts a giggle in every ride face lol. Sounds like a jet engine, way to go Kawasaki.

[@henryhartley9993]

Sounds fantastic when you open the throttle, what a bike.....

[@blaster3069]

I own a 2022 ZH2 SE and love it. I would highly recommend it for an experienced rider. It is truly hard to express just how fast it is. Be careful and enjoy the ride.

[@kwacker4km]

Love your work what a bike ZH2 is what a beast. Love the way you got excited about this bike got me buzzing to. Keep up the great work looking forward to your new content soon ✊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@snoman7400]

Love mine on the twisties of Colorado! Got that Million $ Hwy in sights when the snow melts. The bike is amazing, one of the coolest bikes I've owned. I have been selling MC's for nearly 20 years now and I can honestly say this is one of the most interesting bikes out there! If you can get one, do it! You won't be disappointed.

[@InteractiveIdea]

I be in Colorado riding my zh2 this summer! Let's meet up

[@SuperGinkgo]

That's it mate you've peaked! All downhill from that one 😜

[@saddle8bag]

I seem to recall my buddy's ZX-10 would go well over 100 mph in first gear. For a street bike, ya gotta wonder why they even bothered with the complexity, weight, and cost of a gear box.

[@exothermal.sprocket]

"Over 100 mph in 1st gear" isn't a desirable trait. Just means 1st gear is a lousy ratio that will wear out the clutch. Sure some of these 4-bangers rev to 14K-15K but most of the power is north of 10k. By that fact, you can't get into the meat of the power until 80 mph even in the lowest gear.

[@saddle8bag]

@@exothermal.sprocket There's a reason they gear sportbike first gear to the moon. It's so you can start the race without looping the bike. I wasn't actually being serious. The point is that these bikes are just way overpowered to ride around on the street. No one will ever tap into a fraction of the power unless maybe they live in rural Montana.And even then, the bike's electronics will be sure to nanny it out in such a way that people don't hurt themselves.

[@cascadian19]

@@exothermal.sprocket dude. ZX10R here. 100mph in first gear. Clutch is as smooth as my dirtbike, power comes in by 3K rpm, peak torque around 8K, red line 13K. Easy to ride, plenty of power through the range, don't kid yourself

[@dereklchung]

Great review. Thanks for sharing.

[@coyote102076]

Just...…...…………………..awesome!

[@anilkumarpr3639]

No its not awesome becoz Pay £400 to read more

[@donaldtate87]

Its a let down,they put all that gearing on it,that .awesome it seem fast,I don't like it,I wish I left it on the show room floor, its a peace of crap

[@wrkings]

Awesome vlog mate, simply fantastic machine, thx brah for an excellent review

[@Cartier_specialist]

I'd lose my license the first day I owned one of those.

[@toofastnobrakes]

Ide probably lose my life 😂☠️

[@50yearsago57]

@@toofastnobrakes lol..me too

[@anilkumarpr3639]

Not first day but first hour

[@josephstalin6913]

@@toofastnobrakes we die like men

[@toofastnobrakes]

@@josephstalin6913 anything for Stalin 😂

[@josephstalin6913]

Looks like a great starter bike

[@Cartier_specialist]

Why did Kawasaki make this? Because they could.

[@Truthasvictim]

It feels like it wants to leave Earth. Yes. lol

[@aliwaleed5288]

That's it I'm getting this as my first bike i love it

[@RabidHedgehog]

This is a bunch of bike for a first machine. Make sure you step up from the lower power modes first.

[@aliwaleed5288]

Rabid Hedgehog I'm saving up for this i have a 2020 katana i will sell and buy the z h2 i can ride liter bikes no problem

[@AQS521]

That thing would sound awesome with an SC project exhaust

[@protonjicari5990]

The review is great I really like it! Also the reaction is also awesome! I just would prefer a better thumbnail so show how much effort what’s in the video.

[@RabidHedgehog]

I am terrible with the thumbnails for real. I'll see if I can upload a better one that KZbin will allow.

