Moto3 - No more 125s

[Shorty_925]

Found the article below on MCN. Wonder if we'll see a 450 class.

Moto3 to replace 125 GP class

The technical revolution in MotoGP will be completed in 2012 when the current 125cc two-strokes are banished in favour of a 250cc four-stroke single-cylinder world championship called Moto3, MCN can reveal.

Discussions have been taking place for several weeks now on plans for the new class, which would end the two-stroke Grand Prix racing era for the first time since the world championship’s inception in 1949.

MCN sources confirmed the new class will not replicate the current 600cc four-stroke Moto2 class and be a controlled Honda engine, even though the Japanese factory patented a reverse single cylinder four-stroke last year, as was revealed in MCN.

MCN understands Honda is already working on a 250cc four-stroke single motor that has been fitted into a race RS125 chassis for initial testing at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Japan.

It’s understood that with minimal development work, the bike was 1.5s faster than a Grand Prix 125GP machine at the venue for the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Moto3 class will be multi-engine with prototype chassis and is designed to provide a cheap alternative to the current 125cc two-stroke format.

There are fears that the 125 class entry could be seriously impacted by the huge popularity of the new Moto2 class.

The 250cc two-stroke replacement series has a bumper entry of 40 bikes, but most 125 teams want to be part of the series because of the increased exposure.

A source said: “Some 125 teams want to be in Moto2 and some Moto2 teams are struggling with the budget to remain in the class. With Moto3 it will help create a healthy entry in both classes.”

The Japanese already have a domestic national series for motocross-based 250cc four-stroke cylinder engines in a road racing chassis.

And there is even a production racer by tuning experts Moriwaki called the MD250H that uses a modified CRF250 engine in an alloy beam chassis.

[Ivan]

it will come and is how I expected it. It will be sad to see 125's go but will be great to see a new class!
Single racing is huge internationally it will be a great series I am a massive 125 fan but the sad thing is there time is over in DORNA's eyes but we have to accept that

I cant wait to see it moto 2 has been a huge sucsess so far

[woodyracer]

it will come and is how I expected it. It will be sad to see 125's go but will be great to see a new class!
Single racing is huge internationally it will be a great series I am a massive 125 fan but the sad thing is there time is over in DORNA's eyes but we have to accept that

I cant wait to see it moto 2 has been a huge sucsess so far

yes!!!, man i cant wait for them to take off!, they msut be bloody powerful 250's to be faster than a 125....

[scott411]

i have no doubt that the gp teams will be very fast 250 fourstrokes, it will be sad to see the 2 strokes go

[Ivan]

yes!!!, man i cant wait for them to take off!, they msut be bloody powerful 250's to be faster than a 125....

Motox engine 250's are being used downfall they are not designed for that application the engines are brilliant but Kawasaki Honda YAMAHA etc never designed them for road racing were as Honda etc will design an engine with possibly a very similar engine design to what they currently use but with a much better gear box better internal gearing designed for it chassis's designed for those motors not frames apapted to suit,

no doubt they will be faster they will be able to get off the bends with alot more drive especially tight hair pins having raced 125's myself I found they were bloody beutiful no bike compare's to them they turn when you want them to turn they brake more than you will expect they are ultra light and bloody fast I never mastered one going overly fast but I can tell you that the riding that bike gave me taught me so much but the down fall was the out of corner drive even with a good corner speed especially the Hair pin at Manfield or even Puke you could not got off the bends as quick as what you can on a four stroke which has alot more torque that's were the 250's are going to prove there way torque rather than top end

[budda]

Believe the Moriwaki uses the Honda CRF250X motor, not the MXer. Ditto the production 450 single in the States, uses Yamaha WR450 donk

[quallman1234]

I would be thinking more about how they are going to maintain the a 250-4 Stroke into such a tight package. Gonna be hard beating 74kg's for a 125.

[Ivan]

Believe the Moriwaki uses the Honda CRF250X motor, not the MXer. Ditto the production 450 single in the States, uses Yamaha WR450 donk

Yes but that is a Moriwaki built bike more to allow for racing in the classes overseas to get it going,

Honda etc will build custom bikes I mean look the original RS was a CR engine

[Ivan]

I would be thinking more about how they are going to maintain the a 250-4 Stroke into such a tight package. Gonna be hard beating 74kg's for a 125.

they will re design everything I bet of course they are going to be heavier but I doubt to much heavier might be 90 kg

[Cleve]

This may well turn out to be true but READER WARNING. It is an MCN scoop article with "MCN cources say..."
A lot of their articles are just crap (we are talking British tabloid types here...)

[Cleve]

This may well turn out to be true but READER WARNING. It is an MCN scoop article with "MCN sources say..."
A lot of their articles are just crap (we are talking British tabloid types here...)

[Shorty_925]

This may well turn out to be true but READER WARNING. It is an MCN scoop article with "MCN sources say..."
A lot of their articles are just crap (we are talking British tabloid types here...)

hahaha too longer than I thought for someone to mention that.