Motor cycle racing......some questions for you experts.

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
When I used to attend races at Oulton Park way back in the 60s/70s rules and regulations seemed (according to my memory) fairly straight forward eg bikes were classified according to power so you would have races for 125/250/500cc etc.
Just trying to understand MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3 things are soooo complicated. Some have have identical bikes but different chassis. Some, they even have to have exactly the same tyres. Other races, virtually anything goes ??
So.........
Is it just my poor memory or has it ALL got complicated ??
Or is it only German racing ??
 

NorthernDave

Never used Über Member
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
All depends on what classes & at what level you're looking at @Dave7 there's clubman level, national level & International level, each have their own rules & specifications. Some are engine sized based, but others are make specific, like the Suzuki SV650's everybody has to ride the same bike with restrictions on what can be changed, others have to use a sealed engine, but frame is open.
 

Proto

Legendary Member
At elite level racing there are two branches of racing - the MotoGP series and World Superbike.

Superbikes are in theory based on production machines that anyone can buy from a main dealer. Honda Firelade, Yamaha R1 etc. 4cyl x 1000cc (or bigger if you have fewer cylinders). Tuned to death but identifiable as something you could see on the road every day. Supersport are a similar concept but based on 600cc machines.

MotoGP series bikes are out and out specials, designed from the ground up, within the rules, as racing machines. Thoroughbreds, think Formula1 car. In an effort to keep costs down, Moto2 bikes all use the same motor but the chassis design is open. I think Moto3 is anything goes within the engine capacity limit.

In terms of performance, not much difference between MotoGP bikes and World Superbikes but GP are quicker.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Dave7

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
At elite level racing there are two branches of racing - the MotoGP series and World Superbike.

Superbikes are in theory based on production machines that anyone can buy from a main dealer. Honda Firelade, Yamaha R1 etc. 4cyl x 1000cc (or bigger if you have fewer cylinders). Tuned to death but identifiable as something you could see on the road every day. Supersport are a similar concept but based on 600cc machines.

MotoGP series bikes are out and out specials, designed from the ground up, within the rules, as racing machines. Thoroughbreds, think Formula1 car. In an effort to keep costs down, Moto2 bikes all use the same motor but the chassis design is open. I think Moto3 is anything goes within the engine capacity limit.

In terms of performance, not much difference between MotoGP bikes and World Superbikes but GP are quicker.
Very helpful that, thanks.
 
OP
OP
Dave7

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
All depends on what classes & at what level you're looking at @Dave7 there's clubman level, national level & International level, each have their own rules & specifications. Some are engine sized based, but others are make specific, like the Suzuki SV650's everybody has to ride the same bike with restrictions on what can be changed, others have to use a sealed engine, but frame is open.
Again, thanks for that.
Was it really so much simpler when I were a lad?
 

Proto

Legendary Member
Talking to a fellow the other day about his Ducati Panigale R. I was a bit shocked when he told me it was chucking out 225 bhp!! My old ‘Blade was only good for 140 and I thought that was a lot.
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
Talking to a fellow the other day about his Ducati Panigale R. I was a bit shocked when he told me it was chucking out 225 bhp!! My old ‘Blade was only good for 140 and I thought that was a lot.
My blade was the older 918 engine with 118bhp I think, all that power on a piece of rubber the size of a 50p, but these days they have abs & traction control, not like in the olden days when traction control was your right hand :laugh:
 

Proto

Legendary Member
My blade was the older 918 engine with 118bhp I think, all that power on a piece of rubber the size of a 50p, but these days they have abs & traction control, not like in the olden days when traction control was your right hand :laugh:

I had a 918 carbed Blade, then an injected 929, and finally a 954. Loved them all, so easy to live with, and very capable bikes. As ever, wished I’d kept them, especially the 929.

The Panigale had Traction Control, ABS, Quickshifter and ‘Launch Control’ plus a load of different engine management setting - fast, very fast, and just silly. It cost him £24k. Oh, and he was riding round the Pecos in the Basque region on it. Madness.
 
Last edited:

Drago

Legendary Member
Talking to a fellow the other day about his Ducati Panigale R. I was a bit shocked when he told me it was chucking out 225 bhp!! My old ‘Blade was only good for 140 and I thought that was a lot.

I have to make do with a puny 143 horses on the Max, and that does reel like a lot. Mind you, with 160NM of grunt it's full fat horsepower, not anorexic mega high rev power.
 
Top Bottom