Moriwaki MD250 - the stink wheel eradicator

This beautiful motorcycle is the Moriwaki MD250 road racer, the replacement for 125cc two-strokes in MotoGP come 2012.

The alloy beam chassis houses Honda’s diminutive CRF250X uni-cam motor, normally seen wearing long travel suspension and knobbly tyres. The quick revving liquid cooled four-stroke motor offers electric-start convenience and a maintenance schedule that most two-stroke racers can only dream of.

UK importer, Roger Ditchfield reckons that £3,000 would be enough to keep an MD250 fresh for a long season’s worth of racing. Major engine overhauls happen at 2,000 racing miles (intake valves and valve springs), 4,000 (camshaft, piston) and 8,000 (crankshaft, piston and rod).

Running gear is predominantly Honda RS125 (wheels, suspension, brakes) but the chassis, swingarm, exhaust and tiny 7 litre fuel tank are all Moriwaki’s own work.

The MD250 has been embraced by eight countries as a one make racing series but not the UK. So while MotoGP grids have 16 year-old factory riders present it’s highly unlikely that any of them will be from the UK when the class goes live in 2012.

There are already two of these exquisite Moriwakis in the UK racing with the Derby Phoenix club. You can join them. The Moriwaki is available in the UK for 1.1m yen (that’s £8,500 plus vat at today’s exchange rate). But buyer beware – the yen fluctuates wildly against the pound.  Contact the official UK importer Roger Ditchfield of REVOLUTION U.K, SMITH GREEN DEPOT, STONEY LANE, GALGATE, LANCASHIRE, LA2 0PX ENGLAND TEL: 0044 (0) 7970 - 915 - 259

By mark forsyth