Maverick Vinales - Avintia Racing Moto3
Honda had the quickest bike, while KTM had three of the five top positions following the completion of Moto3 (250cc four-stroke) pre-season testing at Jerez. The teams will next ride during the opening round in Qatar on April 8.
Danny Kent - Red Bull KTM Moto3
Recognized by Kevin Schwantz as one of the young riders to watch, Maverick Vinales took his Avintia Racing Honda to the top of the timesheets, recording a lap time nearly identical to the 125cc record at the circuit. Indeed, the new 250cc four-strokes appear ready to break lap records for the entry level GP class at several circuits this year.
The racing will be great. I loved watching two stroke races but I really enjoy watching the Moto2 series as much if not more. The bikes are close enough that you never know what is going to happen. It still takes rider and chassis to win so there are still variables in place to make it interesting. I test rode a CBR250R and it is a hoot to ride. I also owned a Suzuki TU250 and that was fun as well once I went up 1 tooth on the front sprocket.
I think the object of setting the displacement at 250 and the same 81mm bore maximum as the MotoGP bikes was to allow the factory teams to use the combustion chambers, valve gear and pistons designed for the big bikes thus saving development costs. 450s would certainly be faster but not as high revving as the 250s. Don’t forget that 250s are big bikes in a lot of the huge emerging markets. At least the Moto3 bike are looking like they will not be slower than the 125s which provided some of the best racing over the years, especially when there were several factories involved. I can’t wait to hear 30 or more of these bikes come of the starting grid together and head for turn one.
As a thumper fan Guy, I agree with you!! You are right about the development – I had forgot that. I’d have a road one of these no worries for a bit of scratching, and keep the Guzzi for touring and riding to work.
450 is probably too big an engine for the class. These are literally bikes for kids to ride. Not that a 450 in a frame that an average adult could ride wouldn’t be fun but that’s already available in the form of 450moto (modified motocrossers) which is economical and available but hasn’t really gotten off the ground.
They’re lapping at similar times to the 125’s they’re replacing so the speed is good from the get-go.
I think that comment about them being for kids to ride is quite telling Dave. It’s a bit sad how the 125s and now the 250s Moto3 are jusr feeder classes for the 600s and they in turn are just feeders for the MotoGP bikes. There were great riders of 50, 125, 250 and 350cc bikes in the past who were of all ages and were not looked down upon by knowledgeable fans of bike racing. In fact many of them were truly great racers.
Now its for kids…..
I for one am looking forward to the racing and seeing the equipment develop. But here in the US 250’s aren’t considered road bike size by many and 125 two-strokes hold something for fans of them. As mentioned, a 450 size would make it “real” here while providing an entry level for riders to develop.
the dumbing down of the Grand Prix classes is necessary to keep the series financially viable,so they say. But please don’t pretend these bikes are anywhere close to the level of the true prototypes they replace
I like them, but I also liked the 125s. 450s would have been better.
I,for one, will miss the smoke,the scream and the scent.
Make that 2. Think they’d run with 250 2 strokes?
I doubt it.
They’re meant to take the place of the 125cc two-strokes – look at the skinny tires and rims.
Since a four-stroke takes two crankshaft revolutions to move a gulp of fuel and air through the engine, you need either more displacement or a lot more RPM for a four-stroke to compete on power with a two-stroke.
That’s why when a new four-stroke class in made to take the place of a two-stroke class, the bikes have bigger engines.
I’d imagine one of the two-stroke twins of a few years ago would murder one of these bikes on lap times.
The top 450cc MX factory bikes cam make over 70hp, stock bikes are 50-55hp. Far more than the 205 2-strokes used to be. I’d be interested to see how the 250cc 4-stroke holds up against 250 2-strokes.
Again with the arabic (or something non-english alphabet) in the captcha window..
The Moto3 (250cc 4-stroke single cyl.) bikes currently at Jerez seem to be as fast as the 125cc 2-strokes they’re replacing.
The Moto2 “spec” 600cc Honda 4 cyl. engines (replacing 250cc 2-stroke engines) make around 140 HP.
The TZ and RS250 2T twins you could buy over the counter made 70hp with 1/2 the weight of the current 4T single. A factory engine even more.
Where did you get those hp numbers? I haven’t seen any facts about factory 450s, but test rides don’t really support the massive hp gains over stock. Usually they claim better power, not lots more of it (it could be easily had, of course, if required).
As far as the Moto3 bikes, German magazine Motorrad had dyno curves for the Honda and last years Aprilia 125 (forgot what version) and the Aprilia made several hp more at peak.