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| | | | MotoGP : What is hidden behind fairings |  Written: 27/03/2007 : 16:37. Read 16736 times (14/day). | The engines in MotoGP are free for conception, not like in F1 where the rules forces the manufacturers to build V8. In MotoGP, only the displacement, the weight and the capacity of the fuel tank are regulated.
So for those who swap an episode or who did not know anything about what makes our favourite bikes move, here is a little rundown about the engines in MotoGP.
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First I will describe the differents choices in terms of engine's architecture and technical solutions that we know. Then I will explain to you what we need to know about these specs.
We start with Honda, after the V-5, the factory has decided to build a V-4 to match with the new reglementation, in « résumé » they have just cut one cylinder to the V-5. The engine of the new RC212V is a V-4 conventionnal, the firing order of the cylinder is called « screamer » and the valve recall system is by springs. The angle of the V is unknown.
In the Suzuki Team the engineers made also a V-4 screamer, but the valves recall system is like in F1, pneumatic. The angle of the V is also secret.
In the Ducati team the engine is a V-4 screamer (it was Twin Pulse last season, two cylinders at a time), the valve system is the same as the road bikes of the factory, Desmodromic. The Angle of the V is 90° and it is L mounted in the frame, a Ducati's engine.
The other two manufacturers made also a four cylinders but it is in line.
Yamaha use a firing order of the cylinders called « Low Bang » and a valves recall systeme by springs.
Kawasaki use also a Low Bang engine, their engine is almost the same as the Yamaha except that they use the Pneumatic Valves system.
So, the presentation is over, now let's do the explanations. Do not expect a big dissection of the engines because the manufacturers are very stingy about the specifications of their engines.
But for those who began to be desperate by seeing words like « screamer » or « Low Bang », here is what that means.
A « Low Bang » engine is the name of a multi-cylinders engine where the firing order of the cylinders are, like for the M1's engine, set at 90°, with two consecutive blasts an interval of 90°, then a free rotation of 270°, then two consecutive blasts with an interval of 90°, etc...
We talk about Low Bang, because the blasts are very close, but not simultaneous. This technical choice used by Yamaha and Kawasaki has an advantage, the power is coming more smoothly, so the rear tyre can work better and then give good traction. But the ad thing about this engine is that it has a little less power than the screamer.
So what is a Screamer? The screamer engine was developed by Honda for the NSR 500cc. It was a V-4, two strokes.
The firing order was two blasts every 180°, cylinders 1 and 2, then 180° later, cylinders 3 and 4. It was called « screamer ».
This is the same for 4 strokes, and the particularity of this engine is his great power in comparison with the Low Bang but it is more Brutal, so the rear tyre is more solicited.
Valves Systems
We start with the more traditional of all, used by Yamaha and Honda, it is the recall system by springs.
The valve is pushed by a cam, to open the flow of fuel and air mix, then a spring closes the valve. It is simple, but the steel springs system has some disadvantages like the fact that at very high Rpm the spring could not work properly, and break. The manufacturers found some good solutions to push this phenomenon on higher level with double springs, but it is not solve. The big advantage is that this technical soution is very simple, and reliable for the moment.
In the Ducati Team, the valves are recalled by the Desmodromic system. Well known by the aficionados of the manufacturer this system is spring-less.
The Valve is pushed by a rocker switch (Yamaha uses also this system, but only for the aperture of the valve) and closed also by another rocker switch, the two pieces commanded by a cam.
This système is known for its great reliability and his ability to run at high Rpm in safety.
And to finish, Kawasaki and Suzuki, have chose the pneumatic system.
Well known by the F1 addicts, this system was developped by engineer Bourdy for the Renault F1 team at the beginning of the 80's. It has been used for the first time in the Renault V-6 engine of the Lotus of Ayrton Senna in 1986. And we have waited 20 years before seeing it in MotoGP.
This system replaces the spring by an air « pillow ».
The cam pushes the valve and compress the air, so to close the valve, this system uses the resiliency of the air « pillow ».
It has major advantages, first it is very reliable, more than the springs, and most of all it permits a bigger aperture of the valve, so contributing to a better filling up of the firing room. But it has also a big disadvantage, this system is very greedy for fuel.
So for a Formula one car it is not very important but in MotoGP the fuel tanks are limited to 21 liters.
So this big issue forces manufacturers like Honda and Yamaha to leave this system in developpment at their factories in Japan. They prefer to work on it and find some good solutions before uses it in race.
So, as you can see the technical choices are numerous, but the result in race shows that everyone is able to be enough competitive to fight with each other.
This is very good for the show and for mechanical addicts. Just hope that the DORNA will not make a rule to make uniform the engines, it will be awful for the championship....
This little article was made for those who have no idea of what is hidden behind the fairings of the most powerful and efficient bikes in the world.
Words : Aurélien Filippi
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