UK based Triumph Motorcycles announced earlier this year that it will be developing the next-generation racing engine for the FIM Moto2 World Championship. Based on the new 765 cc in-line three-cylinder engine from the 2018 Street Triple, Triumph has been putting the race-spec motor through its paces and the manufacturer has now made an announcement on the engine's development. The Moto2TM 2019 season race engine development programme was conducted last week with the second track test at the Ciudad del Motor de Aragon. The factory test programme saw 2009 125 cc World Champion, Moto2TM runner-up and experienced Moto2TM test rider, Julian Simon test the new engine. The manufacturer in a statement described the test session giving "excellent results, with the bike delivering good, consistent and competitive lap times."
Triumph will be replacing Honda as the exclusive supplier for the middleweight racing class positioned right below the premier MotoGP series. Based on the results, the British manufacturer said that it is confident of handing over the first batch of Moto2TM race engines in June 2018. The successful track shakedown test provided Triumph with essential data input into the performance and durability evaluation programme.
Vimal Sumbly, Managing Director for Triumph Motorcycles India, said, "This development programme is crucial to the delivery of an outstanding product. We are happy with the rate of progress and look forward to racing towards our next milestone."
Moto2TM test rider, Julian Simon said, "I am really happy to be here in Aragon testing the development of the 2019 Moto2 engines with Triumph. I can see there has been a big improvement with the latest engine, giving a great feeling. There's a lot of power and the gearing is fantastic, and for the sound, this is also fantastic. To me, it's fun."
Triumph's 765 cc in-line three engine replaces Honda's 600 cc in-line four unit and gets a host of upgrades over the road going version. Modifications include a taller first gear ratio, a modified cylinder head for optimized gas flow, titanium valves and stiffer springs, a tunable slipper clutch, a race specific ECU, a different sump and much more to make it track worthy.
Triumph hasn't revealed the specifications yet, but on the road legal Street Triple S, the in-line three motor develops 121 bhp and 77 Nm of peak torque. Safe to say, the race spec version will see much higher power output. Triumph Motorcycles has a three-year contract with Dorna - the commercial rights holder of MotoGPTM, as the exclusive engine supplier to Moto2TM.
