500cc GP Archives

10 GP Bikes That Were “Different”

MotoGP is where manufacturers develop new technologies and ideas.
A few GP bikes were different, resulting from the development.

Why is MotoGP so important, anyhow? MotoGP and its 500cc GP forebear are the apex of prototype motorcycle racing, where manufacturers explored different ideas and technologies to trump their competition. In growing markets, MotoGP is a very important outlet for branding in order to sell more bikes on Monday.

And since MotoGP is the platform where new technologies are tested, some of those will trickle down to consumer bikes sooner or later. In fact, technologies such as ride-by-wire, traction control, fuel injection, suspension, tyres, chassis, bodywork and aerodynamics; right down to lubricants, fuel, coolant, brake fluid, were all derived from lessons learned in MotoGP at one point or another.

Here are ten GP motorcycles that went against the grain and we regarded as being “different,” so as to speak.

1. Honda NR500 (1979)

Honda has always been the purveyor of new ideas in GP racing. They had wanted their return to 500cc GP racing with a bang. As the regulations limited machines to a 500cc ceiling, regardless if two-stroke or four-stroke, other manufacturers had chosen the two-stroke route for higher specific power output. Honda, on the other hand, had always preferred four-strokes.

In order to compete toe-to-toe with the two-stroke beasts, Honda devised the NR500 four-stroke V4 with oval pistons, eight valves per cylinder and two conrods per piston; in order to mimic a V8. The engine revved to a manic 20,000 RPM. It didn’t end there as the frame was a monocoque where the lower fairing panels we actually structural mounts for side radiators.

The bike was over-complex and didn’t do well despite valiant efforts by Freddie Spencer. Honda resorted to the two-stroke format in 1984. The oval piston technology went on to power the NR road bike (click here for our article on the Honda NR).

2. Kawasaki KR500 (1980)

The Ducati Panigale’s frameless technology, called the monocoque, wasn’t the first bike to utilize the technology. The concept had begun years before in 1980 with Kawasaki KR500. The steering head and swingarm pivot structures were welded directly to the aluminium fuel tank which was effectively the bike’s main structure. The idea continued into 1981 before Kawasaki settled on a massive aluminium backbone and conventional fuel tank from 1982.

So, you could probably say that the monocoque idea couldn’t work for GP and MotoGP bikes. A hard lesson learned by Ducati 20-odd years on.

3. Honda NSR500 (1984)

The revered “NSR500” name may have won a great number of races and championships, but it didn’t have an easy start. The first NSR500 in 1984 had its fuel tank mounted under the engine and the exhausts were routed over the top.

Honda wanted the bike to have a lower centre of gravity and that the bike’s handling remained linear as the tank emptied. Factory rider, Freddie Spencer had to wrestle with the bike, although he did win the bike’s second race. He returned to the previous year’s 3-cylinder NS500 for the rest of the 1984 season.

4. Elf-4 (1987)

Fans of 500cc GP in the 80’s would surely remember a black bike with the word “Elf” emblazoned on it, between 1984 to 1988. However, it wasn’t the logo that was most attractive, it was because the bikes had no conventional forks for the front end.

Instead, each of the Elf-Hondas had a hub-centre steering swingarm at the front. The project was born to explore the technology in place of hydraulic forks. The most notable iteration was the 1987 Elf-4 which Ron Haslam rode to fourth place in the championship.

5. Aprilia RSW2 (1994)

The small Noale-based manufacturer, Aprilia, had much success in the 125cc and 250cc two-stroke GPs, it was inevitable that they stepped up to the 500cc GP class in 1994.

Aprilia saw that the qualifying times of 250cc bikes were often faster than those of the 500cc bikes, and the company figured that they could be competitive if they ran a 410cc V-Twin racer, called the RSW2. Being less than 500cc meant that the RSW2 would qualify for a minimum weight of 105kg, compared to 130kg for the 500cc bikes.

It seemed like a great idea, but the RSW2 riders soon found themselves outgunned down the straights by the fierce 500s, before being blocked at corner entries.