[@bikerbeliever8169]

Cant wait for the new cruiser from Kawasaki.

[@2amProFilms]

Im wanting to trade in my MT10 for this, glad to hear its on another level because my MT10 just isn't fast enough (Tesla Plaids bully me)

[@rabbitpatterson2957]

Nice .looks fast and fun ..love the cruze control .. would be great for me on big trips up north all Blue ridge parkway we did last year ..on my Suzuki bandit 1200 ..now has 147000 miles on it .lol great bike . Still going on trips till she flops over and dies .haha ..I like the Ninja . awesome bike

[@BeatisMcScoots]

I cannot decide between this and the aprilia tuono

[@hnic72]

Depends on your purpose... If you plan on doing track days annually, I'd say the tuono without a doubt. If you don't ever plan on attending one single track day, opt for the Z H2 hands down. I've owned both

[@angeloribeiro5968]

Kawasaki cheaper to maintain

[@ur2slob724]

If you like things to breakdown go the ape. Not to mention months wait for parts from Italy Ask my how I know… I now own a zh2

[@ShikiKaze]

I would look like a child dangling my feet off the ground lol... All the cool bikes I wanna ride got like 4 inch clearance off the ground haha.

[@Moxyator]

Bunnyshooter 223 try a lowering kit. I am just ordering a Z H2 and they will fit either a 25-50mm lowering kit for me. Awesome.

[@brandonanger4423]

So hard choosing between this and the h2 sx se

[@craige2574]

Had SX, went to Z, good choice, better torque low down, better sitting positon.

[@dylanw890]

I really like this bike! The unfortunate thing is that since I am a beginner rider, I should not come within 100 feet of this motorcycle 😂I wish there were modes like in a hellcat where you can put the motorcycle in a "valet mode" and learn to ride that way. I think that although heavier bikes can be harder to handle at slow speeds, I heard that they are more stable at high speeds and be more confidence inspiring for someone who is not used to going 75-90 mph on a two wheeled machine

[@2amProFilms]

You can, its called rain mode.

[@MsChrisep]

Great review. Hows the weight though? Its considerably heavier than all the other super naked bikes. Did you say you can flat foot it? How tall are you? Theres so many great bikes in this category. Weight and seat height may just decide why i pick one over another. The tuono and superduke are more expensive. The street fighter even more so. Those of us who think the ZH2 looks great seem to be in the minority.

[@RabidHedgehog]

Weight is not bad at 521. My primary ride weighs around 800 though, so anything lighter than that usually feels like a feather to me. Seat height is 32.7 inches. I am 6 feet tall with a 32 inch inseam around 209 lbs. Yes I can indeed flat foot.

[@MsChrisep]

I just converted your 800 pounds to 362kgs! Bloody hell, thats heavy. Whats your primary ride? None of the bike shops here in Melbourne, Australia have the ZH2 in yet, so I will have to wait to go sit on one/test ride one.

[@danielgreen5803]

You actually get a free coffin with every ZH2 you buy

[@spvimagery3527]

Lol tame the beast you’ll be okay.

[@redbitter1232]

Love the review. But where are the corners.

[@RabidHedgehog]

2.5 to three hours away from central Oklahoma.

[@CrusaderGeneral]

What do you like more overall Z or SX? ... I got my answer by watching through the entire video :) ZH2 is the best bike in the world... I guess it makes the FTR1200 look like a scooter :) I got a H2SXSE+ , I would not want to tare it for the ZH2, but I would love to one day add the ZH2 to my arsinal...

[@RabidHedgehog]

Two H2 types would be a great place to be.

[@craige2574]

Went from SX SE to the ZH2, no regrets

[@traeucity6087]

No Performance Edition for the United States??? WTH?!

[@davidm2938]

Lmao like always

[@Turbo495]

How tall are you? I own a MT-10 and i want this bike, Im 5.7 and I have a hard time touching the ground on that. I was hoping that this would be a little better

[@srtspeedy4983]

Kawasaki 32.7 in MT10 32.5 in. Lazy boy.

