Following two years of cancellations due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Isle of Man TT is back for 2022 and promises to be bigger and better than ever before. As road racing fans rejoice in the return of the sport’s flagship event, the racers who have missed out on almost 36 months of competitive riding could be forgiven for feeling slightly nervous.  

For reigning Senior TT winner, Dean Harrison, the pressure is on, however the characteristically laid-back Yorkshireman is certainly not letting it show. Having spent the pandemic years honing his already-ample talent in other racing disciplines, he’s relaxed and ready to tackle what the island throws at him in 2022. 

Dean, let’s take you back to 2019 and your first-ever Senior TT win. How did it feel to be standing on that podium?

It was almost overwhelming to be honest. The thing is, it’s the biggest trophy you’ll ever win in road racing. I’d won other TT races before and to win in any class is such an achievement, it’s unbelievable, but to win the Senior was so special. With the TT being the biggest event of the season, to finish the week off like that feels like the weight of the world lifted off your shoulders. 

The cancellation of the TT and other road races for the last two years has been fairly devastating for many, not least the riders. How has it affected you?

It’s been so surreal. The whole Covid thing has been surreal and you just find it hard to believe what’s happened. Doing the British Superbike Championship has filled a bit of the gap, so at least we’ve been riding some bikes, but it’s like there’s been a piece of the jigsaw missing. Hopefully we can finish the jigsaw off this year! 

You did your first full season in BSB in 2021 – was that something you had always planned to do, or did it come about due to the lack of road racing events?

It only really came about because we didn’t have any road races on the calendar. The team boss suggested we do the BSB season just to keep us sharp. The bike and all the equipment we had from 2019 was just sat there, so we thought we might as well put it to good use. Most racers start in BSB and go to roads, but I’ve done it the other way around. BSB is so competitive and it’s a brilliant championship. I really enjoy doing it and I’m looking forward to doing more this year. Having said all that, my heart will always lie in road racing. That’s what I do. It’s what I grew up around and it’s what I know. 

Do you think doing the BSB season will improve your road racing?

I do, yes. I think it’s helped me and the team. When you ride together and work together, you’re finding things out about the bike all the time. You’re riding all the time, so you’re bike fit and your head is in the game. I think that has a knock-on effect, big time. It will help us as we go back into the road racing season. I can’t wait to get back to it now. I’m just looking forward to getting the whole season going, to getting to the North West, to the TT, all of it. I’ve missed it a lot and I just want to get my teeth back into it now. A bit of normality. 

As the defending Senior TT winner with a two-year gap, are you feeling the pressure more than you usually would?

Do you know what? I actually feel quite relaxed about it all. The only thing I feel a bit apprehensive about is what the track’s going to be like. It changes year-on-year and it’s been three years since we raced there. It might take a bit of time to get up to speed, it might not. I’ll just take it as it comes. 

Are you doing anything different to prepare mentally or physically?

The only thing different is that I’m doing a lot more off-road riding that I’ve ever done before. I bought a Kawasaki KX250X so I’m doing a lot of Enduro riding now. I’ve dabbled in a bit of Enduro here and there, but never anything serious. When I found out that Kawasaki had the KS250X coming, I thought “I’ll have one!” It turned up and I was straight in at the deep end, but I’m excited to get to work with the bike and see what it can do. It has so much potential. 

What are your plans for the bike?

I’m taking part in some rounds of the British Enduro Championship, then I’m hoping to finish the season off at the Sea to Sky race in Turkey. My plan is to race and develop the bike as the year goes on and really put a bit of effort into it. It’s a brand-new motorbike, I’ve never really ridden a four-stroke off-road bike and it’s totally different, so I thought I need a bit of time here. It’s not that I’m not taking it seriously, but I don’t have to take it too seriously so it’s a little bit more relaxed for me. 

With road racing, BSB and Enduro, you won’t have much time for rest. 

Well, yeah, I do like to keep busy!  

Dean will be competing in the 2022 British Superbike Championship, the Isle of Man TT, North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix with DAO Racing Kawasaki.

2018 Bennetts British Superbike Champion Leon Haslam is making an exciting return to the series this season, setting his sights on regaining his title. The popular rider will be racing for the Lee Hardy Racing team, riding the Ninja ZX-10RR.