Aprilia responded by increasing the capacity to 430cc, then 460cc and finally 498cc but they could never challenge the outright grunt of the four-cylinder 500cc bikes.

6. Aprilia RS Cube (2002)

Having dropped out of 500cc GP after 2000, Aprilia decided to try again in MotoGP with the advent of four-strokes in 2002.

Honda had gone the V5 route with their RC211V in 2002, while the other manufacturers stayed the course on inline-Fours. Aprilia, being the “rebel” jumped in with a 990cc, inline-Triple which was developed by Cosworth.

Cosworth is a tuning house that’s developed some very powerful and famous engines for the car racing fraternity, including Formula One. Hence, The Aprilia’s engine featured technologies derived from the top class of car racing. They included the then new developments for motorcycles such as ride-by-wire throttle, traction control and pneumatic valves.

7. Honda RC211V (2002)

The RC211V four-stroke carried on what the NSR500 two-stroke had done earlier: Winning.

When Honda showed off the V5, no one outside the factory had any idea how or if it would work. Honda has never revealed the secrets of the V5 until this very day, including how they overcame crank balance problems.

Apart from the engine, it was the RC211V which started the “mass centralization” revolution that we see on virtually every sportbike nowadays. The first road bike to claim direct lineage to the RC211V was the Honda CBR1000RR, popularly known as the “Rabbit” in Malaysia. Compare the CBR’s frame and how mass is centralized to the RC211V, and you’ll see the picture.

8. Proton KR5 (2003)

Kenny Roberts’ team held on to the KR3 500cc two-stroke triple for 2002 and scored some astonishing top 10 finishes against the new more powerful 990cc four-strokes. But the dominance of Honda RC211V prompted Roberts to develop his own four-stroke V5 engine for his 2003 bikes called the KR5.

The venture turned out to be a vertical curve and the KR5 didn’t even match the KR3’s results. Roberts turned to a KTM V4 engine to no avail, until they were supplied the real Honda V5 engines in 2006. The KR5 went on to score two podiums, but that was the last year of the 990cc machines, as MotoGP resorted to 800cc machines in 2007.

9. Blata V6 (2005)

When four-stroke GP bikes were made their debut in 2002, the regulations were a little more “lenient” compared to how they are now.

In view of this, the Czech manufacturer, Blata, better known as a mini-moto maker, worked on a V6 MotoGP engine for the WCM team. Unfortunately, the project was beset with difficulties and numerous delays. The project was deep-sixed eventually, forcing WCM to compete on old Yamaha-derived 1000cc inline-Four engines.

2005 was also WCM’s last season in the championship.

10. Ducati Desmosedici GP17 (2017)

Casey Stoner may have won the 2007 MotoGP championship on the GP7, but it was the GP17 which truly turned the Italian manufacturer’s fortune around after a decade-long drought.

Ducati had developed “winglets” for the 2016 Desmosedici GP16 to combat front wheel lift (the wheelie) when exiting corners. A “wheelieing” bike loses forward momentum causing the bike’s traction control to cut power, especially at corner exits. But the idea hit a brick wall when other manufacturers protested.

So, Ducati went back to the drawing board and created the “aero body” for the GP17. Andrea Dovizioso guided the GP17 to six race wins and was the title contender right down to the last race of the season.

Brief History of the 500cc Two-Stroke GP Bikes

Many GP fans still reminisce about 500cc two-stroke GP bikes.
That era is still considered the golden age of GP racing.
It was during the time when many riders fought for the title instead of just one or two.

Many motorcycle GP fans are still calling for the return of the 500cc two-stroke GP bikes.

The reasons are simple: These bikes didn’t have rider electronics, and most of all, they were scary and unpredictable. The latter reason caused spectacular high sides and crashes. But they also caused many injuries.

The two-strokes had wafer thin powerbands and required as much finesse as skill to ride. get it wrong and the bike will either high side the rider into hyperspace or seize – so choose your poison.

