Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1028780
VOL. 55 ISSUE 37 SEPTEMBER 18, 2018 P83 customizable control ECUs, and three key chassis manufacturers (Kalex, KTM and NTS) ran the Triumph engine for the first time in their prototype 2019 frames, evaluating the 765cc powerplant in near-race conditions. That left the Daytona test mule fitted with Triumph's stock Keihin ECU off the Street Triple 765 surplus to requirements, so what better than to expose it to a group of journalists and ex-racers now working as TV commentators by letting us loose aboard it at Sil- verstone's short 1.08-mile Stowe circuit? Thus, we could sample the fruits of Triumph chief engi- neer Stuart Wood and his R&D team's efforts in producing a mechanical gamechanger for the Moto2 category from next year onwards. RIDING THE FUTURE The Moto2 engine's improve- ment in performance was very quickly apparent during my quarter of an hour spent riding the test bike fitted with a Street Triple RS Keihin ECU, dash and quickshifter—but no autoblip- per yet—and with its ABS and traction control disabled, on the short but just about adequately quick Stowe circuit, where a true fourth gear is the best you'll get. However, that was sufficient to appreciate the tuned-up Tri- umph's inherent qualities—start- ing with the one thing you're aware of first, last and always when riding this bike, especially without earplugs, and that's the TRIUMPH'S RACING PHILOSOPHY Headed by one-time HRC race engineer (and Nicky Hayden's former crew chief) Trevor Morris, ExternPro took over Moto2 engine preparation at the end of the 2012 season, and will be responsible for supplying a new or reconditioned Triumph Moto2 powerplant to each rider. The Honda engines used currently are reconditioned every three GP races with a new crankshaft, pis- tons and rods, then re-allocated via a lottery system. All engines are numbered, with a detailed record available for each, and they're each sealed in four places to en- sure that teams can't make their own internal modifications. ExternPro's contract with Dorna and the FIM allows a three percent variation in peak power of just under 130 bhp for the CBR motors—but the company's attention to detail has helped them reduce that difference to around one percent. That'll be their target with the Triumph engines, too! As the Triumph executive in charge of the project, Chief Prod- uct Manager Steve Sargent (who we will have a separate interview with in a later issue if Cycle News), confirms, this move is an ideal entry into MotoGP racing for Triumph, delivering an important presence at the highest level to the British firm. "I think the big benefit for Triumph is obviously in terms of expo- sure, and also the demonstration of [our] engineering capability," he says. "We'll be getting the Triumph name out there to an audi- ence that might be less familiar with the brand, and our products." Some commentators have stamped this move as a surprise on the grounds that Triumph is supposedly anti-racing—some- what unreasonably, given that it's already competed in the WorldSSP series with world champion (on a Yamaha) and today's WorldSBK star Chaz Davies, who scored four podium finishes on his 675 Daytona en-route to fourth in the championship in 2010. Steve Sargent has been charged with leading the Triumph's development in race guise. continued on page 84