Whether you care to admit it or not, MotoGP has become the halo series of the entire motorcycle world. It’s the thing that hooks kids into riding. It pulls non riders into YouTube rabbit holes. It sells dreams, merch, bikes, and entire brand identities. At this point, it’s a multi-billion dollar industry that shapes everything from showroom tech to rider culture. If you want to see where motorcycles are headed five years from now, you look at MotoGP.
And lately, the bikes have gone completely off the rails in what can only be described as the best possible way.
We’re talking 226-mile-per-hour (365 kilometers per hour) top speeds. Carbon brakes glowing orange. Aero wings that look like they came straight out of Star Wars. Ride height devices squatting bikes like drag racers. Riders dragging their shoulder across the pavement while still accelerating. Onboard footage barely looks real anymore, and that's because these things aren’t motorcycles in the traditional sense. They’re rolling science experiments that push the limits of physics and the human body.
Which is exactly why 2027 is such a big deal for the sport.
You see, next year, MotoGP is sort of hitting the reset button. The 1,000cc engines we’ve had since 2012 are gone. In their place will be smaller 850cc engines. On top of that, aero rules will be tightened, and ride height devices will be banned completely. The official goal is simple: Slow the bikes down, reduce acceleration, and keep top speeds from creeping past today’s already ridiculous numbers.
On paper, it makes sense. Having less power, less downforce, and less mechanical grip all result in lower lap times, and ergo, safer racing. But this is MotoGP. Nothing stays simple for long. And this is the exact insight of one of the most legendary MotoGP racers of all time, Loris Capirossi.
If you’re wondering why his opinion carries weight, it’s because he’s lived through this exact scenario before. Capirossi is a three-time world champion. He raced for Ducati, Yamaha, and Honda back when development was still the Wild West. Today, he sits on the MotoGP Safety Commission, meaning he’s directly involved in rule discussions, crash data reviews, and technical feedback from current riders.
So when he talks, he isn’t guessing. He’s referencing real simulations from manufacturers and real conversations happening behind closed doors.
According to Capirossi, the 2027 bikes are estimated to be about 1.5 to 2.5 seconds slower per lap at first. That slowdown comes from the 850cc engines, reduced aero, and the loss of ride height systems, as we discussed earlier. Acceleration will take the biggest hit. Exiting corners won’t be as violent, and straight line speed should stabilize.
Now, if you've been following MotoGP for some time now, you'd realize that this all seems very familiar. Back in 2007, MotoGP went from 1,000cc to 800cc engines for the exact same reasons. And guess what happened? Sure, the bikes were slower at first. But then engineers got to work, and within a few seasons, those 800cc machines were actually faster than the old 1,000s. That’s what Capirossi means when he says history will repeat itself.
2027 will start slower. Headlines will scream about lap times. Fans will argue. Then brands will work behind closed doors to extract more power and grip out of their machines, exploiting every single loophole imaginable. Eventually, power delivery will improve, chassis will get sharper, and electronics will get smarter. Before we know it, lap records start falling again.
There’s also a tire shakeup coming. MotoGP will switch from Michelin to Pirelli in 2027. That alone changes everything. Setup philosophy, heat management, race strategy, and even rider confidence. All this adds even more variables in an already massive equation.
And here’s where it gets interesting. We’re basically watching a story unfold that doesn’t exist yet. In theory, the bikes will be slower. In practice, they’ll probably claw it all back. It’s like a racing version of Schrödinger’s cat. Both outcomes exist at once. Slower MotoGP and faster MotoGP. We won’t know which one survives until we actually open the box in 2027.
At the end of the day, the real question isn’t lap times. It’s racing quality. Can bikes follow closer? Will we see more overtakes? Fewer scary high-speed crashes? More rider skill and less aero dependence? Frankly, if those boxes get ticked, nobody’s going to care if pole position is two seconds slower.
Source: Speed Week
