GP Motorcycle Racing

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Specifications

From 2005 onwards, rule 1.20.2 stated that: 'A race will not be interrupted for climatic reasons and riders who wish to change tires or make adjustments must enter the pits and do so during the actual race.' Previously races were stopped in the case of rain, unless the race was declared "wet" from the start.

The FIM has become concerned, much as the FIA in Formula One, at the advances in design and engineering that result in higher speeds all around the race track since 2002. The current MotoGP speed record of 347.4 km/h (215.864 mph) was set by Loris Capirossi on a Ducati Desmosedici GP4 at IRTA Tests in Catalunya in 2004. By way of comparison, the current Formula One speed record of 369.9 km/h (229.8 mph) was set by Antonio Pizzonia of the BMW Williams F1 team, at Monza in 2004. To ensure safety, they have agreed upon a set of regulation changes to reduce motorcycle speeds. These include changes in weight, fuel capacity and eventually from 2007 a reduction in engine capacity:

2 kg 5.5 kg 3 kg 10.5 kg 8 kg

Minimum Weight - MotoGP Class Cylinders 2004 Min 2007 Min Change
2Cylinder 135 kg 137 kg
3Cylinder 135 kg 140.5 kg
4Cylinder 145 kg 148 kg
5Cylinder 145 kg 155.5 kg
6Cylinder 155 kg 163 kg

In 2005, fuel tank capacity was reduced by 2 litres to 24 litres
In 2006, fuel tank capacity was reduced by a further 2 litres to 22 litres
From 2007 onwards and for a minimum period of five years, FIM has regulated in MotoGP class that two-stroke bikes will no longer be allowed, and engines will be limited to 800 cc four-strokes. The maximum fuel capacity will be 21 litres.
The specific choice of a reduction to 800 cc (as opposed to other power- reduction methods, such as decreasing the number of transmission gears permitted) is very favourable to Honda, who currently run a five cylinder machine, and need only remove a cylinder to modify their engine. The engine Honda will be using in the new 800-cc formula is a four-cylinder, and they had tested the new machine in mid 2006. Other manufacturers may need to entirely redesign their engines, though in mid 2006 Ducati tested versions of its 800 cc machine employing the same V4 engine layout.

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Challenges for the Designer

Like Formula One cars, GP motorcycles are made not only to be raced but to demonstrate the technical and design prowess of the manufacturer. As a result, MotoGP machines are generally made of lightweight and expensive materials such as titanium and carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic. They regularly feature technology not available to the general public.

Examples of this include sophisticated electronics, including telemetry, engine management systems and traction control, carbon disk brakes, and advanced engine technology such as Honda's V5 engine configuration and 2004 Aprilia's RS3. The latter employs the Cosworth-designed pneumatic valve actuation system, used in Formula One cars. The latest addition to the MotoGP grids, the Ilmor X3 three-cylinder machine, seen at the Estoril (Portugal) and Valencia (Spain) events in 2006, ridden by Gary McCoy, reportedly uses a similar valve-actuation design, not surprising considering the Ilmor background in Formula One.

While MotoGP motorcycles are only raced at World Championship level, lighter and significantly less powerful 125 cc and 250 cc bikes are available at relatively reasonable cost. A basic production 125 cc bike costs about the same as a small car. These bikes are raced in national championships around the world, though their two-stroke technology is irrelevant in context with production machines. The two smaller classes are considered excellent training for future MotoGP riders.

One of the main challenges that confronts a MotoGP motorcycle rider and designer is how to translate the machine's enormous power - over 240 horsepower (179 kW), through a single tyre-contact patch roughly the size of a human hand. For comparison, Formula 1 cars produce up to 750 bhp (560 kW) from their 2.4 litre engines but have 10 times the tyre-contact surface. Because of this difficulty, MotoGP is perhaps unique in modern motor sport in that teams will often deliberately detune their engines to allow their riders a chance to control them, with most not making more than the 180 to 190 bhp (135 to 140 kW) of the front-running two-stroke bikes. In recent times this has begun to change with the advent of traction control. Part of the rider compromise, significantly affected by ECU (Engine Control Unit) technology, is that explosive torque at lower RPM may cause the rear tire to spin unless modulated, causing riders to use higher RPM where torque changes are less severe. This consideration also affects gear selection for the individual circuit, which comprises an essential element in setup before and during practice and qualification.

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The Bikes

Aprilia RS3 Cube



Ducati Desmosedici



Honda RC211V



Kawasaki ZX-RR



Roberts KR211V



Suzuki GSV-R



Yamaha YZR-M1

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500 cc class

Honda NSR500



Suzuki RGV500


Yamaha YZR500

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The circuit Ricardo Tormo de Cheste will put the point and end to the season with a Great Prize of the Valencian Community that will serve to both crown champions who still lack to know. The Spanish Jorge Lorenzo, in 250 c.c., and the Italian Valentino Rossi, in MotoGP, starts off with advantage on Dovizioso and Hayden, respetivamente, to take the glory.

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Aprilia asks all its pilots who help to Jorge Lorenzo

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Pedrosa: "the first impression of new moto is positive"

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Rossi: "To have lost the World-wide one it serves to me as stimulus"

Valentino had desire to rise one moto. Mainly after spending a Sunday of dogs, probably the worse one of its life, in which it lost a title that it almost had in bosillo. And Wednesday left to try to be fastest in any condition, with nobody moto. "I have proven the 990 to try to know why there were lost the World-wide one, but we followed equal", commented Bond, that later was fastest with the 800. "If the World-wide one began within two weeks already it would be prepared. I am hungry to win and I believe that to have lost the Championship it serves as stimulus and motivation to me for 2007".

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Valentino Rossi hallucinates with the Suzuki

Valentino Rossi went of Cheste marking only the eighth best registry. Yet, the Italian said not to be worried. "Ours moto goes enough good. To only I have had been three times it, but it is improving little by little and I am sure that when returns it to prove in Sherry it still goes better. The times now are not important, the valuable thing is to compile information to know it more and more ".

With which it did not give to Thursday credit the seven times champion of the world it is with the registries marked by the two Suzuki de Vermeulen and Hopkins. Both marked better times behind Pedrosa both and flew with one moto strange that mixes the chassis and the fairing of extinct the 990 with the new motor of 800. "I do not know what has the new motors of Suzuki so that they run as much", Rossi was surprised.
The sensations that Valentino also perceived on the Suzuki lived their group leader, David Brivio. "he has been interesting to throw a look to which our competitors do. All go already very fast. This indicates that we will have a very hard winter ahead ".

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THE SPANISH PILOT ONLY THINKS ABOUT REVALIDAR HIS TITLE OF 250 C.C.

Jorge Lorenzo: "I am very young to give the jump to MotoGP"


The Majorcan Jorge Lorenzo, world-wide champion of 250 c.c., wants to revalidar his title the season that comes and still it considers itself "very young" to give the jump to MotoGP. "I want to revalidar my title and for that I must work much in the next season, since the pilots are more and more competitive and with better conditions to win", he explained.

Lorenzo expressed that at the moment he does not glide to change of category since c.c is "very young to compete in 800." and that its motivation is to continue conquering titles.

"I am still very young for the MotoGP, I am only 19 years old. Like much to win and I want I to continue winning ", concluded the Majorcan.

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