Set 42170 Kawasaki Ninja H2R Motorcycle was the 2024 addition to the 1:8-scale LEGO® Technic motorcycle range, depicting the Kawasaki Ninja H2R, also from 2024. It is noteworthy for being the first set to feature new engine cylinder elements that have quickly spread to all kinds of sets, big and small.
Products in this article were gifted by The LEGO Group; the author's opinions are their own.
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42170 Kawasaki Ninja H2R Motorcycle
- Release date: 1 March 2024
- Pieces: 643
- US$ 84.99 on LEGO.com US
- CA$ 109.99 on LEGO.com Canada
- GB£ 69.99 on LEGO.com UK
- AU$ 99.99 on LEGO.com Australia
- NZ$ 109.99 on LEGO.com New Zealand
- DE€ 79,99 on LEGO.com Deutschland
- NL€ 79,99 on LEGO.com Nederland
- FR€ 79,99 on LEGO.com France
- PLN 349.99 on LEGO.com Polska
- NOK 1099,90 on LEGO.com Norge
- DKK 699.95 on LEGO.com Danmark
Buy individual pieces from 42170 on LEGO® Pick a Brick
New moulds
This set introduced three new moulds, one of which is still exclusive. Let’s focus for now on the element that remains unique, 14 months later.
- 1x Windscreen 7 x 6 1/2 x 2 Motorcycle with Black Border print in Transparent (6480502 | 107524)
As its name implies, it is used as the bike's windscreen. Its particular shape suggests it was custom-designed for this specific set, so I'm not expecting to see it reused in many others, if at all. At least the print is neutral in colour, which should make it easier to use in your own creations.
Its complex shape reminds me of other moulds used in LEGO Technic bike windscreens.
I was very glad to see it arrived in its own separate paper bag, ensuring that no other parts rub against it and cause nasty scratches. Given the part's size, print and prominent placement in the model, it's important that it remains pristine and scratch-free all the way from the factory until you lay your hands on it.
Its single attachment point is a row of three pin holes at the bottom, as if a 3L beam were glued on. There's a 2-module overhang in front of it.
Despite its Rebrickable & BrickLink names, this part occupies a space closer to 7x7x2 modules.
The two leading edges form a 90º angle, and it's simple to attach the part such that these two edges align perfectly with the standard grid.
Despite its complex geometry, it still allows for an uninterrupted 3 module-wide space underneath it. Wider than that, though, and parts will start colliding with the windscreen's “wings”.
The windscreen’s complex shaping becomes more apparent when viewed from the front; here it reminds me of a spaceship. The curvature at the rear should be quite challenging to match to other LEGO elements. The double curved 4 x 1 x 2/3 slope (93273, shown in red above) is too shallow.
Again trying to match the curvature at the back with anything, I noticed it forms approximately a quarter-circumference. Again, I don’t see this property of much use because of the rest of the mould’s design.
element 6480502
Recoloured and printed elements
The literal highlight in the Ninja's colour scheme is bright green. This is a quite uncommon colour, and we haven't seen a LEGO Technic set sporting it since 42039 24 Hours Race Car, with a small side-quest of 412402 Helicopter – a magazine freebie set.
- 2x Technic Beam 1 x 11.5 Double Bent Thick in Bright Green (6468846 | 41486, 32009)
- 2x Technic Beam 1 x 9 Bent (6 - 4) Thick in Bright Green (6476570 | 42149, 6629)
- 1x Technic Beam 2 x 4 L-Shape Thick in Bright Green (6476572 | 42137, 32140)
- 1x Technic Axle and Pin Connector Angled #6 - 90° in Bright Green (6476581 | 42155, 32014)
- 2x Technic Beam 2 x 3 L-Shape with Quarter Ellipse Thick in Bright Green (6478283 | 71708)
- 2x Technic Shock Absorber 11L with Internal Spring in Medium Stone Grey/ Light Bluish Gray (6483561 | 65151)
- 1x Technic Panel Round Corner 5 x 3 x 2 Left with 'Kawasaki' print in Black (6493022 | 2438)
- 1x Technic Panel Round Corner 5 x 3 x 2 Right with 'Kawasaki' print in Black (6493023 | 2442)
There aren't many recolours here, and if I'd included 412402 Helicopter despite its limited availability, the angled connector and the 6-4 bent beam wouldn't be here either. Of course, any additions to the palette of a rare colour are welcome.
The "Kawasaki" prints on the eighth-ellipsoids mean they'll have limited use outside... well... Kawasaki-branded machines. Having these large shock absorbers in versatile grey is very welcome, considering that this mould previously only existed in Pearl Gold.
Rare elements
- 1x Technic Panel Curved 5 x 7 Parallelogram Right in Dark Stone Grey / Dark Bluish Gray (6450238 | 80268)
- 1x Technic Panel Curved 5 x 7 Parallelogram Left in Dark Stone Grey / Dark Bluish Gray (6450239 | 80267)
- 1x Technic Panel Triangle 5 x 4 Right in Dark Stone Grey / Dark Bluish Gray (6450241 | 80274)
- 1x Technic Panel Triangle 5 x 4 Left in Dark Stone Grey / Dark Bluish Gray (6450242 | 80278)
- 1x Brake Disc in Medium Stone Grey / Light Bluish Gray (6293340 | 35189)
In 2 other sets:
- 1x Tyre 94.2 x 22 Motorcycle Racing Tread in Black (6294605 | 67140)
- 1x Technic Driving Ring Extension, 8 Ridges in Dark Stone Grey / Dark Bluish Gray (6484624 | 35186)
In 3 other sets:
- 1x Tyre 94.2 x 22 Motorcycle Racing Tread, Narrow in Black (6261718 | 88516)
Other interesting parts
The highlight of the Kawasaki Ninja H2R, from a parts perspective, is without a doubt the engine cylinder elements. These elements started their life in this set, and in a year have spread out to both smaller and larger sets, to the point of not even being rare anymore.
