The Racing Motorcycle Museum has partnered with Marelli Motorsport to introduce an exhibit dedicated to the company’s electronic control units. Titled “Everything is Detectable – Electronics”, it consists of a wall displaying some of Marelli’s ECUs and a panel in which the user can pick to simulate a given ECU’s performance under various track conditions.

“It is an honor to join the FIM in this project celebrating excellence in motorcycle racing,” said Marelli head Riccardo de Filippi. “Over the decades, we have been part of this world through the continued evolution of our technologies. We are glad to have the opportunity, with our contribution to the Racing Motorcycle Museum, to highlight the crucial behind-the-scenes role of electronics and innovation in shaping the history and future of motorcycle racing.”

The exhibition consists of five ECUs sorted by chronological order with their computing power indexes. The oldest is the 2005 MVL4 ECU that was used in MotoGP and the World Superbike Championship. This is followed by the 2013 AGO-340 for the 2014 to 2023 MotoGP seasons, and the 2018 REX-140 in Moto2 and the FIM Endurance World Championship. The newest of the quintet is the Marelli BAZ-340 that’s appeared in MotoGP since 2023.

Each model has a description that’s available in English and French:

MVL4: Drawing on experience gained in Formula 1, Marelli’s MVL4 ECU has made bikes smarter and safer and improved their performance, marking a watershed in motorcycle electronics. This was the first ECU to use multiple processors, opening the door to advanced features like traction control and anti-wheelie, engine-braking and electronic throttle technology and helping manufacturers to develop custom strategies. Used from 2005 in FIM 500cc Grand Prix and FIM Superbike it features a powerful data logger, the MVL4 can also provide a detailed analysis of each track session.

AGO-340: The Marelli AGO-340 packs impressive control into an ultracompact system, perfect for accommodating racing space constraints. The all-in-one unit handles data logging, sensor input processing and control of both engine and chassis. Designed for the racing world and used for 2014–2023 — FIM MotoGP Single ECU, its stand-out feature is its extremely high processing power, ideal for developing advanced control strategies.

REX-140: A compact, high-performance ECU designed for engines up to four cylinders and ideally suited to Endurance, special series and FIM Moto2 racing, for which it became the official ECU from 2019. Using a dual-core microcontroller and incorporating a 1GB data logger with the power to capture up to three-hundred-and-eighty-four channels, the Marelli REX-140 combines power, reliability and cost-effectiveness, which has made it the idea choice since 2019 for both the FIM Moto2 and FIM Endurance World Championships.

BAZ-340: The Marelli BAZ-340 is the top tier in FIM MotoGP TM single ECUs. Featuring two six-core microcontrollers, this ECU harnesses a legacy of over ten years’ experience gained with the AGO-340. With superior computational power, excellent parallel processing capability, remote modules for high-speed communication and a data logger that is twice as powerful as the previous model, it offers unprecedented analysis capacity and has been used from 2023 — for FIM MotoGP World Championship Single ECU.

Sandwiched between these is the lone off-road ECU, the REX-120 intended for the Motocross World Championship and Dakar Rally. The accompanying description reads:

The off-road version of the REX-140, the Marelli REX-120 was launched in 2023 and made an instant impact by winning multiple Enduro races, Motocross championships and the legendary Dakar Rally. Designed to manage engines up to two cylinders, it has a wide range of inputs and outputs and combines a reinforced case and watertight connectors to deliver maximum resistance to water, sand and extreme temperatures and has been used since 2022 in FIM MXGP and the Dakar Rally.

“We are proud to welcome Marelli as a partner of the FIM Racing Motorcycle Museum,” FIM marketing director Fabio Muner added. “Through the dedicated exhibits showcased in the museum, visitors can discover how advanced electronics contribute to the performance, safety and innovation of motorcycle racing within the FIM World Championships. Their presence helps bring to life a crucial technological dimension of modern motorsport and enriches the overall visitor experience.”

Located on the premises of the former FIM headquarters in Mies, the Racing Motorcycle Museum opened to the public on February 18.

Featured image credit: FIM