It was the work of one Walter Kaaden who laid the foundations for competitive two-strokes. Through the development of using the rotary disc valve and expansion chamber exhaust, he would arrive at 200 hp/litre engine in the 1961 MZ Motorrad GP racer. That bike won 13 GPs and 105 podiums between 1955 and 1976.

Four-strokes had dominated the 500cc class up to the early 70s, but it was Barry Sheene who first turned the category into a two-stroke war.

Sheene had first raced on the four-stroke TR500, but it was no match for the three-cylinder two-stroke Kawasakis. The TR500 made only 70 hp and was complex and heavy. The screaming two-strokes made more power and were lighter.

Hence, Suzuki set out to build their own two-stroke but was beaten to the punch by Yamaha. Yamaha produced the OW23 500cc two-stroke racer by drawing on their previous success in 250cc racing and especially the TZ750 beast which they raced in America. Giacomo Agostini took the bike to his last world title in 1975.

Suzuki came up with a new disc valved 500cc racer. The four-cylinders were arranged in a square configuration and the RG500 became known as the “Square Four.” Sheene converted the development into two world championships in 1976 and 1977.

But it was Kenny Roberts Sr. who fought back on the 130hp Yamaha YZR500. The Californian was bred on dirt ovals and introduced rear wheel powerslides besides the kneedown riding technique to the world. He took three back-to-back championships in 1978, 1979 and 1980.

Image credit: motorcycleoftheday.blogspot.com

Suzuki’s Marco Lucchinelli won in 1981 after battling the entire year with Randy Mamola. It was Mamola’s second runner-up finish in two years. Barry Sheene would win one last time in Sweden that year before retiring.

Where’s Honda in all this?

Believe or not, Honda has always been a four-stroke company. The 32-valve four-cylinder oval-pistoned NR500 was the result of this philosophy. Ridden by Freddy Spencer in his first season, it got as high as fifth place in the British Grand Prix before breaking down. in fact, the bike broke down more times than it finished any race.

Honda never likes getting beaten so they acquiesced to building two-strokes beginning 1982. Led by a motocross engineer, the project produced the V3 NS500. It was a novel design since it had one horizontal cylinder with three vertical cylinders. Its design philosophy was to sacrifice outright power for handling. Spencer took the bike to his first world championship in 1983 against Kenny Roberts Sr. on the much more powerful but ill-handling YZR500 (OW70). Spencer beat out Roberts by just 2 points.

Randy Mamola of the USA riding a Honda NS500 during the Transatlantic Challenge Motorcycle meeting at Donington Park on 22nd April 1984. (Photo by Bob Thomas/Getty Images)

Yamaha and Suzuki had gone down the V-four route, by then and Honda debuted the NSR500 V-four in 1984. Defending champion Spencer crashed and injured himself in opening round in South Africa. He would win five races and finish second on another but had bike problems in four races and retired in one. As such, Eddie Lawson won the title on the YZR500 ahead of Randy Mamola (again).

Spencer fought back in 1985 but he also won the 250cc title in the same year. He is still the only rider who ever achieved such feat.

The Honda NSR500 was to be the legend henceforth as it would become the most dominant 500cc two-stroke bike.

From 1986 to 1993, the battle for the 500cc world championship was a three-corner fight among Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha. But it was Honda and Yamaha who scored eight championships between them, with Wayne Rainey winning three-in-a-row on the YZR500 from 1990 to 1992.

Schwantz vs Rainey – Courtesy of drivetribe.com

Wainey battled through those years with his arch rival Kevin Schwantz who rode the RGV500. Schwantz would finally capture the title in 1993. It was the year Rainey crashed and broke his back, paralyzing him from the chest down.

The NSR500 would then keep winning from 1994 to 1998 with Mick Doohan. Doohan suffered greatly at the hands of the NSR500 beast including almost having his right leg amputated. Losing the ability of using his right foot, he began working with a thumb-activated rear brake. Indeed, he crashed and smashed his leg to bits again during practice for the Spanish GP in 1999. He subsequently retired and his crew chief Jeremy Burgess went on to work with Valentino Rossi when he joined Honda in year 2000.

