Supercharged flagship sportsbike to adopt Z H2's engine tunenew less powerful kawasaki ninja h2 coming for 2027Good news! We're getting an updated Ninja H2 for 2027. The bad news? It looks like it won't be as powerful as the current version of Kawasaki's supercharged flagship.The evidence comes to us via various homologation and emissions filings. Both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board have certified the Kawasaki Ninja H2 for the 2027 model year. What's different is that instead of having its own individual certifications as it had in previous years, the 2027 model is sharing emissions data with the Z H2 SE, which uses a less powerful version of the supercharged 998cc inline-Four engine.new less powerful kawasaki ninja h2 coming for 2027The EPA certified the 2026 Ninja H2 (as well as a limited edition Carbon variant) with a maximum output of 228 hp at 11,500 rpm, but for 2027, it is certified with the Z H2 SE's peak of 197 hp at 10,500 rpm. The CARB data doesn't include any performance figures, but it does confirm the Ninja H2 will share the naked model's exhaust system, which includes a second catalyst.The Z H2's claimed 197 hp output is nothing to sneeze at. But it's still not 228 hp.The Z H2's claimed 197 hp output is nothing to sneeze at. But it's still not 228 hp.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe drop in peak horsepower will be disappointing to some people, but we have to remember that 197 hp is still impressive, and way more than most people can realistically handle on public roads. It's also the same maximum output the first generation Ninja H2 was certified with when it debuted for the 2015 model year. For a model Kawasaki positions as the pinnacle of its engineering, however, it's understandable to feel a bit let down.The engine tuning may not be the only thing that has changed. The EPA and CARB filings only examine emissions-related data, with nothing related to the chassis, electronics, or styling. We can confirm that the 2027 Ninja H2 and Ninja H2 Carbon have been homologated in Australia with two new model codes, ZXT02W and ZXT02X, respectively, whereas the current Ninja H2 uses the model code ZXT02J. The change in letters suggests that Kawasaki considers the 2027 model to be a different generation for the Ninja H2, though it remains to be seen how different it will be.Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here.