The Supercharged Naked is More Stable
When it comes to Kawasaki motorcycles, if the model’s name is followed by an ‘SE’, it signifies that the version will come with updated suspension and brakes. The 2021 Kawasaki Z H2 SE takes the original and highly successful naked version of the H2 and brings Kawasaki’s Electronic Control Suspension for the smoothest ride possible.
The ‘KEC’ suspension system utilizes all the bike’s preexisting sensors in addition to ones found in the updated suspension itself to provide data and feedback to the computer that will inturn relay updated information back to the suspension components to keep the ride as smooth as possible.
When riding a lightweight supercharged streetfighter, this could prove as a very useful technology to keep the Z H2 slightly ahead of the pack when it comes to track-ready nakeds.
To unpack the ‘Skyhook technology’ noted in the title, we must first look at the updated 2021 Versys SE LT+ that also features the same new technology. Showa’s Skyhook Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment (EERA) software is aimed at making the rider feel as though an imaginary ‘skyhook’ is supporting the sprung weight of the motorcycle, allowing for the wheels to navigate and modulate through the dips, dives, and cracks in the road while maintaining the motorcycles vertical position in relation to the road.
Beyond the big suspension upgrades, the new 2021 Z H2 will also come fully equipped with Brembo’s Stylema Monobloc Calipers in the front anchored to two 320mm discs and a single 260mm disk in the rear outfitted with a single-piston caliper.
If you interested in getting on a motorcycle with all this new suspension technology, note that these updates will add an extra $2200 to the initial cost of the Z H2, bringing the total cost of this motorcycle to $19,700; a pretty price to pay for industry-leading technology.
I have a Corvette with the Mag Ride option. I’ll never go back to regular shocks, if for not other reason because I can switch from a nice comfy touring mode to sport at the flick of a switch. So, if I were shopping for a bike I likely wouldn’t even consider a bike that doesn’t have an active suspension of some kind. Not once in my life, when buying a big ticket item did I ever look back and miss the extra money I spent to get the options I wanted, but I have indeed bought things in life and have regretted not getting what I wanted.
LOL – but this coming from a guy that is still in love with a very clean 2000 ZX-9R and has no intentions of replacing it for a very long time. Sadly, there are very few bikes out there that I’m interested, which is basically a sport bike that won’t kill you on long weekend rides (like the ZX-9R). And even if there is a bike I might be interested in like the H2 SX SE, no f’ing way is it worth spending $20 grand on when I have a perfectly good bike that I own outright.
Hi David!
The good news is the 2018 H2SX is two years old now and you can buy used ones for under $20k. hahaha
I get what you’re saying though.