MORIWAKI Engineering is proud to announce the launch of “MD600”, which is a race bike that has been developed by MORIWAKI Racing and built by MORIWAKI Engineering toward professional racing teams who wish to enter into the new and now-establishing world championship road-racing series, “moto2”. Continuing its development during 2009 season, MORIWAKI Engineering is now preparing the bikes and a system to supply the bikes to satisfy the needs of the customers worldwide. This MD600 Project is part of MORIWAKI Engineering’s “MD Project”, and we believe our involvement in the moto2 project as a supplier will be a push for the series’ stability and excitement. The Starting “moto2” “moto2”, an officially announced in June 2008, the newly establishing road-racing category is an alternative class to replace the current GP250, approved by the GP Commission (a managing organization formed by the representatives of DORNA, IRTA, MSMA and FIM). “moto2” will start so that the middle class 4-stroke engine can be used to suit the world’s ecological tendencies. In the former announcement, it explained that “moto2” will be powered by 600cc 4-stroke engine, applying regulations that allow private constructors to build chassis for the category. In addition, it is interesting that the regulations are being considered and developed so that the cost of entering into the series is saved by, for example, restricting the use of materials. When established, “moto2” should take part in the world championship series as a support race of MotoGP and it is hoped that it will expand to the national championship series throughout the world. In the Japanese national championship series, the doors are already open for moto2 bikes to enter as proto-type, racing against the current GP250 class. MORIWAKI’s Attitude Toward “moto2”. MORIWAKI see moto2 as an open category, in terms of engineering development, for private race-bike-constructors as well as an exciting chance for MORIWAKI which will put our selves in an extremely challenging position in the world’s most prestigious racing series. That is why MORIWAKI have decided to participate in the series as a competitor as well as a chassis supplier. With over thirty-five-years of MORIWAKI’s race experience, we will invest all the assets including the race-bike-engineering know-how MORIWAKI has pooled in to this moto2 project. MORIWAKI’s unique motorcycle design and engineering theory of MH80R, the first MORIWAKI original roadrace- practice bike built back in 1988, a bike with HONDA NS-1 carrying CR80MX engine, and MD250, the current single cylinder 4-stroke racer, and of course the challenging experience of building a MotoGP machine, MD211VF (2003-2005) all supports and forms a firm foundation of our new challenge with MD600 which is a bike prepared for teams and riders who plan to enter moto2. MORIWAKI will support such teams and riders by supplying a race-ready bike as well as supplying spare parts to run the series along with technical support including set-up advises. Organization Mamoru Moriwaki / President and Team Owner Midori Moriwaki / Director and Team Manager Akira Kato / Large Project Leader Koji Takahashi / R&D Manager Satoru Takafuchi / Production Manager Shogo Moriwaki / Test Rider Akira Chikazawa / Press Officer Machine Specifications ENGINE : Honda CBR600RR (PC40E) Water-Cooled 4 Stroke DOHC 4 Valve, 4 Cylinders. Displacement : 599cc Bore x Stroke : 67.0mm x 42.5mm Overall Length : 2,000mm Weight : T.B.A Frame : MORIWAKI Original Aluminum Frame NOTE: Above prototype specification may change after the confirmation of the FIM technical regulations. The Outline of MD Project By supplying high standard race ready bikes, MORIWAKI wishes to train those riders who wish to climb up to the world level road racing. As part of MD Project, MORIWAKI Engineering and MORIWAKI Racing have announced and have already supplied over two hundred MD250 to the world and the near future aim is also to supply today’s MD600 and MD150. Above introduced MH80R is the basis and the start of the project and world famous riders today such as Casey Stoner (MotoGT), Chris Vermeulen (MotoGP), Anthony West (WSB), Broc Parkes (WSB) have experienced MH80R in their youth. MD Project wishes a rider to start their professional career with a practice bike MD150, up to MD250 before stepping up to MD600 to train them selves ready for world level races. MD600 will be developed to have a potential of winning a race in its category installing the MD211VF technology attempted in MotoGP. The details of MD150 will be announced when ready. A Dream in moto2 “MORIWAKI will enter in to a new challenge, that is, a challenge in to a moto2, which will carve a new history in the world’s road racing scenes. In 2004, some said that our racing the original bike, MD211VF, in MotoGP was over challenging. However, the purpose of our doing such was to confirm our current standings in motorcycle engineering studies by handling the most powerful engine ever in Grand-Prix’s history. Winning a historical championship points in our first year attempt, we have accomplished one of the goals we had set and now, the new challenge has come: Building world’s best race bike in moto2 to win it and we are happy to set an announcement today as a launch of the new challenge. Although the development of MD600 has just started, the shake down test of the prototype MD600 introduced in our official web-site which used a chrome molybdenum pipe frame was very successful. We believe that the success of the shake down test was brought not only by our over thirty five years of race history, but also by our know-how developed though building MD211VF MotoGP bike with over 200hp 990cc MotoGP engine. We aimed to give MD600 a certain driving character and this was also very successful. We hope a lot of world class riders will be produced through the MD Project just like our former MH80R project, which may eventually be a chance to give something back to the road racing environment.” Mamoru Moriwaki.