FOUR-TIME WORLD SUPERSPORT SERIES CHAMPION KENAN SOFUOGLU TOOK JUST 26 SECONDS TO ACHIEVE A SPEED 400KMPH ON THE KAWASAKI NINJA H2R.
Launched in 2015, the Kawasaki Ninja H2R is the fastest production motorcycle at the moment, with a top speed recorded at 348.2kmph at the Mojave Mile course. However, the company says that the top speed of the motorcycle is 380kmph, although no one had achieved that before. Now crossing the limits, Turkish professional motorcycle racer Kenan Sofuoglu has recorded a top speed of over 400kmph on this epitome of innovation and engineering on two wheels.
As a four-time World Supersport (WorldSSP) series champion, 31-year-old Kenan is the most successful rider in the championship. He achieved the new speed of 400kmph for the Kawasaki Ninja H2R in just 26 seconds on the new 2.68km long Osman Gazi Bridge across the Gulf of Izmit. About 50km away from Istanbul, the bridge is yet to be opened to the public. As this top speed run required lots of practice, Kenan got trained for over four months followed by multiple practice runs to achieve this record run.
Commenting on the new achievement, Kenan Sofuoglu said, “I do not remember where I got this idea of the record from first, but when I signed the agreement on 2016 with Kawasaki, I liked and wanted so much this special edition bike. When I asked for the motorcycle, Kawasaki said its maximum speed was 380kmph and that their dream was to reach 400kmph. The first time I rode it, I felt its huge power and speed, and I made small changes to the motorcycle – keeping its original settings – and did not modify it. I reached 390kmph in my last trials and today I beat this and reached 400kmph. I was planning to do this speed attempt for the opening but we had to catch the best weather conditions and so we did it at 5:00 am. The top speed we get to in the world championship races is about 300kmph, so 400kmph is a really high speed. It was a dream to reach this speed and thank god I made it. I currently hold the top place in the World Championship, and my next dream is taking the World Champion title the fifth time.”
Kawasaki's Team 38 is also going to test the speed of the motorcycle on the massive dry salt lake of Utah during this year's Bonneville Speed Week, the world’s most popular and prominent top-speed contest. It is the same team which rode the bike in the Mojave Mile but failed to achieve the desired speed due to the limited distance. Now, this year's Bonneville Speed Week will offer them a long straight runway of 8km, which is even more than that bridge offered to Kenan Sofuo?lu. Now, it's going to be an interesting show to see as the Turkish rider has already set the bars very high.
Source: bikedekho.com