Haslam will be returning to the BSB paddock following several seasons competing in World Superbikes, which included a stint as a factory Kawasaki Racing Team rider alongside Jonathan Rea. Now, the Derbyshire-based rider is returning to the UK with the aim of repeating his form of 2018 that saw him take his maiden BSB title with 15 wins and a further six podiums. 

For this season, Leon will be riding a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR for the proven Lee Hardy Racing team. Joining the premier class in 2014, the squad has enjoyed great success in recent years, finishing second to Leon in the 2018 series, and the one-rider team will be looking to build on this form and challenge for race wins from the opening round.  

The team’s new title sponsor and 2022 livery will be revealed in the coming weeks before the season officially gets underway at Silverstone on April 15th. 

The FS-3 Racing Kawasaki team, the official Team Green entry in the Bennetts British Superbike championship, has today unveiled a striking new retro-inspired livery that will be used for all 11 rounds of the 2022 season.

Keeping with the same exciting line up of Lee Jackson and Rory Skinner, 2022 will be the sixth season that the Coventry-based team has partnered with Kawasaki. With both riders having had a year of development on the new Ninja ZX-10RR, they have firmly set their sights on building on their podium-finishing potential from 2021. 

Following an incredible reaction to the ZX-7RR-inspired livery that World Superbike star Jonathan Rea used at the Argentinian round last year, the FS-3 Racing team has decided to create a similar retro-inspired them for their 2022 livery. The hugely popular design has been a hit across the UK, and for this year, customers who purchase a new ZX-10R or ZX-10RR from an authorised Kawasaki dealer can upgrade their bike to have the matching livery. 

Unveiled for the first time at the MCN London Motorcycle Show, race fans will be able to see the striking liveries in action for the first time when the season gets underway at Silverstone on April 15th. 

Ross Burridge, Head of Marketing & Racing Department at Kawasaki UK:
“Having witnessed the incredibly positive feedback from racing fans across the globe after seeing Jonathan’s machine in Argentina, and then on our standard road bike at Motorcycle Live on the Kawasaki stand, we knew we had to see it on track in the UK this year. The guys at FS-3 Racing also fell in love with the design and are excited to see Lee and Rory debut the new look on track at round one in April later this year.”

The newly renamed DAO Racing Kawasaki team has today unveiled the striking new Ninja ZX-10RR that Dean Harrison will campaign in the 2022 Bennetts British Superbike Championship.

With the covers being pulled off this morning at a busy London Motorcycle Show, race fans will immediately notice a departure from the traditional light blue colours that have adorned the team’s Kawasaki machines for the past few seasons. 

This reflects the team rebranding to DAO Racing, while the enhanced flashes of green showcase their close relationship with Kawasaki, with them being the Official Road Racing squad for the brand. These new colours will be seen at all 11 rounds of the 2022 Bennetts British Superbike Championship, while Dean will be running a slightly different design at the North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix to reflect additional sponsors.  

Last year saw Dean enjoy one of his best-ever seasons in the BSB class, and the Bradford-based rider will be looking to build on that while also using it as a chance to help prepare him for the return of the roads.   

Marshalling his design team into a mutually supportive group – one of the keys to Tanaka-san’s success – was the democratisation of the design process with even the most junior team member having a voice and being able to contribute to the final finished product.

Applauded for his influence on the styling and visual appeal of the machines launched during his time as K-Tec design director, Tanaka-san was proud to be involved in the successful introduction of the water-cooled in-line four-cylinder Z1000 in 2003 with its distinctive quad exhaust system and angular lines and for overseeing the look of the dramatic and impressive 2004 Ninja ZX-10R and subsequent 2005 Ninja ZX-6R.

Creating a recognisable “face” for the machines his team were responsible for was no coincidence as Takana-san firmly believed that the “personality” of a motorcycle was determined by the upper cowl and headlamp area with the rest of the design flowing from, and influenced by, this crucial part of the styling exercise.

It is hardly surprising that among many and varied enthusiasms in his private life, that Shunji Tanaka had a passion for the “Noh” masks used in traditional Japanese theatre productions; each mask establishing the credentials and often complex personality of the character in the play.

Mercurial, thoughtful, and highly creative, Tanaka-san was an eminently approachable man whose evident enthusiasm for design was infectious. As a “landmark” along the considerable design journey that Kawasaki has taken – and continues to this day – Shunji Tanaka will be remembered with considerable respect and affection.

Kawasaki will launch the most comprehensively specified Sport Tourer ever created in 2022 and, thanks to new innovative ARAS technology from technical partner Bosch, this new machine will be on the radar of a legion of motorcycle fans. 

