Honda unveils new Moto3 bike

Honda has taken the wraps of its 2012 Moto3 machine by unveiling the new NSF250R in Japan.

The bike has already undergone extensive testing in Japan ahead of the inaugural Moto3 series next year when the 250cc four-stroke single-cylinder category replaces the current 125GP two-stroke format.

Technical details about the new bike are sparse but in a recent interview with MCN, HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto gave his impressions on Moto3 and how the Honda project is developing.

He said: “We have been testing at Motegi and Sugo and if you compare the lap time with a standard RS125, the percentage is 1.5 to two per cent faster with the Moto3 bike.

“This comparison is against an Aprilia works 125GP machine, so our machine is competitive with an RS kit-bike but not competitive with an Aprilia works bike.”

When asked what he anticipated to be an attainable horsepower figure, Nakamoto said the priority was to ensure the new engines had long maintenance intervals to keep costs at a minimum.

He added: “Fifty horsepower will be a little difficult to achieve. With a single cylinder engine, to use higher revs the power is up but at the same time friction. But there is no need to run 16,000 rpm. I think 14,000rpm is a more reasonable level.

Horsepower will probably be around 45 or something like this. But with a super, super tune-up then fifty horsepower is achievable but at the same time engine life is short and the costs go up. Moto3 is for low cost racing and if the bikes can be competitive this is the best way.”

Several Moto3 projects are now up and running including a proposed entry from Austrian factory KTM.

Yamaha also recently confirmed it was building a bike based on its YZ250F motocross motor, as was first reported by MCN.