Isle of Man h2r is up on you tube

Thanks Darryl

H2R@theTT

Thanks Pegs.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 6/11/2015 @ 3:39 PM *

206. looks like he handles the corners just fine. I'd be interested to hear what the fastest lap would have been with one of the TT vets piloting.

Works motogp duc top speed = 212
H2 production bike = 209

To the Engineers at Mother Tea Green.

That Black Widow brings back memories;)

The speed was from a GPS app on a device on the bike. In practice for the 2006 TT Bruce Anstey was clocked at 206 through a speed at Sulby. Martin Jessop speed trapped at 208 on a 1198 during the 2012 NW200, on the run up to University corner which is a similar scenario to the Sulby Straight on the TT course so the H2R hasn't really pulled any trees up but I guess it wasn't a real racing or qualifying lap he was doing. At a guess I'd put the H2R's race lap times around the 125mph mark but it'd be no match for a Superbike IMO

Lots of unknowns. Was the H2 warmed over besides a pipe? Head work, pistons, or just rubber up and go. Where if you are not at the back door with an 'in' getting the HP parts, no other bike is going to move at that speed without a lot of work.

The firebird is a production slugging slouch until you go thru it, have a backdoor way of making that pile faster... Yes or no?

At a guess I'd put the H2R's race lap times around the 125mph mark but it'd be no match for a Superbike IMO

True dat, that pace might be competitive with the Supersports but would get spanked hard by the Superbikes.

James Hillier, the rider of the H2R was interviewed by one of the TT coverage presenters and he was saying the first 4 gears were manic and gone in an instant. Apparently the bike was geared for the max speed it attained of 206mph so could conceivably have gone faster but a comment was made (and a very true one) by the interviewer that if the power is unusable it is of no use. John McGuiness won the Senior race and broke the lap record on a Fireblade Superbike which is by no means the most powerful bike in the paddock but possibly one of, if not THE sweetest handling bike of the bunch. They were referring to the 2R as a track bike rather than a race bike, more of an engineering statement than competition machine which I guess pretty much sums it up.

* Last updated by: pegscraper on 6/13/2015 @ 5:06 PM *

a comment was made (and a very true one) by the interviewer that if the power is unusable it is of no use.

Unusable where? I would have to say it came in awful handy to do the 206 mph. Maybe it is not what it takes to do the whole course but for some purposes, it's just what the doctor ordered.

Unusable where?

Well, on courses like the TT I guess as that's where they were and what they were discussing. If the doctor's into 1/4 mileing or long wide open freeways then he's correct but few race courses and NO road race courses are like that.
The interviewer had ridden the bike at brands hatch previously (he's an ex racer and raced at the TT many times) and in his opinion it has too much power for a race bike and the first 3 gears were unusable. The bike did over 200mph at 3 points on the TT course and obviously now holds the record for the most powerful bike ever to circulate it. James Hillier said it wasn’t the potential top speed that surprised him but the sheer acceleration that he was in awe of. He also agreed that it’s not been built to go fast round a track but what they both did agreed on is that, as an exercise in engineering excellence it's set a new benchmark and an indication of what is achievable and to what will follow in years to come maybe.
The programme can be viewed here TT Lightweight with the H2R demo near the end but I've just tried to view it again and it seems to be having streaming problems at the moment.

No one ta)ks about these H2(r)bikes gearing as in low. I believe Kaw is trying to either enhance the bottom end or limit the top end. If the gears are changed to match the power it will be more usable and higher top speed will result. The bike may have too much mass up high with the supercharger and all but really one lap or top speed run and then say that's all she's got. Did sveryone think they were handing out an all race type ready to go winner first try out of the box machine?

Well, on courses like the TT I guess as that's where they were and what they were discussing. If the doctor's into 1/4 mileing or long wide open freeways then he's correct but few race courses and NO road race courses are like that.

Yes, that's what I was implying by asking "where?" The power may be unusable for most race track situations but other places, it would be perfect. I don't think Kawasaki has decided to try to call this a race bike yet...at least not competition road racing. If they promoted this bike in the venue where it has a solid foothold, it would be in LSR events. I think they should be doing this to demonstrate just how fast it will go but 206 might be the limit. In addition to the acceleration and top speed, the H2R has at least some road racing capability. If it can show off the 200 mph + potential at the same time, why not drum up publicity for the H2R on road racing courses where you have a lot of public attention focussed? I don't think it did any mind boggling drag times with Ricky Gadson so drag racing might not be a good venue to promote it. LSR is well loved but there does not seem to be a big following among the general public so maybe that is not the best venue to promote it either. It obviously rings the bell if you want to get into the 200 club.

