Depending on your outlook, that makes the feat recently attained by Kawasaki rider James Hillier either incredibly brave or utterly crazy. For what was called a parade lap, Hillier climbed aboard a new Kawasaki Ninja H2R and took it to a GPS-verified 206 miles per hour down the Sulby straight, a new top-speed record on the island.
"That was insane, simply insane", Hillier said afterwards, according to Kawasaki. "The first four gears are just over in a flash and the acceleration is mental." With over 300 horsepower from its supercharged four-cylinder engine, the Ninja H2R is the track-only variant of the Ninja H2. Hillier's example on the Isle of Man was stock, save for some suspension adjustments that allowed the bike to handle the island's variable road surfaces.
