Educate a newbie on Moto GP classes, please

[DrNo08]

I didn't really pay any attention to Moto racing until I got my duc last summer.  I started watching it and really got into it.  I really njoy it alot now but I still don't really understand the class thing.  Is Stoner "motogp" class and if so what size engine is that? What about Bayliss' class?

I'm not a gearhead so bare with me here.  I've read the the 1198 was a very close replica of the bike used in races but I thought the Desmosedici RR was the replica.  Are these two separate classes? Which is supposed to be faster?  Which of those two is closest to Stoner's bike?

It makes it easier to enjoy the sport if you know what's going on obviously.

[DucHead]

You might wanna look/post in the "Racing and Trackdays" forum. 

[DrNo08]

You might wanna look/post in the "Racing and Trackdays" forum. 

will do.  My bad.   Mod, feel free to delete this thread.

[stopintime]

I'm not the one to answer, not 100% sure, but I'm bored so I'll try anyway....

BTW - I've had the same experience with the discovery of moto racing [moto]

The Desmosedici D16 street legal replica with ~200bhp is a 1000cc 4 cylinder L (90 degree). It is quite close to what Stoner rides in the MotoGP. I thought the race version was a 800cc, but I might be wrong.
Troy Bayliss competed, successfully, in the SuperBike SBK Championships. His bike is close to the 1098R, which has a 1200cc 2 cylinder 180bhp engine. Ducati is now selling a limited series of that bike in Bayliss colors.
You can find out more on Ducati.com - and soon here, when the guys add information.

MotoGP is faster than SBK, but it's not by *very* much.

(you can move this thread yourself - an option down to the left, IIRC.)

[DrNo08]

1200cc 2 stroke is slower than a 1000cc 4 stroke.  Hmm..    This is where being a gearhead would come in useful.  I just get on it and ride, man. 

[Spidey]

MotoGP             

Official website:  http://www.motogp.com/
These are purely prototype machines, not production machines.  Riders include Stoner, Rossi, Hayden, Pedrosa (the douchebag), Colin Edwards, etc.  The manufacturer that compete (as of 2009) in the MotoGP class are Yamaha, Ducati, Honda and Suzuki (Kawi just dropped out).  Aprilia and KTM are common in the smaller classes (125-250).  They race all around the world in 16 different rounds.  There are three classes.

    125cc -- 125cc 2 strokes.  Unless you follow MotoGP, you won't follow this class.
   
    250cc -- 250cc 2 strokes.  Unless you follow MotoGP, you won't follow this.  The class is due to change into 600cc 4 strokes at some point -- this year or next. 

    MotoGP -- This is the class you've heard of.  It is 800cc 4 stroke bikes.  The bikes are pure prototypes and cost a bizillion dollars.  They have tons of on-off parts or experiemental technology.  Two years ago, class allowed bikes that were 1000cc.  It was still called MotoGP back then.  The Desmosedici that is sold for the street is a street-going version of the 1000cc bikes before the class switched to 800cc.  The predecessor to the 1000cc class was the 500cc two-stroke class.   Rossi won championships on 500cc, MotoGP (1000cc) and MotoGP (800cc).


WSBK-- World Superbike. 

Official website:  http://www.superbike.it/pubb_EN/index.php
WSBK is a completely different race series than MotoGP.  It's the production bike racing series, i.e.. the bikes are based on productions machines, like the 1098R or the new 1198S.  You cannot use prototype machines in this series like you can (and do) in MotoGP.  In some cases, like the 1098R, the street version that is sold to the average customer is *very* similar to the race version.  The factory Duc is called the 1098F08.  Bayliss is the rider you probably know.  They race all around the world.  There are other classes/series that run along with WSBK -- like World Supersport (600cc). You'll find most big manufacturers in this series, including some others like Aprilia and BMW (for 2009).  No Harleys though.  Ducati has absolutely dominated WSBK for a long time now, even before Bayliss.


AMA

Official website:  http://www.amasuperbike.com/
This is the US series.  The bikes are based on production machines.  There are 1000 and 600 classes.  The Superbike class is what you've likely heard of.  It's pretty much dominated by Suzuki.  Mladin and Spies (who just went to WSBK) are the ones you may have heard about.  There is a big debate about what is going to happen to AMA this year, as the series was bought out by the guys who run NASCAR.  Big changes are afoot and some of the factories may not participate in 2009.  Who knows.


You *really* should rent or buy a DVD called "Faster".  It's from 2003, but it's an awesome intro in the world of MotoGP racing.

