Kawasaki Ninja H2 (2015)
Tested: 998cc four-cylinder supercharged four-stroke, six-speed gearbox
Price/on sale: £22,000/now
Power/torque: 197bhp (207bhp with ram-air) @ 11,000rpm/98lb ft @ 10,500rpm
Top speed: 186mph
Range: 120 miles @ 35mpg (estimated)
Verdict: Outrageously hard-accelerating, beautifully styled and intricately engineered supercharged four that is expensive, impractical and uniquely thrilling to ride
Telegraph rating: Four out of five stars
THE RIVALS
kawasaki ZZR1400 , £14,099
The H2’s closest challenger in terms of character is arguably Kawasaki’s own ZZR, which has a similar power output but can’t match the lighter, supercharged four’s style or ferocity.
Suzuki Hayabusa Z, £11,799
Once the world’s fastest bike, the Hayabusa has hardly changed in years, but despite feeling dated it still packs a fierce 194bhp punch, and you could almost buy two for the price of a Ninja H2.
YAMAHA YZF-R1M, £18,499
The H2 provides a very different form of excitement to Yamaha’s 197bhp limited-edition flagship, which, thanks to its light weight and sophisticated electronics, is as easy to ride as it is fast