MALAYSIA MOTOGP

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Zamri, Azlan get first feel of Moriwaki machine

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian MotoGP Moto2 wildcard hopefuls Mohd Zamri Baba and Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman got their first feel of the Moriwaki MD600 machine during testing with Team Moriwaki Engineering at the Sepang circuit yesterday.

Both the riders, who are competitors in the Petronas Asia Road Racing Championships (ARRC) and the Malaysian Super Series (MSS), needed little time to get familiar with the bike and they were clearly enjoying themselves at the circuit.

“It’s a good experience for me … it’s very different from the (Yamaha) R6,” said Azlan, who competes in the ARRC and MSS for Petronas Yamaha Racing on an R6.

“The suspension is better.

“But the bike is heavier and it demands more energy from the riders thus making it more challenging.”

A top brand in chassis development in motorcycling, Moriwaki provides it for the machine of Spaniard Tony Elias, who is current leader in the Moto2 championship.

The Moto2 competition runs on 600cc engines provided by Honda Racing Corporation and a single tyre-rule that only allows Dunlop tyres.

For other components to the bike, teams are free in the selection and Moriwaki is one of the preferred chassis by most of the competing teams.