Moriwaki racer ready for riding

The first company to publically announce an interest in participating in the Moto2 class, Moriwaki Engineering are putting the finishing touches to a prototype machine for use in the upcoming series.

The Japanese company have designed an original chassis for the four-stroke 600cc Honda CBR600RR engine chosen for the new bike, and have run shakedown tests with an early edition. Whilst the Moto2 regulations will only come into effect in the 2011 season, Moriwaki are intending to put their project through its paces in further tests and entry in All Japan Championship competition.

A statement from the company announced that:

“Moriwaki are very excited about having this new World GP class that allows us to race our original racing machine with all Moriwaki’s engineering capabilities. There is a tendency in the industry towards transferring from 2-stroke to 4-stroke and it provides an opportunity. Taking this opportunity, Moriwaki is very happy and looking forward to competing with all other original machines, with ideas and engineering manufactured by constructors from different parts of the world.”

Moriwaki last ran a Grand Prix effort in 2005, with Tohru Ukawa and Naoki Matsudo riding 990cc machinenry –again based on a Honda engine- at Motegi and Ukawa making a solo appearance in Shanghai. Other riders to compete for the company include Olivier Jacque and Andrew Pitt.