After the 500cc premier class transitioned to 990cc four-strokes (MotoGP) in 2002, the World Championship’s intermediate category followed suit in 2010. That shift phased out the 250cc two-stroke machines in favor of 600cc four-stroke, inline-fours (Moto2) exclusively provided by Honda. After a nine-year run, however, MotoGP race organizing body Dorna struck a new deal with Triumph.

Under the three-season agreement, Hinckley supplied Moto2 teams with its 765cc inline-triple until the end of the 2021 season. With only seven races remaining on the calendar, MotoGP just strengthened that relationship with Triumph by extending the contract through the 2024 season.

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Featuring the highly-lauded liquid-cooled, DOHC, 765cc triple found in the firm’s Street Triple RS, the Moto2 teams have enjoyed an unprecedented power advantage (over previous years). In race form, the wundermill boasts a high-flow intake, track-only exhaust, and higher rev ceiling. Those revisions yield 138 horsepower, a 17-percent power gain over the production powerplant. Future MotoGP stars haven’t been reluctant to take advantage of that extra power either.

During the Triumph triple era, Moto2 achieved its first-ever 180 mph-plus top speed with a 187-mph run recorded at Phillip Island. Throughout those three years, competition has been stiffer than ever, with 14 different race winners and new lap records set at 34 events.

”Moto2 has been the perfect environment to showcase, and prove the reliability and performance advantages of, our triple engines, where we have seen the top 20 qualifying times consistently come within a second of each other,” stated Triumph CPO Steve Sargent. “Not only has it raised our profile and credibility on the world stage, for me the success of Moto2 has also been an incredible catalyst, reigniting the passion for racing within Triumph motorcycles.

Last year, Moto2 produced MotoGP rookies like Brad Binder and Alex Marquez finding success in 2020. Jorge Martin is raising the rookie stakes in 2021 though, with a pair of podiums and a win already to his credit. With Red Bull KTM duo Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez entering the premier class in 2022, we can’t wait to see how the pair fairs in MotoGP after dominant Moto2 performances.

If the Triumph/Moto2 partnership continues producing MotoGP-ready talent, we can’t wait to see what happens in the next three seasons.

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