Time for a quick update I think. Following on from the success of the Old Gits trip to the Dolomites where, with the exception of seat comfort, the H2 SX showed it could do everything a K1300S could only better, faster, quicker and easier, and while using only slightly more fuel, It was back to the daily commuting grind from Suffolk down to the South Bank and back.
The 7500 mile service has now been done. I had already changed the air filter to a reusable one so I didn’t have to pay for that but I did have the sprockets changed (from 18/44 to 19/42). This ought to be an easy job on a chain drive bike but is recognised as a 2 plus hour job on the owners forums due to the requirement to drain the cooling system and undo the water pump in order to get to the front sprocket. I was also having an issue with the cornering lights in that I couldn’t get them to switch on. (It turns out that neither I nor the dealer had “clicked†to the requirement to have the engine running when changing the cornering lights setting. It needed Kawasaki to point this out!!!! This is different to every other of the 100’s of settings which can be done with the engine off!)
Even with this extra work being done, the total bill was £290. (I had supplied the new sprockets and we used the original chain.) Measured against the cost of BMW servicing, that seems to me to be pretty damn reasonable.
With the sprockets changed, the bike is definitely more relaxed. 5000rpm in 6th is now 85mph and it is ultimately geared for 205 in top at the red line, not that I’ll ever even try to get there.
It has taken the edge off the top gear roll on but it still manages 60 to 100mph in 5 seconds, thus quicker than the K1300S. Through the gear acceleration has not been effected although it may not be quite as keen to pick the front wheel up as it was. What has changed is that my daily commute now needs around 0.5 to 0.75 litres less fuel (or just under £1 less to refuel). This means that it’s now pretty much an exact match for both range and consumption to my K1300Ss while still offering noticeable more power if/when I want it.
While still early days, all of the components are still looking good and doing what they should. The bike does seem to attract the dirt more than the K1300Ss did so doesn’t look it’s best unless it’s been washed.
So, half way through my first summer of commuting on the H2 SX SE, and over 8000 miles in and my opinion has not changed. The K1300S was definitely the best “do everything†sport tourer on the market. Then BMW chose to discontinue it and Kawasaki launched the H2 SX. The K1300S is still a superb package and offers excellent value for money, even allowing for some of its known foibles. However, the H2 SX SE is definitely a better bike in just about every way you could measure (with the exception of seat comfort). It offers more of the “sport†part of sport touring without any compromise on the “touring†part. It is immensely capable, incredibly enjoyable, stunningly fast but supremely controlled. Is it worth trading in a good K1300S for just to get the “extrasâ€, probably not but, if you’re looking at a replacement for your K1300S, and want a bike that does everything a K1300S does, but better, then give a H2 SX some serious consideration.
