The advanced electronics systems used in MotoGP™ bikes play an important role in producing the elite performance and speeds witnessed in the most exciting sport on earth, whilst also helping to keep MotoGP riders safe on track.
Some of the main MotoGP electronics components and features of bikes used in Grand Prix racing include the ECU (Electronic Control Unit), the Inertial Measurement Unit, multiple data sensors, traction control, wheelie control, launch control, engine braking, power maps and other rider aids.
The electronics of MotoGP motorcycles are highly sophisticated, and have helped increase top speeds in the World Championship to over 365km/h. But they don’t just make the bikes faster, they make them more stable, deliver incredible braking power, make them remarkably nimble and help to produce the cutting-edge performance needed to achieve Grand Prix victories.
The manufacturers and their teams in MotoGP spend millions each year to make their bikes and electronics systems the best they can be. So how exactly do MotoGP electronics systems work? How do the teams use huge streams of data to make the bikes so good?
Well, that’s exactly what this in-depth guide to MotoGP electronics will explain in straight-forward terms.
The ECU – the brain of a MotoGP bike
The ECU (engine control unit) of a MotoGP motorcycle can be thought of like the brain of the bike. It’s a small, powerful computer which rapidly processes multiple data points such as throttle position, engine speed (RPM), gear position, front and rear wheel speeds, lean angle, air and oil temperature and traction levels.
The ECU analyses this data thousands of times per second, then applies precise adjustments to maintain optimal performance. The ECU uses many of these specific MotoGP telemetry data sets to tweak fuel delivery, ignition timing, throttle response, engine braking, traction control, wheelie control and launch control settings.
These electronic aids help riders maintain traction and stability, reduce wheel spin and manage power delivery more smoothly.
Before ECUs came into MotoGP in the early 2000s, the teams sought to make a difference only by mechanical prowess and through the riders’ ability to make the difference on the bike. From 2002 onwards, manufacturers increasingly ploughed development budget into making their ECUs ever-more powerful and sophisticated up until 2016, when all MotoGP teams began to use a standardized Magneti Marelli ECU to ensure greater fairness.
Traction Control in MotoGP
Traction control is one of the most important and fundamental electronic features in MotoGP and its purpose is to prevent excessive rear wheel spin.
Data from the front and rear wheel speed sensors, from the throttle position sensor, as well as data on engine RPM and lean angle is compared by the ECU and if the rear wheel is turning faster than the front – indicating probable loss of rear grip - the ECU instantly reduces power delivery.
This can be done by tweaking ignition timing, cutting fuel injection, or closing the throttle butterflies electronically, permitting the rear tyre to regain traction smoothly without abrupt power loss. The traction control system therefore helps MotoGP riders accelerate harder and more safely, especially when exiting corners and/or on slippery surfaces.
Wheelie Control in MotoGP
The job of wheelie control technology in MotoGP is to prevent the front wheel from lifting off the ground during hard accelerations. The ECU monitors wheel speeds, throttle position and the pitch angle of the bike so that when a wheelie is detected, the engine power or torque can be reduced. Riders can go faster and have more stability and control when both wheels are on the ground, so this is another trusted electronics feature of MotoGP bikes.
Launch Control Systems
The Launch Control Systems on a MotoGP bike help the rider to handle the hugely explosive power during a race start. Sensors on the throttle, clutch and wheels feed the ECU, which optimises power delivery to prevent wheelspin and wheelies.
Launch Control adjusts ignition, torque and traction automatically for a smoother launch. Unlike mechanical, rider-operated ‘holeshot devices’ and ‘ride height devices’ which lower the bike’s suspension for better grip, Launch Control is purely electronic.
Engine Braking Management in MotoGP
Engine Braking Management systems in MotoGP are an electronic control of deceleration, which work in conjunction with the brakes on the wheels of the bike, helping to improve corner entry stability. MotoGP riders want to brake as late as possible going into corners - whilst maintaining control and stability – in order to ‘out brake’ their rivals and get to the apex of the corner as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Engine Braking Management systems in MotoGP control how much the engine resists the bike’s motion when the rider closes the throttle during deceleration. By adjusting ignition timing, fuel delivery and throttle butterflies (rotating valves controlling airflow into the engine), the ECU can fine-tune the amount of engine braking applied. This helps maintain rear-wheel stability, reducing skidding or ‘chattering’ through the corner.
