Suck, squeeze, bang, blow...

» The 13.3:1 compression ratio of MV’S F3 800 is about as high as road bikes get. But pop to BSB and you’ll find a mad 16:1, or even higher. Engines give max volumetric efficiency at peak torque but it falls away either side, so a wild compression ratio helps boost efficiency elsewhere in the revs. Retarding ignition or richening mixture stops failures at peak torque.