[DrNo08]

MotoGP-- purely prototype machines.  Not production machines.  Stoner, Rossi, Hayden, Pedrosa, Edwards, etc.  They race all around the world in 16 different rounds.  There are three classes.

125cc -- 125cc 2 strokes.  Unless you follow MotoGP, you won't follow this class.
250cc -- 250cc 2 strokes.  Unless you follow MotoGP, you won't follow this.  The class is due to change into 600cc 4 strokes at some point -- this year or next.  
MotoGP--This is the one you've heard of.  It is 800cc 4 stroke bikes.  Pure prototypes.  Two years ago, the bikes were 1000cc.  The predecessor to this class is the 500cc two stroke class.   Rossi won championships on 500cc, MotoGP (1000cc) and MotoGP (800cc).  
WSBK-- World Superbike.  Also World Supersport.  Based on productions machines, like the 1098R.  You cannot use prototype machines in this series.  The factory Duc is called the 1098F08.  Bayliss is the ride you probably know.  They race all around the world.
AMA-- US series.  Based on production machines.  There are 1000 and 600 classes.  The Superbike class is what you've likely heard of.  It's pretty much dominated by Suzuki.  Mladin and Spies (who just went to WSBK) are the ones you may have heard about.  There is a big debate about what is going to happen to AMA this year, as the series was bought out by the guys who run NASCAR.  Big changes are afoot and some of the factories may not participate in 2009.  Who knows.

You *really* should rent or buy a DVD called "Faster".  It's from 2003, but it's an awesome intro in the world of MotoGP racing.

Thanks so much.  All good info.  I will definetely check out the film.

[rockaduc]

1200cc 2 stroke is slower than a 1000cc 4 stroke.  Hmm..    This is where being a gearhead would come in useful.  I just get on it and ride, man. 

Stopintime said 2 cyclinder (in other words, a V-twin), NOT 2 stroke.

The D16RR is a 990cc V4 "detuned" to 200 hp.

The premier class (Stoner, Rossi, et al.) now ride 800cc V4's.

The 250's and 125's (both were 2 stroke)are gone, replaced by 600cc 4 strokes.

Hope that helps.

[Spidey]

will do.  My bad.   Mod, feel free to delete this thread.

No need.  You can move the thread yourself.  Just go to the bottom of the page and find the link to move the thread.  Or you could leave it here in General.  A lot of people may have the same question and might not wander into Racing and Trackdays to get the answer.

[DrNo08]

No need.  You can move the thread yourself.  Just go to the bottom of the page and find the link to move the thread.  Or you could leave it in General.  A lot of people may have the same question and might not wander into Racing and Trackdays to get the answer.

Already have.  You're in "Racing & Trackdays" now.

[rockaduc]

those other posts went up as i was typing my previous reply.  all the info is there.  The racing is amazing in all of the classes.

[Spidey]

Already have.  You're in "Racing & Trackdays" now.

Crap.  Then watch out for derby.    

[stopintime]

This quote is from Ducati.com on the '08 D16. Are they talking about an earlier model? Regarding the 1000/800cc.....

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Bore and stroke measurements are the same as those on the D16GP6 - 1000 cc (86x42.56), as are the characteristic positions of the Ducati desmodromic timing system parts (camshaft rotation axis, rocker arm centre and valve centre distance), valve angle, distance between cylinder centres and pulse timing, which uses the Twin-pulse solution applied on the racing engine.
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[Spidey]

This quote is from Ducati.com on the '08 D16. Are they talking about an earlier model? Regarding the 1000/800cc.....

----------------------------------------
Bore and stroke measurements are the same as those on the D16GP6 - 1000 cc (86x42.56), as are the characteristic positions of the Ducati desmodromic timing system parts (camshaft rotation axis, rocker arm centre and valve centre distance), valve angle, distance between cylinder centres and pulse timing, which uses the Twin-pulse solution applied on the racing engine.
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The '08 D16 is the street version of the '06 (I think) MotoGP bike, back when they allowed 1000cc.  The current MotoGP race bike--also called a Desmosedici (sp?)--is 800cc and a couple of generations more modern than the streetgoing version.

[stopintime]

The '08 D16 is the street version of the '06 (I think) MotoGP bike, back when they allowed 1000cc.  The current MotoGP race bike--also called a Desmosedici (sp?)--is 800cc and a couple of generations more modern than the streetgoing version.

Aha - that would explain it then

Fascinating sport anyway!