Safer, Sustainable, And Smaller Capacity MotoGP Bikes From 2027

A major shakeup for the MotoGP paddock has been greenlighted for 2027 as the premiere motorcycling championship will have a new generation of race bikes. A whole host of changes are in store and here’s what the 2027 bikes will have: bye

Smaller 850 cc Engines

With the motorcycles going faster and faster and tracks not being able to handle the ridiculous speeds these machines are setting, the decision to reduce the engine capacity was bound to take place. Hence, the current 1000 cc motors will be reduced to 850 cc, with a bore size not larger than 75 mm (81 mm earlier). Plus, a rider will now only have the luxury to make use of six engines in a season, one less than what is currently allowed.

100% Sustainable Fuels

Even as Moto-e continues to push for electric motorcycle racing, MotoGP will shift to a 100% sustainable fuel from its current 40% status. This means that the 2027 bikes will race on fuels that will have absolutely no fossil fuel origins, and will either be lab-created by components from a carbon capture scheme or via using biomass. Smaller fuel tanks will also come into effect, 20 litres only (2 litres less), thus working towards a more efficient racing engine. Sprint race fuel allocation will be only 11 litres.

Aerodynamic Changes

As difficult it is to digest the looks of the current race bikes, there’s no doubting that aero plays a key role in keeping the rider safe and in control when battling other racers at 300 kmph. So, the technical regulations aren’t seeking to ban these winged contraptions. But rather imposed a couple of dimensional restrictions that will see the width of the bike as well as the front of the fairing be pushed back by 50 mm. And even the aero section behind the rider can only be changed once during the course of the whole season, so as to control the teams’ spendings.

No More Holeshot And Ride-height Devices

Rider skill will once again take precedence as MotoGP will ban the use of the race start holeshot device as well as ride-height control systems. Both of these aids have become quite important in the riders gaining key ground on rivals with Ducati having done the most development in this area. 

Open Data Sharing

All riders will now have access to the GPS data of the entire field. In an effort to level the playing field, this move will show where a rival is gaining key ground or the rider needs to improve. 

Levelled Playing Field

And finally, all of the teams will be put into the Tier-B concessions bracket, which is currently not applicable to any manufacturer in the 2024 season. For context, Ducati would benefit from it as currently it occupies Tier-A, while the likes of KTM, Aprilia, and especially Honda, Yamaha would have a bit of a disadvantage as these manufacturers are currently in Tier-C and Tier-D brackets. Tier-D has the most lenient restrictions in terms of motorcycle development and testing while Tier-A has the strictest restrictions and least scope for testing updated parts. 

The concession standings will be revised by the middle of the season to create better racing. Also, with BMW likely to enter the racing scene, it will make the challenge all the more enticing.

While 2027 is still two and a half racing seasons away, the current championship still favours Ducati with last year’s runner-up Jorge Martin leading the way from the guy who thwarted him to win the title: Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia. The circus heads to Le Mans, France next where a resurgent Marc Marquez and the young sensation Pedro Acosta are likely to give the title rivals a solid fight.