Team 38, an independent racing team comprising Kawasaki engineers and test riders, were in America to compete in this year’s Bonneville Speed Week motorsports event held at the Bonneville Salt Flats from August 11th to 17th on the Ninja H2. Entering the P-PB 1000 class, for production models with supercharged engines up to 1000 cc, the team succeeded in establishing a world speed record of 209.442 mph (337.064 km/h) on the Kawasaki flagship Ninja H2.
Bonneville Speed Week, where motorcars and motorcycles gather to challenge world land speed records, is held each year in August at the Bonneville Salt Flats, the largest of many salt flats located west of Utah’s Great Salt Lake. The well-recognised land speed event has a history stretching back more than 100 years. Riding on the salt is challenging; the surface is very slippery, so simply preparing a bike to go as fast as possible will not automatically result in a record-setting speed. Finding a way to suppress rear wheel spin, and the rider’s skill at keeping the bike on track are both necessary components for success. And since allowable modifications are severely limited in P-PB 1000 class contested this year, the base performance of the bike is also extremely important.
On August 14, the Ninja H2 prepared by Team 38 clocked a speed of 211.621 mph (340.571 km/h). This was followed on August 15 by a return run of 207.263 mph (333.557 km/h). The average speed of the two runs 209.442 mph (337.064 km/h) was recognised as a world speed record in its class, illustrating the considerable performance of the Ninja H2.