- 4x Technic Piston in Yellow (6452846 | 4369)
- 4x Technic Crank Disc in Medium Stone Grey (6452845 | 4368)
Given their importance (which shall be discussed in a future post) and this being the first time they appeared, I thought I'd mention them. For a comprehensive analysis on these parts, check out Toby's review of 42177 Mercedes-Benz G 500 PROFESSIONAL Line.
Sticker sheet
Besides the eighth-ellipsoid panels, this set has no printed parts: all other non-brick-built details are achieved with stickers.
It’s a rather small and, as you can tell, a highly reflective sticker sheet. Many of the stickers aren’t specific to the Ninja, or even motorcycles in general, and are suitable to add detail in other kinds of models.
MOC with 42170 elements
With very few and notable exceptions, LEGO Technic motorcycle sets tend to turn into motorcycle B-models (remember those?) and motorcycle MOCs. So, I thought I’d try to use the elements in a different way.
To take advantage of the two huge wheels, my first thought was a top fuel dragster, inspired by the B-model of 8422 Circuit Shock Racer. So, here’s Wobbly Wheelie.
Just like 4822, I used the bike’s front brake discs as the dragster’s front wheels; but, unlike the older set, I managed to implement functional steering for them. Not that the length of the vehicle, the small maximum steering angle, and the lack of front rubber tyres make the car able to change direction at all when rolling on a smooth surface! Well, it’s the thought that counts, I guess.
Since the set contains gearbox elements: Gear Shifter in orange (35188), Driving Ring 3L (18947), and a handful of clutch gears, I found it imperative to give the dragster a two-speed gearbox, too.
Unlike the official model, my gears are simplified and rely on swinging the left-mounted yellow beams forward (for low gear) or backward (for high gear).
The driving ring slides on a smooth driving ring connector (42195). The set does not supply the ribbed variant of the driving ring connector (18948, 49136), so I couldn’t use this element to lock the driving ring in the engaged positions. I had to use the set’s 2M rubber damper (45590) to add some friction to the shifter axle, albeit in a decidedly inelegant way.
Before I became acquainted with the set’s inventory, I thought about building a standard transmission, with a longitudinal axle connecting the wheels to an equally longitudinal engine. That idea was quickly shut down when I realised this set doesn’t include any bevel gears, only spurs. That means that every transmission-related axle, including the crankshaft, must be parallel to each other. Fortunately, it was possible to use chain links to achieve some distance between the engine and the driven wheels.
The chain that drives the wheels is positioned centrally, with a V2 engine on each side of it. This was the best way I could come up with to hold the pistons at a decent-ish angle using the available inventory. It’s not perfect, but the clips on the piston elements have plenty of tolerance to allow this crooked geometry while still running smoothly.
I wanted to do something with the long shock absorbers, and wheelie bars were the perfect candidates. Since this set doesn’t contain any small wheels and I didn’t have any pair of leftover gears after building the main model, I had to settle with the unused crank discs at the tips of the wheelie bars. Their off-centre axle holes definitely don’t make for smooth rolling, and now you know why I called the dragster Wobbly Wheelie.
I tried to save the bright green elements for outer locations, to break the dull blacks and greys. Dragsters, especially of the top fuel type, are not known for being subtle and discreet! I was almost required by law to use in the MOC the set’s unique element, the windscreen. Its capability to permit axles to run through it is very helpful to keep a low profile at the front.
By now, you’ve almost certainly noticed that I cheated: the rear tyres have the same width, so that means I didn’t strictly use only parts from this set. While it contains two matching rims, the tyres that go on them have different widths for the front and rear of the bike. Therefore, I had to buy an extra tyre to maintain the symmetry.
I agree that two wide tyres would certainly look better in a dragster than two narrow ones, but the wide ones are a lot more expensive on the secondary market. If you’re aiming for 0% extra parts and want to have a go at building something with symmetrical wheels from 42170, I guess you can always forgo the tyres altogether.
The parts inventory didn’t allow me to make a longer, more realistic car: real-life top fuel dragsters are 7.6 m (25 ft) long. This smaller length-to-height ratio, together with its general shape and the outrageous exhaust pipes, makes the end result remind me less of a real dragster and more of something Dick Dastardly would drive.
Conclusion
As a parts pack, set 42170 is a mixed bag. Its non-neutral colour of bright green may be a blessing or a curse depending on what shade of green you need for your projects; on the other hand, the abundance of black and dark grey elements are helpful for models in all colour schemes.
At US$84.99/ £69.99/ 79.99€/ AU$99.99 it’s a cheap-ish source of gearbox elements, including an the gear shifter in orange (35188), but the lack of bevel gears limits the kind of gear trains you can build. The new engine cylinder elements are welcome and in good numbers, but more economical ways to get your hands on these have since appeared e.g 42198 Bush Plane. I wasn’t kidding when I said 42170 was a mixed bag.
If you actually want to build a motorcycle, the Ninja, with all the elements mentioned above plus the wheels and the shock absorbers, fits the bill.
An alternative for bike builders is 42155 The Batman - Batcycle: it trades a less sophisticated powertrain (old cylinders and no gearbox) for a colour scheme you can do more with. Another factor against it is its “retired” status, which may make finding it for a fair price harder.
And finally, cat power allows for good acceleration, but apparently can’t beat a pair of V2 engines.
Search PaB for
the windshield Buy the Kawasaki on LEGO.com
READ MORE: Review: 21356 River Steamboat from LEGO® Ideas
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