The MotoGP paddocks worst kept secret is finally out. Triumph Motorcycles has sent out a press release confirming that it will be supplying engines for the Moto2 class of MotoGP racing from 2019 onwards.
The British two-wheeler manufacturer has signed a three-year contract for engine supply with Dorna which runs MotoGP. The 2019 Moto2 motorcycles will be powered by the all-new 765cc triple-cylinder motor which was developed by Triumph last year. The 765cc triple-cylinder engine is the same motor that is powering the 2017 Triumph Street Triple which will be launched this month in the Indian two-wheeler market.
The new motor is based on the Street Triple RS’s motor but has undergone the following changes - modified cylinder head with revised inlet and exhaust ports for optimised gas flow, titanium valves and stiffer valve springs for increased rpm, low output race kit alternator for reduced inertia, revised engine covers to reduce width of engine and revised sump. The engine also features race-spec ECU developed by Magnetti Marelli, taller 1st gear ratio and tuneable slipper clutch. In stock form, the 765cc Triumph Street Triple RS engine delivers 123PS at 11,700rpm and 77Nm at 10,800rpm. We expect the race-spec motor to deliver around 15 to 20 per cent more power. The new 765cc engine will also power the next-generation Triumph Daytona supersports machine and the learnings from the track will be beneficial for Triumph. Also Read - Triumph Street Triple RS Review
The British brand replaces Honda which has been the official supplier since the inception of the Moto2 class in 2010. Apart from the learnings from the race track, Triumph Motorcycles will benefit from the exposure that Moto2 class can endow the brand as it is among the most popular motorcycle sport globally. The major challenge for the British bikemaker is to match Honda’s brilliant reliability of just 5 engine failures in over 1 million kilometres of hardcore racing! We wish Triumph Motorcycles all the best for its new racing venture and can’t wait to see how much of a performance difference the Triumph powered Moto2 bikes bring about in 2019.