The end is here, as Yamaha has killed its legendary inline four-cylinder engine in its MotoGP race bike. After the rest of the MotoGP field forsake their own inline engines for the dominant V4 architecture, Yamaha was the last holdout. But last season, the talk amongst the paddock and online commentary centered around Yamaha's inevitable switch to the V4, too, as the Japanese company was hard at work building a prototype engine.
That day has now come, as during the last gasps of the year, Yamaha has found enough progress in the engine, something to which they hope to be competitive with ahead of the 2027 rule change, to field the motor in next year's race bike. We'll have to wait to see how that all goes.
But companies don't just spend millions of dollars in research and development on singular projects. These corporations expect to see returns on investment. And racing technology has long paved the way to consumer technology, with MotoGP being one of the easiest throughlines from racing to street tech around. So that leads me to the inevitable question of, since Yamaha has given up on its inline four-cylinder for racing, are the brand's street super bikes next on the V4 receiving line?
I think so. And a lot has to do with Europe's both increasing and decreasing emissions targets and EV plans.
"The inline-four has been a cornerstone of Yamaha's racing identity for decades, powering legendary riders such as Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, and Fabio Quartararo," states the company, adding, "Its unique combination of agility and smooth power delivery led to countless successes: including today's race in Valencia, the inline-four has competed in 429 Grands Prix, won 125 races, stood on 350+ podiums, and helped Yamaha claim 8 Riders Titles, 7 Team Titles, 5 Manufacturer Titles and 5 MotoGP Triple Crowns."
But then Yamaha's Takahiro Sumi, General Manager, Motor Sports Development Division, goes on to state, "The inline-four has been at the heart of Yamaha's philosophy for decades. It delivered unforgettable victories and shaped our reputation for precision and control. We are proud of what this engine has achieved and of the riders who made history with it, as they all together have shaped our racing heritage. However, MotoGP is constantly evolving, and we must evolve with it. The V4 represents a new chapter for Yamaha, one that combines our 'Spirit of Challenge' with our racing DNA and the technical solutions required to fight at the top. Our goal remains the same: to give our riders the best possible motorcycle to win and to bring fans all around the world the feeling of 'Kando'."
That last bit is what I find interesting, as Kando means "express[ing] the deep satisfaction and excitement you get when encountering something of exceptional value, quality, and performance." So while fans experiencing kando could be taken as listening to the Yamaha V4 on track or watching the riders win races (hopefully), my take is fans experiencing it through the brand's road offerings, as the R1 and M1 are not only getting a bit old in the tooth, but the aging cross-plane inline four-cylinder is really only good for the US market and nowhere else, as emissions and stringent EV mandates push these motorcycles out to pasture.
The street, however, is where you sell most of your motorcycles. What's the point in having an experiential race bike when you can't sell a street version to the general public? Guess what? There isn't one.
Ducati has already shown the way forward. Not only is the brand's top tier Panigale V4 a direct link to its MotoGP-dominating prowess, but even pumping out all those rampaging Italian horsepowers, with a power bump from last year to boot, it still hits those stricter Euro 5+ emissions targets and can be sold where Yamaha's inline four-cylinder can't. Why wouldn't Yamaha follow the same playbook? I mean, come on.
Honestly, I think we're maybe a couple months away from hearing that there's an all-new Yamaha R1 and M1 in the works. One powered by the brand's new V4 and developed from the race program. If we're not, it'd be a "holy airball" moment for the brand. But we'll have to wait and see. Meanwhile, we'll get more of the new Yamaha V4 next MotoGP season, which I cannot wait for.
