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European manufacturers have gapped the Japanese with radar-assisted rider aids, but after Kawasaki announced its intention to fit Bosch radar systems to future bikes in 2018, it’s finally arrived on the latest Ninja H2 SX. It means the new model is the most technologically advanced bike in Kawasaki’s fleet and the most electronically advanced Japanese motorcycle on the market.

Kawasaki’s PR blurb surrounding the new H2 SX is big on the addition of the new Bosch Advanced Rider Assistance Systems (ARAS) and the three new features it brings to the SX: adaptive cruise control, Kawasaki’s emergency stop system and blind-spot detection, thanks to a second rear-mounted radar unit.

In addition, the new SX gets a six-axis IMU replacing the five-axis unit from the previous model, a new 6.5-inch TFT display, ergonomic changes aimed at improving both rider and pillion comfort, plus inlet and exhaust revisions for better efficiency, less weight and to help the SX meet Euro 5 regulations.

Outwardly, the Ninja’s styling has received some revision to accommodate the new tech, with the front unit mounted below the new, smaller headlight and the rear below the taillight. Both the emergency stop system, or Forward Collision Warning (FCW), and adaptive cruise control (ACC) functions use the front radar to monitor