New bike - Moriwaki race vtr

[Fire]

Hmm, is it the spondon frame who has the ears from the frame and down to swingarms bult? Or??

[Roger Ditchfield]

Hi Guys and Moriwakirc - aka MM?
I was concerned when I saw this posting especially for Martin Gilson who has been led to believe that his ex Revolution VTR ST3 is the last in the World. The only full spec Moriwaki ST3 bikes produced were two for the late Bob Hayashida formerly of Big Valley Honda in Nevada, the Revolution bike and Moriwaki's own bikes. The US bikes are no longer in existence and the Moriwaki's were dismantled and used for parts except one bike which is in the Moriwaki museum leaving Martin the the only remaining running ST3. Following extensive research (the reason for the delay in this posting) in Japan it is believed that this bike belongs to a former Japanese customer and the bike is ST2 Endurance and does not have the billet crankshaft according to Moriwaki's sales records as did all ST3 bikes. The bike is not Moriwaki ST3 factory bike or factory bike specification. This does not mean it is not a good bike.

From: Midori Moriwaki
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2013 12:43 AM
To: Roger Ditchfield
Cc: mailto:terada@moriwaki.co.jp
Subject: Re: ADDITIONAL MORIWAKI VTR 1000 ST3 INFO

dear roger,
this is not our bike for sure.
this is some other old moriwaki customer bike.
sorry for this uk guy...
talk to you soon.
thank you very much.
kindest regards,
midori

I have a photo to post if someone can tell me how to do it!!! Help please.
If morriwakirc wishes to speak to me I am back in the UK 5th Feb on 07970 915259 or email on roger@revolutionuk.co.uk anytime

[Roger Ditchfield]

Hi Guys and moriwakirc, I am sorry to say that there are NO GENUINE STAGE 3 parts left in the World I have scoured every possible source and I am confident in this statement

[VTRDark]

Evening Rodger. To post pics you need to do it via an online image host like photobucket or equivalent. http://www.photobucket.com/

Once the picture is uploaded there you can copy and paste the img code from the share tab (top right corner from the main image) then click on the links tab and you will see the following:



The second from the bottom (IMG codes) can be copied and pasted directly in your post.

(:-})

[Roger Ditchfield]

Hi Guys, In this thread there has been several references to the "ears" in the Spondon frame. This the story. The development of the VTR was originally given to Russell Savoury by Honda UK who employed the services of Mick Grant as a consultant. After more than a year the project had failed to achieve too much progress and while I was at the Suzuka 8 hour I was asked by HRC if I would be interested in taking over the project. I agree provided that Russel was happy to do that - which he was. When I took over and uplifted all the bikes and equipment from Harlow I had five modified frames. Enquiries revealed that Spondon were asked to do this by Mick to cure high speed straight line weaving. I then examined the dampers that had arrived only to find that they had been extended between 15mm and 25mm centre eye to centre eye longer than standard of 345mm! IMHO the "ears" were fitted in an attempt to cure a self inflicted problem. As already mentioned in previous posts no ST3 race bikes producing far more power than Russels best of 118bhp ever ran with this modification including mine. The standard frame was modified and I have done this modification on two customer bikes in the UK. I left the Spondon ears on my ST2 Production race bikes purely because they did no harm to the new Revolution suspension set up and the then ACU Minimum Race Weight Regulation for that class allowed then to stay there. If you have a VTR bike exceeding 135bhp I recommend the Standard frame modifications as used on all ST3s

[Roger Ditchfield]

Hi Guys
Here is a photo I took of the Moriwaki Factory VTR at the Suzuka 8 hour in 1999. Please compare the S/arm, Damper, Discs and exhaust to the photo of moriwakirc bike.
Image - thanks to Cyberman.

[Jonesey]

That is the most beautiful thing ever.
C.

[agentpineapple]

a big thankyou to roger for sharing this information with us, without the likes of roger we would never know these things, i'm still very envyious of Moriwakirc new bike, i wonder what this bike would be like to ride on the road....

[Wicky]

Thanks Roger for your revealing insights -slightly enhanced pic of the beaut' - Have you any more pics (prints or digital) of the VTRs you've had a big hand in ?

[mik_str]

Wow, great info (thanks Roger!!!!!) and awesome pic.

[YETI]

Very interesting info roger , you had said
that there were only 2 known .
Though was this bike mis sold as a stage 3 bike ?
The bhp is very specific , certainly more than a stage 2 .

YETI..

[Wicky]

So is it an 'urban legend' that cracking in the swingarm engine mounts with +130bhp bikes led to the ears, and to fitment of a wider swingarm?

Can you describe in more detail the internal frame bracing modification - ta

[Roger Ditchfield]

Hi Guys, In answer to Yeti's comments I cannot really comment on the "mis-sold aspec"t only to say I published the inform and knowledge jointly shared between Moriwaki Engineering and myself. I am only party to what was stated by moriwakirc and do not know the claims made by the Vendor. it is unusual but impossible for BHP figures to given @ R/Wheel in Japan as crankshaft readings are more the norm. I did say "that this does not mean it is not a good bike" but it is not a Moriwaki Factory Stage3 bike or a full Stage3 bike as it does not have some ST3 parts according to Moriwaki records.It is more likely to be a extensively privately developed Stage2 bike but a good bike non the less.
I have never been a great photo collector but I do have a few and I will post ones I think may be of interest after I return to the UK in a weeks time. As far as enhancing of photo is concerned I can hardly work my computer as Cyberman will verify never digitally enhance pictures!!
In answer to Wicky's I have no personal practical experience or knowledge from my contacts from around the World of cracking s/arm/engine mounts. If this has occurred by first thoughts are that the engine bolts have been incorrect torqued and/or in the wrong sequence.
Regarding frame strengthening most of the inside of the frame which is "Honeycombed" to some sort of extent is simply plated over in a certain thickness of plate and again around the headstock with a heavier thicknes of plate. There is akso an additional (3rd) pillar brace between the upper and lower top beams on each side. You can just see the extra beam on the attached photo showing under the side air intake.

[Wicky]

Thanks Roger


Enhanced & enlarged pic

[agentpineapple]

hi roger
thanks for the info buddy.
i have a question about the frame on my bike, its one of the frames with the spondon ears, at the moment my bike is in bits about to be rebuit(again) i also have a couple of spare normal frames lying around, looking at a normal frame sitting next to the spondon modded frame and i can't see much of a difference, other than the ears. did you say you had some input into what spondon did to the frame or was that russell savoury's input before you joined the project?
i'll have another look at the frame tomorrow. i hope your enjoying your trip down under.....