There are sights and sounds that stick with you no matter how old you get, how far you travel, or how bad your memory becomes. Where'd I leave my keys again?
One of those memories for me is my time with Yamaha's MT-10, specifically, the sound that its 1,000cc crossplane motor made when my wrist twisted until it could twist no more.
It is a glorious noise, one that sounds like a cross (no pun intended) between a NASCAR V8 and some elk bellowing during the rut. The noise is guttural, tingly, and will set the hairs on the back of your neck at full mast. Yamaha made something special with that engine, and it's the same for the R1, as well as the brand's MotoGP entry.
But the latter might be changing as, while there's just nothing like it on the grid, a recent rumor has stated the crossplane's demise is imminent. Say it ain't so, Yamaha!
Now, MotoGP is a crucible. If your metallurgy isn't right, your end product will crumble, crack, and you'll be up a creek without a paddle. The last part of that analogy doesn't work, but I digress. What I mean to say, however, is that if you're not winning in MotoGP, you're out millions of dollars and your name is consistently being dragged through the press for failing to score points.
Right now, the leaders of the series are those who've adopted a V4 platform and design, i.e. Ducati, KTM/GasGas, and Aprilia. Yamaha's Fabio Quatararo, unfortunately, is sitting in 14th place in the rider's championship, with his co-rider Alex Rins in 20th out of 27 riders. That's...just not good enough.
This is why there's a rumor that Yamaha is almost done with its own V4 platform.
According to our sister site, Autosport, "Yamaha's development of a new V4 engine for its MotoGP bike is in an advanced state," adding, "Yamaha has not publicly acknowledged that it is working on a change to its engine concept, which currently consists of an inline four-cylinder unit." Likewise, the man responsible for Aprilia's V4 reliability was hired by Yamaha two years ago—Luca Marmorini—who's now supposedly working on the brand's MotoGP V4.
What's odd, however, is that Autosport states that Yamaha wants to put a V4 engine onto the grid before the 2026 850cc rule change. Yes, the brand needs a win or two or seven, but why spend all that research and development cash so close to a rule change? That is unless Yamaha is planning something bigger?
Now here's where I'll get all tin-foil hat on you, but the reason I'd personally spend countless millions on a new engine platform for a race series that's about to change rules and regulations is if I could also amortize the cost of a production engine, too. We're all aware that Yamaha has been not-so-quietly discontinuing the R1 in select markets, making it track-only in others, and putting more emphasis on its 900cc bikes.
So what if the V4 Yamaha is developing could be the R1 engine's replacement? Something that could potentially meet Euro 5+ emissions restrictions and regulations? It'd be a great marketing tool, both in terms of getting the MotoGP team back on track, as well as getting the R1 and MT-10 back in the good graces of emissions departments around the world. At least, that's how I'd make the case to the number crunchers over at corporate.
As for what will happen, it's anyone's guess. However, I'll say this. Despite a V4 configuration sounding pretty sweet—I've ridden almost all the Ducati V4 platforms—the Yamaha crossplane will forever be etched in my memory. And I for one will be sad when it goes the way of the dodo.