Equipped with not one but two radar sensors, the Ninja H2 SX – and the top of line SE model with Showa electronically damped suspension plus Skyhook technology – host multiple rider aids including Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Blind Spot Detection (BSD).

With three possible rider selectable distance settings, FCW gives a visual warning via a strip of lights above the meter panel when the machine reaches a set distance from the vehicle in front. The rider is in control at all times of the response and can brake or take other actions to avoid a possible collision. ACC – adaptive cruise control – also has three possible distance settings. In this case, when the machine reaches a set proximity, the brakes are automatically activated if necessary to aid deceleration, and the engine speed slowed sufficiently to maintain the pre-selected distance. As the distance increases, the machine gradually and automatically returns to the set cruising speed the rider initially selected. While both of these functions are focused on the front radar sensor, the rear sensor is dedicated to BSD – blind spot detection. As it suggests, as a vehicle moves into a rider’s blind spot a light (either left or right) illuminates clearly but unobtrusively in the relevant rear-view mirror.

As a platform for such advanced technology, there is no better machine than the Ninja H2 SX with its unique Kawasaki designed and manufactured balanced supercharged engine. Mated to the sharp aggressive Ninja styling and advanced suspension, the sporting prowess of this ultimate tourer is indeed impressive. A cornering management function, multi-level traction control, launch control plus engine brake control, integrated riding modes, and even an up/down quick shifter as standard, show that this is a sport bike of the highest order.

Matched to this are such touring features as optional colour-coded clean mount panniers, selectable riding and power modes, keyless ignition, LED cornering lights plus on-board tyre pressure monitoring. Additionally – and making life that little easier when on tour – vehicle hold assist (VHA) is also part of the standard specification. When the rider has stopped, VHA is initiated after the rider exerts a given amount of pressure (to either the front and/or rear brake). The system disengages automatically when rider pulls away or when the side stand goes down. This is a huge advantage when pulling away uphill or with passenger and luggage onboard. Handy too is the Emergency Stop Signal, another automatic feature that “pulses” the rear brake light if the rider suddenly brakes hard.

In terms of the “rider environment”, Kawasaki has certainly not economized delivering a large, colour TFT meter panel able to relay a multitude of machine status updates; but that is just the start of the 6.5” screen’s functionality. For 2022, the Ninja H2 SX and SE models come with Kawasaki SPIN as standard. A “screen in screen” infotainment system, SPIN allows the rider to link to their Smartphone and access approximately 20 Apps on the meter panel covering navigation, weather, music, contact logs and many other subjects such as rider to passenger communication.

Packing so much technology and smart features into one sports touring package has been a challenge that Kawasaki’s designers and technicians have been proud to rise to. Put simply, the Ninja H2 SX is likely to be beyond the expectations of many and it will take time for the motorcycling world to fully come to terms with the sheer level of sports and touring ability on offer, along with the most comprehensive array of rider aids that Kawasaki has ever made available. 2

022 Colours – Ninja H2 SX and SE

Emerald Blazed Green / Metallic Diablo Black / Metallic Graphite Grey

Available from March 2022, the Ninja H2 SX and Ninja H2 SX SE will be available in three editions:

Ninja H2 SX – £20,949Ninja H2 SX Tourer Edition – £21,699

Ninja H2 SX Performance Edition – £22,049

Ninja H2 SX Performance Tourer Edition – £22,799Ninja H2 SX SE – £23,949

Ninja H2 SX Tourer Edition – £24,699Ninja H2 SX Performance Edition – £25,049

Ninja H2 SX Performance Tourer Edition – £25,799

The President of the newly formed Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. – Mr Hiroshi Ito – visited the 2021 EICMA show in Milan to unveil a number of key models for the 2022 season while displaying corporate confidence in terms of international travel, alternative power sources and the roll out of new season products.

Hosting unveilings on both the Kawasaki booth and the adjacent Bimota display area, Mr Ito struck a confident note while taking part in the public world debut of two significant Kawasaki machines whilst also praising the commitment and achievements of global Kawasaki racing endeavours. Underpinning this, he made a number of key commitments in his keynote speech.

