Petronas FP1

Infobox Motorcycle
name = Petronas FP1


manufacturer = Petronas
production = January 2003 - July 2003
class = super bike
engine = auto cc-cu in|899.5,liquid cooled, 3 - cylinders in line, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
power = Convert|127.4|hp|kW|1|abbr=on @ 10000 rpm
torque = Auto Nm|92|1 @ 9700 rpm
transmission = 6 speed
suspension = Front: Öhlins upside-down fork, 43mm, Inverted desidn. Multi adjustable: compression, rebound, spring, 110 mm travel
Rear: Monoshock low linkage, Aero Twin Spar Black finish swingarm. öhlins Shock, adjustable compression and rebound damping, preload adjuster. Stroke: 52mm, 120 mm travel
brakes = Front: dual 320 mm floating discs with 4-piston calipers
Rear: single 220 mm disc with 2-piston calipers
tires = Front: 120/70-17
Back: 190/50-17
rake_trail = 24.4 degrees / mm to in|105.4|abbr=yes
wheelbase = mm to in|1420|abbr=yes
length = mm to in|2050|abbr=yes
width = mm to in|680|abbr=yes
height = mm to in|1135|abbr=yes
dry_weight = kg to lb|181|abbr=yes
fuel_capacity =convert|18|l|abbr=onThe Petronas FP1 is a auto cc-cu in|899.5 liquid-cooled inline three-cylinder homologation special sport bike that was produced in 2003 by Petronas.

Originally developed jointly by Petronas and Sauber Petronas Engineering AG as the Petronas GP1 989cc prototype to compete in MotoGP, Petronas decided to race the motorcycle in the Superbike World Championship instead. To meet the requirements for the motorcycle's entry into the championship, the engine was reduced to auto cc-cu in|899.5 and Petronas had to produce 150 road version motorcycles for FIM homologation, thus making it the first Malaysian-built Superbike.

The first 75 units of Petronas FP1s were built in the United Kingdom by January 30 2003, passing homologation inspection to enable the bike to contest in SBK|2003. The final 75 units were assembled in Malaysia by the country's motorcycle manufacturer, Modenas by July 2003.

Out of the 150 units produced only 100 were made available to the public available in Panache Green, Exotic Black and Misty Grey. The other 50 units were kept to be used for racing.

Petronas joined forces with four-time Superbike World champion Carl Fogarty to form a racing team - Foggy Petronas Racing - to participate in the Superbike World Championship.

From SBK|2003 the FIM changed the rules to allow 1000 cc machines (either twins, triples or four-cylinder) to race. The FP1 was developed under the previous regulations (that limited the engine displacement for 3 cylinder to 900cc), as a result the motorcycle was at a disadvantage from the rest of the field.

With the Japanese manufacturers limiting their involvement for SBK|2003 and SBK|2004, the FP1 was able to have some good results, finishing on the podium twice in SBK|2004. With Japanese motorcycles returning in SBK|2005 the FP1 fell behind and by SBK|2006 it was straggling to finish it the points. Petronas terminated the superbike project at the end of SBK|2006

External links

[http://www.fp-1.com/ fp-1.com] Official website