[jself24]

Just read in the new Motorcyclist mag that one of the main reasons for all the techno goodies on the new r6 is that Yamaha heard the the motogp 250 class is changing to a production based four stroke 600 class!!! As much as I like the 250's I think this would be kind of cool. And it would better prepare the riders to jump on the 4 stroke 800's. What do you guys think?

 

[Bentley]

Just read in the new Motorcyclist mag that one of the main reasons for all the techno goodies on the new r6 is that Yamaha heard the the motogp 250 class is changing to a production based four stroke 600 class!!! As much as I like the 250's I think this would be kind of cool. And it would better prepare the riders to jump on the 4 stroke 800's. What do you guys think?

I can't see that ever happening

125's and 250's are born and bred race machines, which is the point of the MotoGP classes.......switching to production 600's would be no point....there is already WSS
If you mean they will switch to custom race bred 600 4 strokes thats another story.......Kinda like the move from 500cc's to the 990 4 strokes.....if it will better safety and improve the product (make better racing) then I'm all for it

the switch from 500's to the 990's today was for that same reason.....safety, and improving the motoGP brand

 

[fractureman]

Can't see it happening as mentioned. There are enough supersport championships around the world to keep the class happy.

MotoGP is about race bikes only why have a class based on production bikes. Dorna runs a movistar cup in spain already running on Honda 600rr's.

I can't see the smaller classes going anytime soon

 

[jself24]

I'm not saying it's going to happen, just a rumor I read in Motorcyclist Magazine

 

[drunksteve]

they may be going to 4 strokes in 2008, i think the current 2 stroke rules only go to 2007. but i dont think they would switch to a production based class. maybe an FX type class... but the main problem i see is weight. if they went to a 600 class they would weigh a ton more than the 250s. little guys like dani pedrosa wouldn't do as well in a 600 class over a 250.

 

[Thrak]

That was a rumor a few years ago too.. when they first switched to 990 4strokes...

:shrug Hasnt happened yet...

 

[drunksteve]

article on crash.net has an interview where John Surtees recommends they go to 600cc 4 strokes for the premiere class... that would be a bad move i think.

my guess is the 800cc bikes will make a little less power but probably still as much as the current SBK bikes, and will be a ton faster in the corners.

 

[jself24]

they may be going to 4 strokes in 2008, i think the current 2 stroke rules only go to 2007. but i dont think they would switch to a production based class. maybe an FX type class... but the main problem i see is weight. if they went to a 600 class they would weigh a ton more than the 250s. little guys like dani pedrosa wouldn't do as well in a 600 class over a 250.

FX is still a production based class

 

[drunksteve]

i meant with wide open rules.

 

[rollins]

I read the article also. I don't think it suggested that MotoGP would be going to a production 600cc. Instead they would replace 2 stroke 250's with 600cc 4 stroke race bike. They were suggesting that the new R6 in R&D for a future 4 stroke 600 class.

 

[moto]

Um.... i really doubt that they would go to a 600. A really worked over, race bred 600 is going to be just too fast for a middle teir class like that. I did read a couple months ago that for 2008, 400 fourstrokes would be legal, and by 2012, two strokes were to be completely phased out. Reminds me a lot of what has happened in MX.

 

[TZRaceR6]

^^^ Yep, thank the U.N. and EU to the end of 250 2 stroke racing by 2012. The only alternative is 600cc 4 strokes at the moment, but we are far, far away from 2012.
As for the 800cc MotoGP class, you'll see just as fast of a bike as we have now, but with a torque curve that will make the old 500cc engines envious. Get your camera's ready for some nasty highsides! I bet Gary McCoy is happy he's not gonna be racing in 07.

 

[AFC]

I was sad to see the 500cc two-strokes go, but could understand the reasoning.

I would hate to see the 250 class go away as well. Nothing like the sound and smell of a 2-stroke.

 

[Cever]

I'd like to see a 600class motoGP. I like the 250's but I am in support of the 600cc class, espicially with the advancements it could bring to all of our bikes

 

[Bentley]

I think what they should do down the line in intruduce 400-500cc motoGP bikes....totally 1 off, like the current 990's

I think a 600cc bike would be a little too big and strong, and a little too similar to the soon to be 800cc motogp bikes

gotta remember most of the guys running 250 and 16-20 years old and about the size of an average guys leg

 

[moto]

I think what they should do down the line in intruduce 400-500cc motoGP bikes....totally 1 off, like the current 990's

I think a 600cc bike would be a little too big and strong, and a little too similar to the soon to be 800cc motogp bikes

gotta remember most of the guys running 250 and 16-20 years old and about the size of an average guys leg

Exactly what I was saying. A 600 is going to be so effing fast. The idea of the 250 class is supposed to be super light bikes, with ungodly cornering speed. I think a 400 4 stroke could be totally capable of this, as I heard was proposed. 600 is too big. My guess is it will just be another full size, full weight race bike. Not a super light, super trick little bike like we have always had.... My $.02.

 

[jself24]

I think that a production based class would be good. It would keep the costs down for the teams, make the bikes slower than a one-off 600, and I think it would benefit the bigger sized riders. All thses tiny little guys that have come up from 125's and 250's (Rossi being the exception) have not fared too well in the MotoGP era. This year everone was saying Pedrosa wass too small to handle the big bike. Why would you want support classes that were designed for riders that wouldn't make good premire class riders???

I'm not asking for arguments here on specific riders I know there are a lot guys that have come up and been sucessful, Rossi, Melandri, Biaggi, and all this crop of new riders this year. But historically sucessful motoGP riders have come from the superbike series...

 

[aaire]

Related article.

 

[ChemiKaze]

I'm not asking for arguments here on specific riders I know there are a lot guys that have come up and been sucessful, Rossi, Melandri, Biaggi, and all this crop of new riders this year. But historically sucessful motoGP riders have come from the superbike series...

Well, it was argued that historically why Superbike riders were successful MotoGP riders were that those riders were originally dirt track riders who knew how to manage the skid and slides of a 2-stroke 500. Now with 4-strokes 990 and then 800 coupled with the track design of newer circuits, the evolution towards Euro-style riding is progressive better and the results you get are that today's world champions are from the lower classes who have riding experience in the Spanish/Italian leagues.

 

[Thrak]

You cant have a GP class based on production bikes, then its not GP anymore.

To be true to what GP is, it must not be production based. I hope MotoGP, and Dorna, understand this. If they go to a production based series it will directly compete with WSB and WSS. Since all are governed by the FIA, I doubt you'll ever see a production based class from MotoGP. It would not make fiscal sense at all...