Doohan’s teammate Alex Creville won the 1999 title, with Kenny Roberts Jr. finishing second on the new RGV500. Kenny Roberts Jr. would go on to win the next year.

But that was also the year when Valentino Rossi joined the class. Rossi would win the 2001 and 2002 on the last NSR500. The plucky Italian was surprised by the bike’s power which had reached more than 200 hp by then. A little-known fact was that we won his first 500cc championship on a bike detuned to 168 hp.

2002 was also the first year of the four-stroke 990cc MotoGP bikes. The two-strokes were given an extra year to run alongside the four-strokes. All races were won by the four-strokes while the two-strokes only managed five podiums during the year. The four-stroke bikes also hit higher top speeds all season long.

The four-stroke formula was without criticisms. Despite his dominance, Rossi remarked that there was too much electronic control in the bikes compared to the raw two-strokes. Perhaps he said so due to what he saw as less skilled riders being able to challenge him but that was in the early days. Four-strokes may be more advanced now but they have to be so to contend with 260 to 300 hp engines.

Doohan was right when he said that the era of two-stroke GP racing was at its end after his career-ending crash in 1999. It was after this that Honda began lobbying the FIM and Dorna to switch to four-strokes.

Through the years, the two-stroke 500cc bikes had ended the careers of top riders like Wayne Gardner, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Mick Doohan besides those down the field. It’s perhaps by morbid fascination that we wish that these beasts return.

Ten Fiercest Motorcycle Racing Rivalries (Part 1)

Motorcycle racing has always served up the most colorful characters.
When these characters get in each other’s ways, equally colourful rivalries flare up.
It’s these rivalries, among other things, that make motorcycle racing so interesting to watch.

The recent rivalry altercations between Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez aren’t new, that’s for sure.

**Marc Marquez (93) rubbing Valentino Rossi (46)**

As PR-savvy as they are, professional motorcycle racers are humans too. And being humans, they are just as prone to emotions, or maybe even more so since they have their livelihoods and pride at stake. However, it’s this kind of rivalries that provide the colours for us spectators.

10. Neil Hodgson vs. Aaron Slight, WSB, 1998

You may have heard of both of these names, since they are both now motorcycle racing commentators, especially Aaron Slight in MotoGP nowadays.

Just before the start of the World Superbike race at Brands Hatch in 1998, the New Zealander Aaron Slight told Neil Hodgson to get out of his way since he wanted to challenge Carl Fogarty for the WSB title.

First of all, Hodgson and Slight are not teammates, and secondly, how could Hodgson give way when he’s riding on his own home ground. Neil ignored Slight’s “team orders” and raced the latter hard in the race. Slight got so furious and lashed out at Hodgson during the cool down lap. Both men then dropped their super-exotic race bikes for a boxing match. The track marshals pulled them apart before WSB organizers could organize a new category for boxing.

Wait! Was this the reason Aaron Slight talks so slow now?

9. Loris Capirossi vs. Tetsuya Harada, 250cc GP, 1998

**Capirossi (65) takes out Harada (31) – Courtesy of enoanderson.com**

Aprilia had fielded a 3-man factory team consisting of Loris Capirossi, Tetsuya Harada and newcomer Valentino Rossi. Capirossi had led the standings with a mere four points as they went into the final round at Argentina, but Harada was as determined to win the championship and was leading the race. Capirossi knew he had no real chance of passing the Japanese. If it finished this way, Harada would be crowned champion by just 1 point.

Capirossi knew what he had to do. He lunged inside Harada and took both of them out, and stole the title.

Aprilia was livid and so was Harada, understandably. The factory refused to extend Capirossi a contract for the next year although he was the 250cc champion.

8. Dani Pedrosa vs. Nicky Hayden (RIP), MotoGP, 2006

**Pedrosa knocks out Hayden – Courtesy of MotoGP.com**

The late-Nicky Hayden had been battling with Valentino Rossi throughout the entire 2006 season. The latter had won five races but was sidelined a number of times due to mechanical failures on other times, but was still able to claw his way back from a 51-point deficit to challenge Hayden at the last two rounds.

