Euro rumors... https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/news/2018/october/bikesocials-bike-news-round-up-26-10-18

1:  Four new Kawasaki coming to EICMA

A countdown timer on Kawasaki’s US website hints that the firm is planning to unveil four new models at the EICMA show in Milan in early November. The firm is using the image you see here to publicise the event, clearly showing four covered-up machines lined up behind the 2019 models that it’s already revealed – the new ZX-6R, updated ZX-10R variants and the more powerful 2019 Ninja H2 models.

So what are the four covered bikes? Well, we know about two of them for certain. One is an updated Versys 1000, which we’ve written about here. And another guaranteed new model is the naked Z400, a derivative of the Ninja 400. Again, we’ve written about the Z400 before.

So what are the other two?

The word from Japan is that one will be a new retro machine to replace the old W800. We’ve been told to expect a water-cooled parallel twin rather than the old W800’s air-cooled motor, but other than that the new W is said to follow all the same retro ideals as its predecessor. And with the likes of Triumph’s latest Bonneville range selling so well, it makes sense for Kawasaki to get back in on that action.

The final bike is believed to be a mildly revised Ninja H2 SX sports tourer. That also makes sense, as the H2 SX is one of the only bikes left in Kawasaki’s range that’s still listed as a ‘2018’ model rather than a ‘2019’ version on the firm’s website. Quite what will be changed on the bike remains a mystery, but we’d bank on electronic suspension, at least on the ‘SE’ model.

They missed the KLR650 replacement that is rumored to be one of the 4 in the back row.

RE: NINJA H2™ SX @ EICMA

So they added electronic suspension, $2000  to the price tag, and the SE+ to the name? I predict a shaft drive version in 2020 with and increase in price of $2999, and some more letters to become Ninja H2 SX SE+ SD++ . Yeah, OK, probably not, but at least my prediction is as accurate as the one that predicted a water cooled W800 in 2019.

RE: NINJA H2™ SX @ EICMA

So they added electronic suspension, $2000  to the price tag, and the SE+ to the name?

Funny... isn't that exactly what I predicted?  (Well, I said $3k, but that those prices, it can't matter)   

predict a shaft drive version in 2020

HA!  And maybe an adjustable windscreen?  Or longer wheelbase?  Or a larger gas tank?  Or....?

Nah, any of those would actually make it more like a sport tourer.  They don't want to do THAT.  Besides, then it would start at $40,000....

RE: NINJA H2™ SX @ EICMA

So they added electronic suspension, $2000  to the price tag, and the SE+ to the name? I predict a shaft drive version in 2020 with and increase in price of $2999, and some more letters to become Ninja H2 SX SE+ SD++ . Yeah, OK, probably not, but at least my prediction is as accurate as the one that predicted a water cooled W800 in 2019.

Are they going to beef up the drive shaft from the Concours or de-tune the H2 SX even further. I could be wrong, but my guess is the power output of the supercharged motor is the reason they didn’t make it shaft drive to begin with.

Are they going to beef up the drive shaft from the Concours [] I could be wrong, but my guess is the power output of the supercharged motor is the reason they didn’t make it shaft drive to begin with.

At the crank, it is only about 40hp more that the C14, and the peak torque amount is almost identical to the C14 (101/102ftlb), although the C14 develops it at a nice 6200rpm instead of much lagged 9500rpm on the SX , so it shouldn't be difficult to design a shaft drive to handle that, even using a shorter design from the C14.  The C14 is heavier, so that is stress, too.

It makes me a little giddy when I can start an engineering debate about something that I pulled out of my as..derrierre. 

Situation normal here..