[@ur2slob724]

Same mate

[@Cpt.Eli.66]

First off, great review! a little emotional but well understandable (= Your idea of changing the front tooth is brilliant, which will also help for a lower rpm at cruise speeds. Say you want to drive it for a relatively straight cruise of 600miles one way. How feasible do you think that is, considering the mileage and tank capacity and overall ride comfort? Cheers!

[@RabidHedgehog]

You would have to shake out the legs a couple of times for sure, but the fuel is not going to last but maybe maybe 175 miles at a time on straight line roads in lowest power setting and not playing. But every three hours at a time and stretch would be about right for this machine.

[@EthanOnOneWheel]

Holy shit!! My dad has an H2 sx and I have a kawaski 636. We live in moore! We have to ride sometime man!!

[@EthanOnOneWheel]

Both bikes were bought from HOK (: love their customer service!

[@Smitty-J]

I am kind of a newbie however my personality and such does not allow me to take anything nice and easy I took my MSF course on a 500 CC2 months later I bought a liter bike the Honda CB 1000 RR now I Curley own a Cal saki ZH2 and I will find its limits but as I did on my Honda within a week just my personality and I'd never dumped anything

[@Cpt.Eli.66]

Great review! Do you think it’s manageable to take it on a 600 miles cruise? Flat straights?

[@RabidHedgehog]

Should not be an issue. You will be stopping around every 2.5 to 3 hours for fuel and the seating allow adjustment of position in the saddle and enough room to shake out the legs.

[@xaxa835]

The wife won’t b too happy but I’m getting one for sure 👍

[@smy5607]

Did you buy one? Are you still married?

[@xaxa835]

@@smy5607 lol not yet but soon

[@yanroeung6289]

U make me want one now 😆

[@xcg1234]

Such a small tank for the bike. By 21:54 The fuel gauge has already downed 1 slot, only after 15 mins of city ride lol... Man if I take this bike to a weekend mountain ride I'd be refueling all the time..

[@Fiqih]

get 125cc/150cc man, it will last 280 miles

[@royjones5567]

@@Fiqih its better on fuel than an mt10 and the Streetfighter v4s

[@ur2slob724]

@@royjones5567 I don’t know about that 120kms to my 19L is my record

[@georgecostanza2695]

So do you like it..? I couldn't tell😂

[@filthyscorpion]

20:56

[@camark0819]

The crazy thing is, no one would ever get the full potential out of these h2's.

[@hnic72]

You can say the same thing about any bike over 45hp.. If you want something within your potential, maybe you should stick with 125-250cc. With that being said, the h2 is about smiles per gallon and straight acceleration which takes very little skill to exploit. It's not a supersport, a super naked nor a one dimensional track weapon.. It's simply a naked H2

[@RichDunn]

It's good (if heavy), but have you ridden the Ducati Streetfighter V4 S, the Aprilia RSV4 Factory Tuono, or the KTM 1290 Super Duke R?

[@ur2slob724]

I have ridden all of them I own a zh2. Zh2 is the best street bike for sure.

[@RichDunn]

@@ur2slob724 Well best is always subjective. The Kawasaki is certainly lacking in terms of tech, features-wise, for instance. But I'm glad it suits your needs.

[@theguitarhero898]

Hey Rabid, how tall are you? Wondering how comfortable it would be for someone like me (6 Ft tall).

[@RabidHedgehog]

Same height but weigh between 209 to 216 for me. I found it comfortable for street use if you plan on more saddle time some extra padding will be needed.

[@alanbacon4722]

Wow I have watched a lot of bike videos and I cannot remember an experienced rider being this excited about a ride. I’m on the fence about the 1290SDR and this bike. I have a S1000rr now looking for a more comfortable street bike with loads of power? I like the look of the super duke better but the ZH2 seems to have the better thrill factor? Did you notice the extra 100lbs?

[@RabidHedgehog]

You don't notice any weight at all.