* Last updated by: Rook on 6/14/2015 @ 9:28 AM *

During interview from the Isle of Man James Hillier said "it will be a pleasure racing the superbike after getting of this monster". They also talked about Hillier hitting over 200 3 times during his demo lap. He said they could have gone faster but the gearing only allowed for that speed before the limiter kicked in. As James Witham said after riding it "the first three gears are useless" then he giggled with a big grin on his face.

Ti a greenie ribbon around the 'ol puffee,
Then HA hand it to me.

Ti that turn knee kit tighter around that 'ol oak tree,
My centrifugal rode too close and did it shaveith thee.

Ti those lips up they know shit says he,
You get on the thing and shithe ride out of it says me.

During interview from the Isle of Man James Hillier said "it will be a pleasure racing the superbike after getting of this monster

That pretty much says it all, if it's too much for a professional racer it's too much for me. I like the way Yamaha went with the R1, not the absolute most power but the synergy of the total package has moved it to the top of the literbike heap with untouchable lap times on the track.

Tire technology may not be keeping up with the HP, even with good TC, the H2R sounds like it may be overpowering the tires, too much is not useable apparently until the tire tech catches up.

That pretty much says it all, if it's too much for a professional racer it's too much for me.

Lettuce pull it out this way... Only those wit ninja-nuts choose their weapons carefully. As a famous police detective once said, 'use gots to knows your limited cough to the left if you can't cough to the right, it's not your let us leaf.

* Last updated by: Hub on 6/15/2015 @ 7:36 AM *

Tire technology may not be keeping up with the HP, even with good TC, the H2R sounds like it may be overpowering the tires, too much is not useable apparently until the tire tech catches up.

I think the tire co are more asking what can we do for you? 200+? No problem. 212 are the gp duc's. That's top end trap speeds times lap after lap. The rest of the field are running 211 on down.

That's, how can we approach this tire compound is here, choose a color. This is hard and what track is this? Oh, you need a med-med setup, not the har-sft compounds. This way, the slide is not like a light switch and down you go, no, more a gradual degrade you can feel go away.

If the tires were not up to snuff at these speeds, we'd all stay home, right?

They were referring to the 2R as a track bike rather than a race bike, more of an engineering statement than competition machine which I guess pretty much sums it up.

Kaw was a little obscure about exactly what they were delivering with the H2. After all is said and done, we got what they promised, a sport riding experience unlike anything previously available. Looking at the bike before it became available, I didn't expect it would be ideal for road racing. It was a bit long and heavy, not as much as the 14 but still a big bike. We saw no videos of test riders dragging their elbows. What we saw was a test rider barely getting a knee down. We also saw it rocket down the straightaway faster than anything before and that was evident without even seeing the speedo. There you have it, a super fast bike that handles pretty good on a track. Gobs of power, more than you need which means you experience all kinds of crazy shit you never felt before. I'd say there's room in my garage for one. To me, the fact that it is DIFFERENT from the bikes designed for road racing makes it more deiserable, not less. If the R1 has made such a leap over the current lineup of road racing literbikes, I guess I'd want one of those too but not for the same reason as I'd want the H2.

Don't forget we're talking about the H2R here on the TT demo lap, not the road going H2 which is well over 100bhp adrift. Had James Hillier ridden the H2 it would have felt unremarkable compared to his super bike.
The R1 has been winning the magazine shootouts and road tests since it's launch but Michael Dunlop was obviously frustrated enough to jump ship from the Yamaha camp and mount his 1000rr from last year. Maybe it was just down to the lack of setup time on what is a very advanced machine.

Don't forget we're talking about the H2R here on the TT demo lap, not the road going H2

I don't recall Kawasaki making any kind of statement about the purpose of that bike but it clearly was not intended for street use. The comments I made about track riding apply to the H2R. It's not the best handling but very fast down the straightaway. The track videos we saw were of an H2R. I guess the H2R is a bike for track day enthusiasts who want to have a 200 mph experience and don't mind sacrificing a little on their lap times. ...or maybe people who enter LSR events. If it were me, I'd stick a license plate and some kind of lights on there and ride it on the street occasionally.

I love hearing these pro's and cons.It's a badazz bike.SO different.Like nothing I've ever ridden.I love it...

Ti a greenie ribbon around the 'ol puffee,
Then HA hand it to me.
Ti that turn knee kit tighter around that 'ol oak tree,
My centrifugal rode too close and did it shaveith thee.
Ti those lips up they know shit says he,
You get on the thing and shithe ride out of it says me.Lmao!!!!

you guys need to ride this badbeocth!!!Tires?Yep...fifth set already;)

And HUBMIESTER...she's ready when you are..WOOHOO...killer props to all;)

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 6/19/2015 @ 7:02 AM *