Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX

Features: Kawasaki’s first supercharged tourer borrows many design cues from its sibling, the Kawasaki Ninja H2. However, the Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX differentiates itself in terms of design by adding a full fairing that covers the engine, and a more conventional rear end for pillion passengers and pannier mounts. It is no chump when it comes to electronic wizardry either. It comes loaded with features like electronic cruise control, Kawasaki’s cornering management function, two-way quickshifter, engine braking control, launch control, traction control, lean-sensing cornering headlamps, two display modes and a TFT instrument cluster.

Engine: Powering the Ninja H2 SX is the same supercharged engine that is found on the Kawasaki Ninja H2. This 998cc, liquid-cooled, inline-four, supercharged engine produces 200PS of power at 11000rpm and 137.3Nm of torque at 9500rpm. However, unlike the H2, the motor here has been tuned to deliver power in a more linear manner for better low and mid-range performance. Kawasaki has equipped the HS SX with dual 320mm discs at the front and a single 250mm disc at the rear. Suspension duties are handled by 43mm USD forks at the front and a gas-charged shock at the back, both adjustable. The H2 SX tips the scale at 256kg (kerb).

Rivals: Honda Goldwing: The Honda Goldwing can be best described as an icon of hyper-functionality and luxury long distance touring. It might not be an outright competitor to go up against the supercharged sports tourer from Kawasaki but it has certainly cemented its position as a very capable modern day sports tourer.