But even at this stage, Hayden’s teammate Dani Pedrosa was determined to not play the bridesmaid and was willing to go toe-to-toe with the American for a win.

At the penultimate round in Estoril, Portugal, instead of supporting Hayden, both teammates were locked in a fierce battle. Soon, the inevitable happened when Pedrosa stuffed his bike inside Hayden’s, taking them both out. (That brash move even sparked a meme.)

The Honda camp thought Hayden’s chance for a world title was a cooked goose.

However, Rossi crashed at the next and final round in Valencia. He remounted to in 13^th, handing the title to Hayden with a five-point gap, ironically reflecting the five points he lost to Toni Elias, the winner in Portugal.

7. Matt Mladin vs. Ben Spies, AMA Superbikes, 2000 – 2008

**Spies (1) leading Mladin (66) – Courtesy of AMA**

Australian Matt Mladin had dominated the American Superbike Championship but winning the title six years in a row, before a young upstart by the name of Ben Spies came along to show the way. Mladin felt humiliated and resorted to trash talking with statements such as, “He (Spies) still has his mom hanging around wiping his bum,” in the hopes of unravelling Spies.

But Spies took it all in his stride and won three titles in a row, before moving to WSBK to win the title in his rookie season, and then jumping over to MotoGP.

6. Kenny Roberts Sr. vs. Barry Sheene, 500cc GP, 1978 – 1982

**Sheene (7) leading Roberts (1) – Courtesy of otorcycleoftheday.blogspot.com**

Barry Sheene had been the 500cc World GP champion until the arrival of a mad Californian who rides his bike sideways. Kenny Roberts.

Both riders took an immediate dislike of each other. Sheene was asked what he thought about Roberts being a development rider to which he replied, “He couldn’t develop a cold.” Kenny Roberts retorted by saying that the only reason he got out bed every morning was to beat Barry Sheene.

Their rivalry reached its zenith at the 1979 British GP when Sheene flashed Roberts the middle finger after passing the latter. Roberts fought back immediately and started an epic battle before getting the better of Englishman to win the race.

Stay tuned for Part 2 as we count down to the fiercest rivalries in motorcycle racing!

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500cc GP

10 GP Bikes That Were “Different”

MotoGP is where manufacturers develop new technologies and ideas.

A few GP bikes were different, resulting from the development.

1. Honda NR500 (1979)

2. Kawasaki KR500 (1980)

3. Honda NSR500 (1984)

4. Elf-4 (1987)

6. Aprilia RS Cube (2002)

7. Honda RC211V (2002)

8. Proton KR5 (2003)

10. Ducati Desmosedici GP17 (2017)

Brief History of the 500cc Two-Stroke GP Bikes

Many GP fans still reminisce about 500cc two-stroke GP bikes.

That era is still considered the golden age of GP racing.

It was during the time when many riders fought for the title instead of just one or two.

Ten Fiercest Motorcycle Racing Rivalries (Part 1)

Motorcycle racing has always served up the most colorful characters.

When these characters get in each other’s ways, equally colourful rivalries flare up.

It’s these rivalries, among other things, that make motorcycle racing so interesting to watch.

10. Neil Hodgson vs. Aaron Slight, WSB, 1998

9. Loris Capirossi vs. Tetsuya Harada, 250cc GP, 1998

8. Dani Pedrosa vs. Nicky Hayden (RIP), MotoGP, 2006

7. Matt Mladin vs. Ben Spies, AMA Superbikes, 2000 – 2008

6. Kenny Roberts Sr. vs. Barry Sheene, 500cc GP, 1978 – 1982

Sepuluh Jentera GP Yang “Lain Daripada Yang Lain”

10 GP Bikes That Were “Different”

Brief History of the 500cc Two-Stroke GP Bikes

Ten Fiercest Motorcycle Racing Rivalries (Part 1)

Sepuluh Jentera GP Yang “Lain Daripada Yang Lain”

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