MotoGP top speeds over the years.

[TheBear]

Speeds in km/h, all attained on Mugello.

1999:  Biaggi, Yamaha, 500cc:  318.6
2000:  McCoy, Yamaha, 500cc: 317.8
2001:  Rossi, Honda, 500cc: 315.6
2002:  Ukawa, Honda, 990cc: 324.5
2003:  Capirossi, Ducati, 990cc: 332.4
2004:  Barros, Honda, 990cc:  343.0
2005:  Checa, Ducati, 990cc: 340.5
2006:  Stoner, Honda, 990cc: 334.0
2007:  Stoner, Ducati, 800cc:  323.3
2008:  Melandri, Ducati, 800cc: 330.8
2009:  Pedrosa, Honda, 800cc:  349.3
2010:  Barbera, Ducati, 800cc: 345.7
2011:  Barbera, Ducati, 800cc: 335.7
2012:  Rossi, Ducati, 1000cc:  346.9
2013:  Iannone, Ducati, 1000cc, 344.6
2014:  Iannone, Ducati, 1000cc: 349.6
2015:  Iannone, Ducati, 1000cc:  350.8
2016:  Iannone, Ducati, 1000cc:  354.9
2017:  Pirro, Ducati, 1000cc:  354.7

[sidetrack]

Slow 2-strokes pffft

[Epilot]

Very interesting, any chance of posting the lap times.

[2StrokeDan]

Slow 2-strokes pffft

  Well, considering that the 2strokes is exactly half the capacity, the 4strokes actually look decidedly lame.

[Sheepman]

Slow 2-strokes pffft

  Well, considering that the 2strokes is exactly half the capacity, the 4strokes actually look decidedly lame.

Agree  Smokers were hot 

[OomD]

Slow 2-strokes pffft

  Well, considering that the 2strokes is exactly half the capacity, the 4strokes actually look decidedly lame.

Hmmm, given a two stroke of half the capacity, but twice the combustion cycles, evens it out doesn't it?

[Kamanya]

What’s just about as impressive is that Rossi is on that list 11 years apart!

[Sheepman]

Slow 2-strokes pffft

  Well, considering that the 2strokes is exactly half the capacity, the 4strokes actually look decidedly lame.

Hmmm, given a two stroke of half the capacity, but twice the combustion cycles, evens it out doesn't it?

Not really - the double combustion doesnt relate to double the hp

[Rough Rider]

Interesting how fast the 800's were.

[TheBear]

Very interesting, any chance of posting the lap times.

I could try and find that, but which lap times do we use?  Pole qualifying lap could work.

I did read an article on this a while back and those 500cc smokers were surprisingly slow on laptimes compared to the modern bikes.  They didn't have the brakes, suspensions and tyres.

POLE TIMES:

1999, Harada, Aprilia, 500cc: 1’52.454
2000, Barros, Honda, 500c: 1’52.811
2001, Rossi, Honda, 500cc: 1’52.554
2002, Rossi, Honda, 990cc: 1’51.258
2003, Rossi, Honda, 990cc: 1’51.927
2004, Gibernau, Honda, 990cc: 1’49.920
2005, Rossi, Yamaha, 990cc: 1’49.223
2006, Gibernau, Ducati, 990cc: 1’48.969
2007, Stoner, Ducati, 800cc: 2’00.359
2008, Rossi, Yamaha, 800cc: 1’48.130
2009, Lorenzo, Yamaha, 800cc: 1’48.987
2010, Pedrosa, Honda, 800cc: 1’48.829
2011, Stoner, Honda, 800cc: 1’48.034
2012, Pedrosa, Honda, 800cc: 1’47.284
2013, Pedrosa, Honda, 1000cc: 1’47.157
2014, Marquez, Honda, 1000cc: 1’47.270
2015, Iannone, Ducati, 1000cc: 1’46.489
2016, Rossi, Yamaha, 1000cc: 1’46.504
2017, Vinales, Yamaha, 1000cc: 1’46.575

[TheBear]

Some more interesting comparisons still from Mugello:

1999 500cc pole time: Harada, Aprilia: 1'52.454
2014 Moto2 pole time:  Rabat, Kalex: 1'52.718
2017 Moto 2 pole time:  Morbidelli, Kalex: 1'51.679

[sidetrack]

Very interesting, any chance of posting the lap times.

I could try and find that, but which lap times do we use?  Pole qualifying lap could work.

I did read an article on this a while back and those 500cc smokers were surprisingly slow on laptimes compared to the modern bikes.  They didn't have the brakes, suspensions and tyres.

