It appears that the 125cc World Championship class will continue with two-stroke motors until the end of the 2011 season. In Qatar, Carmelo Ezpeleta said that after this season and into the next, there will be discussions on the matter. It is expected that in 2012 the 125cc category will change to a four-stroke engine category with technology that is derived from dirt bikes. Most top-level motocross bikes have moved to a four-stroke 450cc motor that is much more eco-friendly than their two-stroke counterparts and are quickly becoming the normal in dirt bike races around the world. The other probable scenario floating around the paddock for the future of the class would be a prototype 250cc four-stroke machine. Either way, grand prix motorcycle racing fans are more than likely only going to have two more seasons with a two-stroke class.

It is almost a guarantee that the future rules of the 125cc class will not be decided until Dorna has a chance to evaluate the new four-stroke 600cc Moto2 class. If the category has a successful and competitive season than it is quite possible that the 125cc replacement class could have many of the Moto2 style rules implemented in their series and would become known as Moto3. More than likely, this would mean a standard four-stroke 250cc or 450cc motor with standard electronics and tires, but prototype chassis’, swingarms and other bits. One problem this might bring is if there are numerous factories who would want involvement such as KTM, Honda, Aprilia, and Yamaha; it would be highly unlikely that they would join a series in which they could not use their own engine design. It is for this reason that Aprilia withdrew from Moto2, the stock Honda motor inside an Aprilia chassis just did not make sense to the Piaggio Group bosses.

While the lack of development done on the factory Aprilia’s and Derbi’s since last year might be down to economic factors and a lack of competition within the class from outside of the Piaggio Group, it could also be the fact that there is little point for factories to invest large sums of money in two-stroke technology. It is for this reason exactly that Honda and Yamaha no longer have anything remotely related to a factory effort in the class, with the former having only one rider this year with Marcel Schrotter and the latter having not a single machine on the grid. As most of the developed world continues to implement stricter emission laws, it makes selling two-stroke motorbikes more and more difficult. Here in the United States, potential motorcycle customers will be very hard pressed to even find a two-stroke for sale in the shops. Aprilia do sell their fantastic RS 125cc bike in the States, but only for the track as it is not street legal due to emission regulations.

For all the enthusiast out there, enjoy the two-strokes while you can, because if the rest of the 2010 125cc World Championship is as exciting as the opening race in Qatar, then we are in for a fabulous season in what could be the second to last two-stroke title ever taken on the world stage.

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