Front of mind for the media and many consumers are the twin issues of future fuels and carbon neutrality while pursuing all options including HEV, EV and eFuels such as hydrogen. Reflecting on the current trend for electric vehicles Mr Ito promised that the newly formed Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. would unveil three electric models globally during 2022. Additionally, he committed to further development of hybrid vehicles and offered some tempting insights into Kawasaki’s advances in the field of hydrogen power stating that the Kawasaki Group as a whole is taking on a key role in this area committing to lead the way in hydrogen production, transport, storage and use.

With some 2022 machines already in the public the Kawasaki EICMA booth played host to the international debut of several major models for the coming season. In terms of sales volume the mid-capacity sector, and the vital A2 licence class, the Versys 650 is one of the jewels in the Kawasaki crown. For 2022 the appeal of this already popular machine is boosted following a number of key changes. In terms of bodywork styling, the synergy between the Versys 650 and Versys 1000 is now complete thanks to changes to the upper cowl of the smaller machine.

And with so many Versys customers riding year-round the new screen with its greater weather protection and revised adjustment procedure is augmented by an even larger genuine accessory item. KTRC traction control is a welcome addition for 2022 with two rider selectable settings while the 4.3” full-colour TFT instrumentation provides at-a-glance information and smartphone connectivity contributing to an even richer riding experience.

With all LED lighting and a range of practical genuine accessories such as handguards and a useful optional USB socket mounted in the cockpit area, the Versys 650 will form an essential part of the 2022 model range for Kawasaki – especially so in Europe where the edition models covering Urban, Tourer, Tourer Plus and Grand Tourer specifications will be shortly available on showroom floors.

Taking the pioneering and innovative spirit of the new Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. as his reference point, Mr Ito also proudly unveiled a game changing motorcycle that the company confidently positions as the most advanced Sports Tourer ever created. The 2022 Ninja H2 SX is equipped with Bosch ARAS technology and boasts not one, but two radar sensors used to monitor functions such as forward collision warning (FCW), adaptive cruise control (ACC) and, in the case of the rear mounted unit, blind spot detection (BSD).Unique among Japanese produced motorcycles in respect of its balanced supercharged engine and most markedly due to the Bosch integrated radar technology, the partnership with the German tech giant also extends to the Kawasaki SPIN infotainment system which also makes its debut on the 2022 machine. Allowing the rider to access approximately 20 Apps via a Bluetooth connection with their Smartphone, Kawasaki SPIN is a “screen in screen” system utilising the machines large colour TFT meter panel.

Already announced 2022 machines that the European public will see and examine at EICMA include the recently launched mid-capacity A2 licence friendly Z650RS and its Retro Sport sibling the stunning Z900RS SE resplendent in its “Yellow Ball” paint scheme. Also on display will be the latest Z900 SE shown for the first time in public.

“It was important for Kawasaki to send a clear message at EICMA”, commented Mr Ito. “We are here to say that not only are things returning to normal, but that Kawasaki is continuing to innovate and push the boundaries of the motorcycle market. New technology such as ARAS and Kawasaki SPIN on the new Ninja H2 SX will offer riders the peace of mind and convenience to enjoy even more comfortable riding.

Our presence at EICMA, the world unveiling of new products and our commitment to new motive power and researching carbon neutrality represents tangible evidence that Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. is robust in its efforts to meet and then exceed current and future customer needs. Let the Good Times Roll”. 

Firmly established as the “go-to” mid-capacity any roads machine in its segment for a multitude of riders, Kawasaki has considered carefully how to move the concept forward in 2022.

Whilst not changing the essence of what makes the 649cc parallel twin powered machine so popular, the upgrades and changes both increase the familial synergy with its litre-class sibling and deliver increased functionality and comfort.

With its 17” wheels and long travel suspension, the Versys 650 has formed a bond with countless riders who ride in the urban jungle during the week and break out of the city at weekends to tour solo or with passenger and luggage.

And speaking of luggage, the option of colour coded clean mount panners plus a capacious top case remains for 2022 along with the convenience of Edition models which come pre-fitted with a range of genuine accessories. Urban, Tourer, Tourer Plus and Grand Tourer are all available as catalogue machines while owners are also free to specify from a huge range of accessories to create their very own “Versys vision”.

Practically speaking, the Versys now features a redesigned upper cowl and new four-position windshield design with screen adjustment being even easier plus an option of a larger screen for ultimate element isolation. LED lights and indicators make the machine unmissable while reassurance is delivered via KTRC traction control and its two rider selectable modes.

