Triumph set to take over Moto2 engine supply in 2018
British bike firm Triumph is set to take an incredible leap forward, when it signs a deal to build the control engine for the Moto2 championship from 2018. The Hinckley firm will take over from Honda and its CBR600RR engine, with an all-new 750cc triple engine – about to be launched next week in the new Street Triple naked roadbike.
News of the deal started doing the rounds at last year’s British MotoGP round. But factory bosses were keen to keep the story quiet until the deal was signed and sealed.
Moto2 was looking into a bit of an abyss in terms of engine development. The 600 supersports class has been in freefall in terms of road bike sales for years, so much so that the CBR600RR can’t even be sold in Europe any more after Honda didn’t bother updating it for Euro4 emissions regs.
Kawasaki’s in the same boat with its 599cc ZX-6R, and Suzuki’s GSX-R has also fallen into a bit of a black hole. Yamaha, however, is launching a new R6 this year, and looks to be set to pretty much take over the Supersport class from now on.
But the Moto2 deal is an incredible success story for Triumph – and a real shock. The firm’s Daytona 675 supersports bike was rumoured to be finished as a road model, as the company moved its focus to retro-styled ‘modern classic’ and adventure styled bikes.