MotoGP. This crazy but awesome sport where riders push their bikes to the absolute limit at breakneck speeds. They represent their teams which are motorcycle manufacturers and themselves. There are regulations and rules which determine how the bikes are to be made, such as- the engine cannot be more than 1000 cc, the fuel capacity cannot be more than 22 liters. These bikes generate about 250 horsepower and can reach speeds up to 350 km/h. They weigh around 157 kg. MotoGP bikes are single-seat bikes that may have no more than six gears with no super or turbocharging. The engines may have an inline-4 or V-4 configuration. MotoGP is an expensive sport that requires the most advanced technology for bikes. The objective is to make the bikes lighter and more aerodynamically efficient. The engine and brakes are also very important in MotoGP. You need a very powerful engine that can reach peak power very quickly and can produce a lot of horsepower and torque and you also need even more powerful brakes with the best sharpness, the best initial bite, the best feedback and the best stopping power. This is because the MotoGP circuits consist of corners, where you have to accelerate and brake very quickly to be the fastest.
However, let us get to the heart of the matter. The exhausts. Now, you might think that exhausts in MotoGP, or in any motorcycle are applied to enhance the sound of the motorcycle. You might be right to a certain extent, but your answer is incomplete. The exhausts in MotoGP serve a more special purpose, as they are specially designed to make the bikes more efficient.
There are many famous brands that make exhausts, like Akrapovic, SC Project, Yoshimura etc. But, the brand that is most used in MotoGP as of now, is Akrapovic. Akrapovic is the only brand that provides exhaust systems to MotoGP. That is not surprising because racing is a huge part of the Akrapovic DNA.
So, the Akrapovic exhaust used in MotoGP is important because it helps in saving weight, and also, it helps in producing more power and torque from the engine. In fact, the exhaust is so important for power delivery in the bike that adjusting the exhaust can help in acceleration as well as braking. The exhaust valves control how much amount of exhaust gas can exit the engine. This helps in controlling how the bike produces its power. In total, as Miha Jeraj, the Head of Project Office, Racing support at Akrapovic says it, the exhaust of a MotoGP bike affects the power curve, the top-end powerand can help to extract all the performance from the engine. We can also achieve better engine response by tuning the exhaust.
The exhaust has to bear temperatures of upto a burning 900 degree Celsius and forces of upto 50 kgs to do its job. So, the exhaust manifold is cast from Akrapovic’s exclusive Titanium alloy. Their job is to remove the extremely hot exhaust gases from the engine. The exhaust valves, which are so important because they help in acceleration, braking and cornering, are cast from a special titanium alloy and are machined on 5-axis CNC machines.
So, well, these were some mindblowing facts about the amazing and technologically advanced exhausts fropm MotoGP. Thank you for reading my blog post! Please subscribe. I have seen many people who read my post and don’t subscribe. Please don’t be one of them.