Riding is what Versys owners care about most, and the slim, tubular chassis and narrow engine profile certainly deliver a flickable package that is both comfortable over distance and fun to be in command of. Certainly, most riders will want to (and be able to) ride until the last vestiges of fuel in the capacious 21L fuel tank are sipped before stopping to refuel. Frugal and fun, the Versys 650 is perhaps best explained as a “thoroughbred workhorse”, ready to respond to the most radical distance demand yet pursuing its task with a lightness of touch and all-day comfort that prepares both rider and passenger for the next day’s ride….  and the day after that.

For Versys riders there is the convenience of a TFT colour meter with Smartphone Bluetooth connectivity linking machine and phone in order to access Kawasaki’s Rideology App which allows monitoring of numerous machine functions and overviews of routes taken plus other functions. Add the convenience of an optional USB outlet along with other practical accessories and the logic of each move Kawasaki has made to enhance the Versys 650 for the new season makes perfect, practical sense. 

2022 Colours

Metallic spark black/metallic flat spark black: Standard – £7,799. Tourer Edition – £8,599. Grand Tourer Edition – £10,049 

Metallic phantom silver/metallic flat spark black/metallic spark black: Standard – £7,899. tourer Edition – £8,699. Grand Tourer Edition – £10,149

Candy lime green/metallic flat spark/ metallic spark black: Standard – £7,899. tourer Edition – £8,699. Grand Tourer Edition – £10,149

The Versys 650 will be available in store from March 2022.

Kawasaki will start a Retrovolution in 2022 with the introduction of the new Z650RS. Augmenting its already hugely popular retro sport line, the Z650RS will open the mid-capacity class to a wide range of riders. Recognised as being at the forefront of the rapidly expanding retro sport scene, Kawasaki has the unique advantage of close to fifty years of Z heritage and this has been brought to bear on the design of the new 2022 machine. 

Targeted at younger riders and those in the early stages of their riding career, the Z650RS is predicted to also appeal to those who fondly recall the launch of the iconic “son of Z1” Z650-B1 in 1977. The delicate balance of old and new, retro and current has been expertly achieved by the Kawasaki design team with clever Z references abounding.  

At the heart of the new machine is an updated version of Kawasaki’s venerable 649 cm3 water-cooled, parallel twin engine used in both the current Z650 and Ninja 650 models. With a justifiable reputation for durability and performance, the assist and slipper clutch equipped engine unit has also formed the basis of machines raced to success at the gruelling Isle of Man TT races.  Tuned in the case of the Z650RS for low and mid rev response, plus characteristic invigorating high rev performance, the engine is rated at 68 PS  (50.2 kW) and will also be available from Kawasaki dealers with a 35kw power down kit fitted creating an A2 compliant machine.

In terms of the chassis, the frame is a tubular trellis type construction providing both lightness and agile response to aid reassuring handling capabilities. Its narrow aspect also allows riders to easily reach the ground at a standstill and manoeuvre the bike on the move with equal ease. The seat height for European models will be 820mm with a low seat accessory option at 800mm. 

Focusing on suspension, the front duties are undertaken by ø41mm conventional forks with Kawasaki’s highly rated horizontal link rear suspension acting on a shock that is adjustable for pre-load. Braking is care of dual twin piston front calipers acting on retro-style 300mm round disc rotors instead of Kawasaki’s customary petal style rotors while at the rear a single piston brake acts on a 200mm rotor all assisted by Bosch advanced ABS.

Specification is one thing but the styling of the Z650RS is whole new ball game. Evoking myriad memories of the Z650-B1, the paint and pinstripes are a faithful reproduction of the green version of the earlier machine while the iconic “duck tail” cowling behind the seat and faithfully crafted side panels also play homage to the 1977 machine. Even the seat and its stitching pattern reveal a familiar fastidious attention to detail attention by Kawasaki stylists. 

A round, LED headlamp lights the way while the dual analogue style “artillery shell” shaped meters include a digital centre panel for rider information. The adoption of gold multi-spoke type wheels is truly the “icing on the cake” while further embellishment is possible via a range of Kawasaki Genuine Accessories. Without doubt the new Z650RS will ensure that 2022 is the year of “Retrovolution”.

2022 Z650RS – Three Colours & Three Distinct Styles

* Metallic Spark Black – £7,549

* Candy Emerald Green – £7,699

* Metallic Moondust Gray / Ebony – £7,699

AVAILABLE FROM NOVEMBER 2021