"I think the best improvement was when we used the 'big bang' engine, at the second test at Sepang; it was very good to ride – but very, very slow! When I arrived at the second test of the 'big bang' engine we improved it a lot and were able to go fast along the straight and get good drivability," said the Italian.
So, with engine performance from Superbike engines approaching figures seen in the MotoGP class, could we see big bang Superbike engines in the near future?
The new K5 Suzuki, arguably the most powerful Superbike ever seen, has many changes to the engine and chassis. One of these changes to the engine could theoretically see the GSX-R1000 K5 engine operate in a twin-pulse fashion. On the 2005 Suzuki, the primary ratio, that is the gear that links the crankshaft and pistons to the gearbox, has been increased to allow the gearbox to spin faster for a given RPM as compared to previous models.
This has the final result of allowing the gearbox to take more stress – something a big bang engine demands.
The rules of the British Superbike series would permit a Superbike engine to be modified to allow a big bang type firing order. The rules state that only the engine cases and throttle bodies must remain from the original bike.
With the gearbox and primary ratio altered to accept the increased stress, a one off crank shaft to accommodate the desired firing order, all that would need to be changed is a camshaft built to match the firing order and the fuel injection maps altered, all of which are perfectly fair under the BSB rules.
Recent rumours suggest Yamaha are considering a big bang R1 for Superbike racing and it would appear only a matter of time before fans get to see one of
MotoGP's most radical engine developments reach SBK.
