MOTOGP » 500cc twins join 250 replacement list

The only problem with that Rob is that GP's are a prototype class as James Ellison's team in MotoGP found out to their cost a few years back when they tried to run a modified Yamaha engine. It was ruled ineligible until it differed enough from the stock
bike.

I'd go for 400cc over 500cc as it would retain the half-way house capacity to MotoGP and
hence a difference in approach to their build and use. (Higher corner speeds etc)
This would also mean that teams could in theory use 2 cylinders off their 800cc bike
as a basis of design. (cheaper?) 2 cylinder parallel twins developing somewhere around 100bhp? Now that would be awesome!

Would that mean 200cc singles as well Buell?

The whole "green" argument doesn't stand very steadily. Recent 2 stroke technologies like direct injection mean that you can have a 2T as green as any 4T.

I think the true reasons are other: The 2T classes have low attendance rates since only the racing hardcore fans watch them. The problem does not lie in lack of spectacle (quite the contrary!) but rather because noone can relate what they ride to what they see being raced. It's the same thing whith the premier category: Once they turned to 4T the audience immediately grew.

I'm sure the smaller categories will be revived as far as attendance rates are concerned and my proposition taking into account the low cost requirement cont-

would be

500 twin
250 twin

maybe both with control ECUs so as to ensure both the levelling of performance and also the control of costs.

Are 125 and 250cc's really prototypes? I thought they were modified RS 250's and NSR's (serious question, as I don't follow those classes closely since they are rarely televised in the US, and when they are shown on TV it's on while I'm at work).

The future is in 4/ - there's no doubt about that.

One thing I just worked out - 800cc is 60% more than 500cc. So going by that same theory....

250cc + 60% = 400cc 4/
125cc + 60% = 200cc 4/

They can package these new modern bikes extremely efficiently, so I expect them to keep the weight very smilar to the current fomula norms. I would actually hope they get a little heavier as currently midgets like Pedrosa benefit, especially in the smaller classes. A slightly bigger bike will be good for the future and more "normal" sized riders.

Having raced myself, I know the pain of being passed on the straight by someone half your height.

As much as I hate it, the 250cc class has to change, as there are only around 8 factory spec bikes that could win in normal weather conditions.

125 do not change, great racing, but if they must

125cc - change to 250cc 4 stroke singles
250cc - change to 500cc 4stroke twins
800cc - bring back 990''s and put a speed limiter on them and not a rev limiter, max speed 215 Kph

Fourstroke 400cc twins and 200cc singles is the way to go.

Having capacity related to the main class allows some development cost savings.

Allow these to compete against the present 250 and 125 machines.

A 400 twin should make about 110hp about half that of an 800 Motogp machine - that is about the same as a GP250
A 200 single will be about 55hp again about the same as a 125GP machine. With a little adjustment for weight the two should be able to race against each other allowing Aprilia, KTM etc to stay 2 stroke and the Japs to go 4 stroke.

Personally, I would like to see a 400cc V4 configuration for the 250 two-stroke replacement...slightly exotic, but not too costly, no?

I agree with many here that 4 stroke is the way to go...

200cc single to replace 125cc class
400cc twin to replace 250cc class

A 2 stroke will never be as efficient as a 4 because it burns oil during combustion as part of its normal operation. I can't understand why the manufacturers are against the change because soon they will be forced to throw 2 stroke technology in the garbage because of the ever more stringent emission laws all over the world. So why pump money developing 2strokes when you can't use the benefits in your road bikes which is were all the manufacturers really make their money.

People don't like change but I really don't think the racing would suffer at all.