#0 by Krakadil (Power User) (0 mesaje) at 2010-07-29 19:23:46 (746 săptămâni în urmă) - [Link]
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP. The first two are held with two-stroke and the last with four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc was replaced by the new Moto2 600cc four-stroke class. So, after 2010 there will be one two-stroke class, 125cc, and 2 four-stroke classes: Moto2 and MotoGP. Grand Prix motorcycles are purpose-built racing machines that are neither available for purchase by the general public nor can be ridden legally on public roads. This contrasts with the various production categories of racing, such as the Superbike World Championship, that feature modified versions of road-going motorcycles available to the public.
125cc and 250cc classes
125cc KTM Grand Prix motorcycle
125cc machines are restricted to a single cylinder and a minimum weight of 80 kilograms and the 250cc machines to two cylinders and a minimum of 100 kilograms. From 2005 onwards, all riders in the 125cc class could not be older than 28 years or 25 years for new contracted riders participating for the first time and wild-cards.
In 2008 discussions arose surrounding the replacement of the 2-stroke 250cc class with another category. The move to 600cc 4-stroke engines to replace the current 250s has been finalized as of June 2008, and will take effect in 2010.
Moto2 class
Moto2 is the new 600cc 4-stroke class to replace 250cc 2-stroke class. Engines will be produced by Honda; tyres by Dunlop and electronics will be limited and supplied only by FIM sanctioned producers with max cost set at 650 EUR. Carbon-fibre brakes will be banned and only steel brakes will be allowed. However, there will be no chassis limitations. In the 2010 season both 600 cc four-stroke Moto2 and 250 cc two-stroke bikes will race in the Moto2 class. From 2011 onwards only 600 cc four-stroke Moto2 machines will be allowed
MotoGP class
New specifications for each racing class are formed as the FIM sees fit. At the beginning of the new MotoGP era in 2002, 500cc two-stroke or 990cc four-stroke bikes were specified to race. The enormous power advantage of the larger displacement four-stroke engine over the two-stroke eliminated all two-strokes from competition; the following season no two-stroke bikes were racing. In 2007 the maximum engine capacity was reduced to 800cc without reducing the existing weight restrictions.