Absolutely correct. They already tried this with the 800 formula, and those bikes were quicker than the 990 bikes in short order. And whether or not these measures save money what they mostly do imo is entrench advantages, which probably leads to the team with an entrenched advantage getting more money from sponsorship etc.
Mercedes who were already better resourced than most got to have an engine power advantage in F1. And recent seasons in MotoGP as you have said previously have been significantly about how Gigi can out-engineer the engineers of other teams. If he is better he is better, I have no trouble with same per se, but he has at least partly done this by Ducati having superior aero, and I am yet to see an argument from anyone as to how aero is good for motogp, or especially how it has any application to motorcycles in general. My technical knowledge is lacking compared to many on here, but I have always thought the desmo valve gear gave them an advantage in a fuel economy formula, a fair one in that case imo given they have it on their road bikes.
Honda and Yamaha are not restricted., for what use that is in the dying 2 years of the current formula, it certainly won’t allow them several years of dominance as it has Ducati, although Yamaha at least are apparently developing a V4.
Michael you are defiantly not wrong in believing that the Desmo valve gear have given them an advantage, but it is not for fuel economy, it is all about torque and developed horse power.
To put it basically, in all the other engines the cam follow opens the valve, and they rely on a spring steel or gas, to close it.
As we go for higher rpm we need a stronger spring to ensure that the exhaust valve spring will close the valve, on valve overlap, before the piston does it with dire results.
There is a limit to how strong a spring we can use, before pulling the end off the valve, so as we go higher in rpm we have to slow the opening and the closing of the valve by using a longer ramps on the cam, this reduces the time that the valve is at full flow reducing maximum torque.
The Desmo has full mechanical control of the valve opening and closing, so it can open and close the valve very fast, hold it open longer to increase the time that it is at full flow, and continue to do it regardless of the rpm, it can maintain full flow of the inlet gas for maximum torque. This is why they produce more power and use a wider torque curve to make the bike easier to ride in wet conditions.
Unfortunately it is also why they are destroying the competitiveness of racing as we knew it. They dominate Moto1 class, WSBK, Super Stock class, now in Motocross with their 450 Desmo engine, and they will do the same in the new 850 class. Don’t know what they can do about it, as you say, they use it their sport road bikes.
There was a time when a good handling Suzuki and Yamaha with Quartararo or Rins could get around them but now the Ducati handles too well, maybe if we get rid of the aero and squats, we could just get back to who can get the most torque through the back tyre to even it out.
P's. I have nothing against Desmos, my last three bikes were Desmos.
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