It’s the news every single MotoGP fan didn’t want to hear – in 2027 the engine capacity looks set to drop to 850cc for MotoGP.
Lesson learnt?
MotoGP tried this nonsense before in 2007. Back then it was done in a failed bid to create a stepping stone for the quantum-scaled Spaniard Dani Pedrosa from a 250cc bike to the top class. Dorna told us it was for safety reasons…which was obviously a lie as all it did was increase corner speeds and lower straight-line speeds.
But it didn’t really work. The 800cc days are regarded as the very darkest in MotoGP history. Manufacturers left, the racing was awful and the depleted grid was embarrassing.
So, given this is probably a terrible idea, we at MotoGPNews have compiled a list of engines that would be better than the proposed 850cc turd.
Speedway engine
A speedway bike, like most of their riders, are very basic: Some scaffolding pipes connecting two wheels and a 500cc single-cylinder four-stroke engine. No brakes. No rear suspension. Minimal parts.
Using the engine from a speedway bike would be very cheap. The average world class speedway rider earns about 50 euros a year meaning all spare parts, along with his 1985 transit van/motorhome, have to be very cheap. Thankfully Poland, who officially have the worst cuisine in Europe, know how to build speedway engines for less cash than a jar of bigos.
With the cost of living going through the roof it makes good sense to reduce the cost of the most expensive component in the sport…after Uccio’s catering bill.
Pros
Low cost should encourage ‘have a go heroes’ at home to join MotoGP with ‘built in the shed’ entries giving us the obvious comical outcomes.
Cons
Bikes would probably lap slower than Bradley Smith on the KTM in 2018.
Suzuki TL engine
Developed in the late 90s the Suzuki TL had one of the best and most successful engines ever. So magnificent was the 1000cc v-twin that it appeared in over 700 independent ‘exotic’ motorcycles whose manufacturers felt it easier to use the TL than develop their own. Back in the early 2000s If you wanted to sell a ridiculously expensive motorcycle then all you had to do was make it look good and throw a TL engine in it. Job done.
Amusingly the worst bike to feature the TL engine was in fact the Suzuki TL. The Japanese quitters used a revolutionary ‘rotary damper’ on their bikes which was designed to permanently ‘filter out’ inexperienced riders into the cemetery.
Pros
An awesome engine that sounds phenomenal
Cons
Suzuki would probably quit after a few years leaving everyone in the shit again.
Kawasaki H1 500 engine
Back in ’69, when Bryan Adams unfortunately bought his first real six-string, Kawasaki released the epic H1. The deranged 500cc two-stroke triple engine was tie-clipped to a weak and flex-friendly frame ensuring that the rider felt a nipsy-clenching unease at all times. Better still the weigh bias on the H1 was set dangerously far back meaning all owners would eventually flip the bike if using more than 25% throttle and end up in a neighbour’s garden urinating blood.
We reckon Kawasaki will still have the blueprints for this splendid motor with its dubious fixing points.
Pros
Would bring Kawasaki’s name back into the fold. Along with the awesome smell of 2-stroke oil.
Cons
But every other manufacturer would probably leave.
Ninja H2R engine
Sticking with the green ship builders…
Now if we’re going to do the job then we might as well do it correctly. Step forward the Ninja H2R…
The 1000cc supercharged engine from the Ninja H2R delivers 300bhp – which is more than any current MotoGP bike. Furthermore this is in street legal form. With some fine tuning and carbon stickers this brilliant piece of engineering could produce borderline ridiculous power outputs.
Surely we all want to see the best riders in the world, along with Luca Marini, wrestle stupidly powerful bikes?
Pros
Would separate the men from the boys.
Cons
Would possibly separate the men from their legs.
Electric motor
There has never been a more stupid time to live. Half the world is killing each other leaving the other half to be offended by the violence of pronoun misuse. It really would be the ideal time for the asteroid to hit and maybe let the dinosaurs have another crack at proceedings.
Until then we have to put up with the madness – which brings us nicely to electric motorcycles. No one at any point in the human history has asked for an electric motorcycle – but just like James Corden we got them anyway.
Slow, heavy, pointless and hideous to look at. And just like the aforementioned James Corden electric bikes are just as bad. But we’re consistently told that it’s the future…mainly by companies keen to jump aboard the magical rainbow unicorn to a green and pleasant world.
Pros
People with blue hair will commend the decision. Then not watch the sport.
Cons
No one would watch the sport.