An Introduction To MotoGP

Grand Prix motorcycle racing refers to the premier category of motorcycle grand prix currently divided into three distinct classes: 125 cc, 250 cc and MotoGP. Grand prix motorcycles are purpose-built racing machines that are neither available for general purchase nor can be legitimately ridden on public roads; this contrasts with the various production categories of racing, such as World Superbike, that feature modified versions of road-going motorcycles available to the public.

A World Championship for motorcycle racing was first organized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) in 1949. The commercial rights are owned by Dorna Sports.

There have traditionally been several races at each event for various classes of motorcycles, based on engine size, and one class for sidecars. Classes for 50 cc, 80 cc, 125 cc, 250 cc, 350 cc, and 500 cc solo machines have existed over time, and 350 cc and 500 cc sidecars. Up through the 1950s and most of the 1960s, four-stroke engines dominated all classes. In the 1960s, two-stroke engines began to take root in the smaller classes. By the 1970s, two-strokes completely eclipsed the four-strokes. In 1979, Honda made an attempt to return the four-stroke to the top class with the NR500, but this project failed, and in 1983, even Honda was winning with a two-stroke 500.

The 50 cc class was replaced by an 80 cc class, then the class was dropped entirely in the 1990s, after being dominated primarily by Spanish and Italian makes. The 350 cc class vanished in the 1980s. Sidecars were dropped from World Championship events in the 1990s (see superside), reducing the field to 125s, 250s, and 500s.

125 cc and 250 cc classes

125 cc machines are restricted to a single cylinder and a minimum weight of 80 kilograms and the 250 cc machines to two cylinders and a minimum of 100 kilograms. From 2005 onwards, all riders in the 125 cc class could not be older than 28 years or 25 years for new contracted riders participating for the first time and wild-cards.

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, 500 cc two-stroke or 990 cc 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 800 cc without reducing the existing weight restrictions.

MotoGP-class motorcycles are not restricted to any specific engine configuration. Rather, the motorcycle's minimum weight is restricted depending on the number of cylinders. This is because an engine with more cylinders for a given capacity is capable of producing more power more easily. The greater the number of cylinders for a given capacity translates into less capacity per cylinder. As a result, the piston for the resulting smaller cylinder is also smaller, weighing less. Less reciprocating mass (such as pistons) require less energy to move and this aids to the engine being capable of achieving higher revolutions per minute and, hence, greater power.

For this reason, the weight limit is increased as a form of handicap. In 2004 motorcycles were entered with three-, four-and five-cylinder configurations. A six-cylinder engine was proposed by Blata, but did not reach the MotoGP grids.

Download our 2008 MotoGP iCal

As well as Apple's iCal application, there's plenty of other software that is supposedly compatible:
Macintosh: iCal, Mozilla Calendar, Sunbird, Zimbra, DayChaser
Windows: Microsoft Works (Version 8 or higher), WinDates, Mozilla Calendar, Sunbird, Zimbra, Outlook, Windows Calendar (in Vista)
Linux: Novell Evolution, KOrganizer, Kronolith, Mozilla Calendar, Sunbird, Zimbra

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Download our 2008 BatiCal PDF calendar

Keep it on your Mac or PC desktop, or keep it on your work, home or school desktop - our 2008 PDF calendar is all you'l need to watch those important dates. It's packed with cool action and portrait pictures of Alvaro, and with a page a month and all MotoGP weekends marked up. You CANNOT live without this! Full info & download here...