MotoGP Data Logging and Telemetry
There are dozens of sensors on MotoGP bikes (over 60 main sensors) measuring multiple data points and feeding data constantly into the ECU. In addition to the IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), which measures lean angle, pitch, yaw, acceleration, and rotation in real time, helping the ECU to interpret the rider and bike’s precise movements and orientation, here are some of the other important sensors on a MotoGP bike:
- Brake pressure sensors: monitor braking force and patterns.
- Suspension travel sensors: measure compression and rebound.
- Engine RPM sensors: for ignition and fuel timing.
- Air pressure and temperature sensors: for multiple purposes including fuel injection, ignition timing and modifying fuel delivery
- Clutch, lever and throttle position sensors: assist in launch and traction control.
In addition to feeding the ECU to make adjustments and electronics updates on the fly during sessions and races, data from the bike’s sensors is used by analysts and engineers to improve the performance of the bike.
All this data – referred to as MotoGP telemetry – such as braking patterns, brake temperatures, fuel usage, GPD data, throttle use, tyre grip, tyre temperature and suspension movement – can be used by the teams to fine-tune setup for performance and rider comfort.
So before and during Grands Prix, the teams’ data analysts, engineers and strategists provide data to the Crew Chief (the main engineer who communicates with the rider), giving them the information they require in order to make decisions.
The data gathered by the sensors and IMU and processed by ECU – as well as the rider’s feeling and sensation on the bike - allows the teams to make informed decisions on configuration of the motorcycle. Adjustments can then be made on tyre selection, suspension settings, chassis and geometry settings, gearing/power delivery settings and other areas of the bike’s set-up.
The job of the team per Grand Prix is to get the best out of the bike and the overall package available to the rider, depending on the characteristics of the circuit, the weather conditions, the specifics of the track surface and the grip levels being experienced.
Meanwhile, engineers at the manufacturer’s headquarters analyze larger datasets gathered by electronic sensors throughout the season, for longer-term development, refining engine maps, aerodynamics and chassis design.
Balancing Rider Skill with Electronics in MotoGP
Balancing rider skill with electronics in MotoGP is crucial to the competition between manufacturers in the World Championship and the battle between the riders to win races and ultimately become the MotoGP World Champion.
While systems like traction control and launch control enhance safety and consistency, there is a balance to be struck between performance and making riding too automated. However, MotoGP enforces strict regulations, such as the standardized ECUs we mentioned earlier which have been in the sport since 2016, to ensure electronics assist rather than dominate.
The riders in MotoGP are the most talented in the world. Their individual performance is the crucial factor which creates the show in MotoGP. It is their race craft, their overtaking skills and their individual ability to manage throttle, braking and body positioning with precision that ultimately decides who comes out on top.
Meanwhile, the manufacturers aim to provide the most competitive bikes, with the teams working to give the rider the most optimised set-up and electronics system configuration at the race track.
So overall the goal of the participating manufacturers in MotoGP is an equilibrium: using technology to refine performance without diminishing the importance of pure rider talent.
The Future of MotoGP Electronics
The future of electronics in MotoGP will be aimed towards greater sustainability, open competition and the safety of riders.
MotoGP’s new rules for 2027 will see engine size reduced from 1000cc to 850cc, bikes will race with 100% sustainable fuel, fuel tank capacity will also reduce, aerodynamics will be reduced and more tightly controlled, whilst all ride-height and holeshot devices will be banned.
This will make the sport safer and give even more importance to the skill of each rider, whilst the World Championship will be more sustainable and even more spectacular. The new MotoGP bikes will be more road relevant and more efficient, with respective developments in electronics from the manufacturers sure to drive performance and racing forwards.