The 500cc two-strokes weren’t banned. For 2002, the rules allowed a 500cc two-stroke or a 990cc four-stroke — both legal, same grid. A 98% capacity advantage, handed over in a rulebook. And they nearly won anyway. Every factory team went four-stroke; every satellite team stayed on a 500. At the Sachsenring, two of them were leading until a missed braking point took them both out. At Phillip Island, a two-stroke took pole on the slowest bike through the speed trap all weekend, with a two-stroke front row. #OneLungRacing #2Stroke #500cc #MotoGP #NSR500 #YZR500 #RGV500 #Unrideables #TwoStroke #GrandPrix #ValentinoRossi #MickDoohan #KevinSchwantz #WayneGardner #McWilliams #ProtonKR3 #MotorcycleRacing #MotorcycleHistory #GPHistory #BigBang #MotoHistory #RingDingDing #Braap