POLE TIMES:

1999, Harada, Aprilia, 500cc: 1’52.454
2000, Barros, Honda, 500c: 1’52.811
2001, Rossi, Honda, 500cc: 1’52.554
2002, Rossi, Honda, 990cc: 1’51.258
2003, Rossi, Honda, 990cc: 1’51.927
2004, Gibernau, Honda, 990cc: 1’49.920
2005, Rossi, Yamaha, 990cc: 1’49.223
2006, Gibernau, Ducati, 990cc: 1’48.969
2007, Stoner, Ducati, 800cc: 2’00.359
2008, Rossi, Yamaha, 800cc: 1’48.130
2009, Lorenzo, Yamaha, 800cc: 1’48.987
2010, Pedrosa, Honda, 800cc: 1’48.829
2011, Stoner, Honda, 800cc: 1’48.034
2012, Pedrosa, Honda, 800cc: 1’47.284
2013, Pedrosa, Honda, 1000cc: 1’47.157
2014, Marquez, Honda, 1000cc: 1’47.270
2015, Iannone, Ducati, 1000cc: 1’46.489
2016, Rossi, Yamaha, 1000cc: 1’46.504
2017, Vinales, Yamaha, 1000cc: 1’46.575

Slow 2-strokes pffft

[sidetrack]

You can even translate this to MX and SX, the 4T's left the 2T's for dead.

[sidetrack]

Slow 2-strokes pffft

  Well, considering that the 2strokes is exactly half the capacity, the 4strokes actually look decidedly lame.

The topic says quite clearly MotoGP top speeds over the years, the capacity etc. is irrelevant.

[jaybiker]

A possibly interesting or possibly irrelevant comparison.

In the 1970's there was a 750cc World championship class. Not sure of the exact year, but more than 40 years ago anyway, Kenny Roberts was dismayed at having been timed in excess of 204 miles per hour, that's 326kmh. on the Yamaha TZ750.

He advocated that the class be dropped, and that the maximum capacity limit be reduced to 350cc. Maybe with good reason considering the chassis, suspension and tyre technology at the time, and the complete absence of any of today's electronic safeguards.

[TheBear]

A possibly interesting or possibly irrelevant comparison.

In the 1970's there was a 750cc World championship class. Not sure of the exact year, but more than 40 years ago anyway, Kenny Roberts was dismayed at having been timed in excess of 204 miles per hour, that's 326kmh. on the Yamaha TZ750.

He advocated that the class be dropped, and that the maximum capacity limit be reduced to 350cc. Maybe with good reason considering the chassis, suspension and tyre technology at the time, and the complete absence of any of today's electronic safeguards.

Good memory old man.  It was the Formula 750 Class.  Initially an Amercan thing, but grew to world championship status in around 1977.
At one point thoughts were that it would overtake the 500cc Grand Prix class as the premier racing event.  A few things led to the death of the class.  The total domination of the Yamaha TZ750 and possibly the growth of the Superbike production class and possibly riders advocating against the 750's.  The FIM stopped the series just around 1980, or so.   .

[sidetrack]

A possibly interesting or possibly irrelevant comparison.

In the 1970's there was a 750cc World championship class. Not sure of the exact year, but more than 40 years ago anyway, Kenny Roberts was dismayed at having been timed in excess of 204 miles per hour, that's 326kmh. on the Yamaha TZ750.

He advocated that the class be dropped, and that the maximum capacity limit be reduced to 350cc. Maybe with good reason considering the chassis, suspension and tyre technology at the time, and the complete absence of any of today's electronic safeguards.

With a claimed 100 - 120 HP and 1970's aerodynamics that is impressive

Nice TZ history
http://big-diesel.blogspot.co.za/2009/04/tz750-yzr500-track-monsters-from-yamaha.html

[Sheepman]

You can even translate this to MX and SX, the 4T's left the 2T's for dead.

There is a thread on moto 101 on this topic - where johnny says his 4t is faster than pieties 2t  -  total nonsensical. 

[sidetrack]

You can even translate this to MX and SX, the 4T's left the 2T's for dead.

There is a thread on moto 101 on this topic - where johnny says his 4t is faster than pieties 2t  -  total nonsensical.

Another die hard 2T fan, just having a bit of fun  I had plenty of 2T race replicas and enjoyed them for what they were.

[Sheepman]

You can even translate this to MX and SX, the 4T's left the 2T's for dead.

There is a thread on moto 101 on this topic - where johnny says his 4t is faster than pieties 2t  -  total nonsensical.

Another die hard 2T fan, just having a bit of fun  I had plenty of 2T race replicas and enjoyed them for what they were.

No not at all  modern 4ts are very good..... in the right hands.