It has been decided that the engine displacement of MotoGP machines will be scaled down to 850cc from 2027. HONDA has already revealed that it is developing a new machine, and YAMAHA also seems to be preparing an 850cc engine.
Is this a departure from the traditional in-line 4-cylinder engine?
MotoGP was born in 2002 when the race shifted from the traditional 2-stroke 500cc engine to the 4-stroke. Initially, the engine displacement was limited to 990cc, but in 2007 it was reduced to 800cc, and in 2012 it was expanded to the current 1000cc. Then, in 2027, it will be reduced again to 850cc.
Yamaha has consistently used in-line 4-cylinder engines since introducing the YZR-M1 to the MotoGP class. The reason for this was initially said to be to share the image with commercial motorcycles, and even though the engine type was not particularly advantageous, the team has pursued its potential to the fullest and won titles to date.
The big turning point for the YZR-M1 was when the engine's irregular firing intervals began at the same time as Valentino Rossi was welcomed in 2004. Fans were surprised that the YZR-M1's sound resembled that of a V-type 4-cylinder engine, unlike the in-line 4-cylinder engine with its regular firing intervals that produced a high-pitched exhaust sound.
However, there are also disadvantages to an inline-four engine that also has the characteristics of a V4, and the inclusion of a balancer results in a loss of power. On the other hand, the 90-degree V4 engines used by Honda and Ducati have an advantage in this respect, but Yamaha may finally overcome this with a V4.
The expected time of release is 2027. It is rumored that a new V4 engine will be adopted when the MotoGP regulations change. This makes us hope for the release of a serious Yamaha V4 replica as a higher-end model than the YZF-R9, but is it too early to say?
The YZR-M1 under development, photographed in 2001. It was fitted with a four-stroke in-line four-cylinder engine in the YZR500 frame, and its displacement was said to be smaller than the full-scale 990cc.
The engine of the YZR-M1 from the 2003 season. The case is machined. The flat-valve throttle body is noticeable, but this may be a remnant of the fact that the YZR-M1 originally used a carburetor.
A major change occurred in the YZR-M1 in 2004. It became four-valve and adopted an uneven firing order, a crossplane crank that was later adopted on the YZF-R1 (from 2009).
The 2005 YZR-M1 engine was shorter in length. At the time, it was said to have a four-shaft configuration with a counter-rotating crankshaft. The increased number of shafts also had the disadvantage of consuming power.
With Rossi's addition, the YZR-M1, which adopted an engine with unequal firing intervals, demonstrated overwhelming strength over Honda. 2006 was the last year for the 990cc, but the Honda RC211V evolved into a new generation and allowed the team to overtake Honda.
After winning two consecutive championships on a Honda RC211V, Rossi moved to Yamaha and won two consecutive championships on a YZR-M1, demonstrating his skills as a rider and contributing to strengthening Yamaha's competitiveness.
This is the 997cc V4 engine from China's CFMOTO, which was announced at the 2024 Milan Show. It uses a 90-degree V-shape, which is advantageous for vibration control. Since they have a joint venture with Yamaha in China, I'm curious to know if there is any connection between them.
The legendary Yamaha V4 racer YZR1000 (OW34) is making a comeback after 50 years!?
When you think of Yamaha V-4s, the first thing that comes to mind is the VMAX. The V-Boost engine was a legendary model that shocked the world with its world-leading 145 PS at the time. On the other hand, the racer "YZR1000 (OW34)," which is the opposite of muscle cruisers, is not well known.
The YZR1000, which was exhibited at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1977, was equipped with a 90-degree V-4 engine and advanced fuel injection to produce 135 PS. It was a prototype endurance racer with a top speed of 275 km/h. And the development process, in which what was originally considered to be an in-line 4-cylinder engine was changed to a V4, may be close to the development in 2027.
This V4 engine was given the code name 001, and later evolved into the 001A, a 500cc V-4 7-valve engine to compete with the Honda NR500's oval piston & 8-valve engine. This was then passed on to the 00V and 00M, 750cc in-line 4-cylinder 5-valve engines compatible with TT-F1 races, and was sold commercially as the FZ750 in 1985.
The year 2027, when the MotoGP will be upgraded to 850cc, marks the 50th anniversary of the YZR1000, which can be said to be the ancestor of Yamaha's 4-stroke sports engines. It would be a good time to go back to the roots and pursue the possibilities of internal combustion engines with a new V-type 4-cylinder engine. Please stay tuned for further updates.
YZR1000 (OW34) [YAMAHA] A phantom V4 racer that was exhibited as a concept model at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1977. The upper cowling is somewhat similar to the XSR900GP.
Even before Honda committed itself to V4 engines in the 1980s, Yamaha had been working on developing a water-cooled 90-degree V4 engine, and if it had been put into actual racing, it may have changed the course of history.
The radiator is split left and right, pulling the engine forward. Honda's was split vertically.
Is it a coincidence that the engine's appearance resembles that of the VMAX (1200)? It is equipped with FI and looks quite modern.
The 90-degree V with a 45-degree forward tilt at the front is connected to the FZ750 engine, and the high front load is also the source of Yamaha's handling.
The OW34 resulted in the FZ750 in 1985. Yamaha went from a V4 to an inline-four, while Honda made the VF750F its main model in 1984.