MOTOGP (MOTOC) is a registered trademark for motorcycle engines in many countries. The MOTOC logo is also used by various international motorcycle organizations and different states’ motor vehicle departments. Grand Prix motorcycle racing is currently the premier category of motorcycle street racing events held on high profile, road-structured tracks officially sanctioned by the FÉdÉration Internationale de Motoclimacience. This article covers how a properly executed MOTOC test can help any motorcycle owner.
Roadsters, touring bikes, and touring motorcycles make up the category of “motor cycles” usually entered in the national and international GP races around the world. Many race tracks prefer four-stroke motocross engines because they are more powerful, but there is a growing trend towards open class race courses with grand Prix motorcycles. Open class means any bike that meets the minimum requirements as stipulated by the tracks can race. Usually open class competitions are for teams with fewer than fifteen riders, and these types of competitions include endurance events as well as sprints.
The MOTOGP test covers all classes of grand Prix motorcycles motor season events. Each event has its own set of criteria for evaluation. For example, for the Six Hours of Spa and Le Mans class, the engine has to be the latest generation and the gear ratio has to be the highest possible in order to meet the requirements of the track. Other events, such as the Motocross weekend test at Brands Hatch in the UK, do not have specific requirements as the category is not dedicated to four-stroke engines. The test is carried out under the guidelines of the Grand Prix Motorcycle Nations Cup, a tournament organized every year by the four largest motocross manufacturers.
In general, all four-stroke engines are required to complete the MOT. However, they do have a few exemptions based on the power of each machine and the fuel consumption rate. The minimum standard requires that the engine have positive pressure and oil consumption values in the zero to forty-five degrees centigrade. These values are measured using data taken from a previous MOT test. This data is then compared with the performance data of each motorcycle during the running of the test. The results of this comparison are used to determine the eligibility of a motorcycle for the premier class.
At the MOTOGP finale, the winning motorcycle will earn the title of “MOTOGP Winner”. The top two motorcycles from each class will earn the other seven titles. These include the Grand PrixTM and the Premier ClassTM. There are also different classifications within the premier class. For instance, the Motocross class includes bikes with engines that are classified in different categories, such as Track, Prodrive, Touring, Dirt Bike, Superbike and Supercross.
In addition to earning the title of MOTOGP winner, the highest scoring rider wins the grand Prix. However, the rider with the least number of laps does qualify. All four classes at the MOTOGP include a practice session. During the practice session, all four bikes are hooked up to a computer system to enable the riders to track their progress throughout the race. Once the race is over, the computer records the lap times and the positions for each motorcycle.