[@alanbacon4722]

Rabid Hedgehog have you had a chance to ride the new 1290?

[@hnic72]

One thing to know is the stock z h2 slip on is just under 17lbs. Point being, you can get some weight off of it relatively easily. After removing 15lbs, it doesn't feel that heavy to me at all while in motion

[@ur2slob724]

I own a 2015 s1000rr.. just sold it for a zh2 you can’t go wrong mate zh2 is quicker to 120 no dramas. Go the ktm if you like seeing you dealer a lot from all its issues

[@briandavenport8971]

I’m getting this as my first bike.

[@RabidHedgehog]

Please practice practice on some other machines if you have not already. This bike may be able to be tame, but with its capability of speed and such things happen very quickly for a new rider.

[@cascadian19]

ZH2 remind me of the vmax but modern

[@MattieXMoto]

How tall are you and what is inseam? Saw you could flat foot it

[@RabidHedgehog]

I am 6 feet tall, 209 lbs, and 32 inch inseam and I flat foot this machine.

[@UnburdenedByWhatHasBeen]

Zh2 is cramped? Its a damn naked bike

[@WhiskeyRiver0]

Would you call it nimble?

[@RabidHedgehog]

I would! It is very good handling, just know that everything you do happens very very quickly though.

[@johnramirez5316]

So how would the bike seat hight be for me being 5’8

[@RabidHedgehog]

Might be a bit on the tall side depending on your inseam. It's a 32.7 inch seat.

[@Southernboy302]

Did you grind the gear at 20:10 in?

[@RabidHedgehog]

No that was a sniffle lol.

[@MotoM1234]

Twist that throttle man.

[@RabidHedgehog]

Oh it was where I was not filming... Cannot have someone have evidence right?

[@korazon3spinado]

Isn't it overpowered for American roads?

[@RabidHedgehog]

Everything north of a VanVan 200 is right?

[@korazon3spinado]

I think anything north of about 100 HP is overpowered for American roads.

[@korazon3spinado]

For a motorcycle that is.

[@Freespiritphil]

Well this doesn't make my decision any easier. Lol.

[@DanielUnk]

how tall are u??????

[@RabidHedgehog]

6 feet tall

[@helgejohan3604]

Zh2 feels faster 🔥then the h2sx

[@chengsgroup2518]

someone will soon tune and upgrade the bike to go even.faster just to brag about it in the streets.....

[@deep_k1ng]

How Tall Are You?

[@RabidHedgehog]

I am 6 feet tall with a 32 inch inseam

[@roadrevz4820]

I can't get cruise control to work on mine

[@RabidHedgehog]

Might have to take it in to a dealer for them to look it over. You push the center on button and make sure that the on light is activated (white light on dash). Another thing noted is that the rear brake sensor that disengages the control might be engaged and the pedal required an adjustment to get it off that sensor to allow for proper engagement.

[@miszek4207]

I think it's uglier then the h2

[@spvimagery3527]

But more comfortable

[@muhammdwaheed8651]

Front is so weird Tats 1 thing making me not to buy I really like the machine it's insane but it's to f up to look at. So I'll go with Ducati v4

[@mrmark8603]

Sure you will. Wink. Your mom won't sign for a scooter.

[@RabidHedgehog]

I mean if you like having the machine in the repair shop over having a much more reliable machine over a bit of an odd look to you then that's fine ride your ride.

[@muhammdwaheed8651]

@@RabidHedgehog yeah ur right about tat but man this thing is ugly am hoping sooner honda will put new engine in their cb1000r just Lil bit detune make it refine around 165 170 hp I'll take it. And if Kawa would stick with there z1000 design I would have bought it bcoz I own tat bike b4

[@spvimagery3527]

@@muhammdwaheed8651 Kawasaki has the regular h2r and it’s not naked. That one would look better.

[@spvimagery3527]

@@RabidHedgehog agreed unused to own triumph 675 she was always in the shop.

[@triv7252]

I can't get over how ugly it is

[@cascadian19]

That's what she said