Suzuki RE5 Rotary Engine – 2012 Quail Motorcycle Gathering
Suzuki’s 497cc rotary-engine-powered RE5 is a rare beast indeed. Manufactured for only two years with a production run of approximately 6,500 units, it’s one Japanese motorcycle model not often seen.
http://www.motorcycle.com/events/2012-quail-motorcycle-gathering-video-91296.html
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I love the history of bikes and this owner genuinely loves this bike – but since we all love engines too – CAN YOU TURN THE BIKE ON AND LET US HEAR IT??????? Not asking for a camera mounted lap on the bike but guys, turn the engine on.
GET ON THAT BIKE AND DO A REVIEW …. VERY COOL
Why not starting it up?
Rotarys were also in Norton motorcycles.FYI
after all that and you dont start the bike ????????????
I have a nice looking 1975 model in Blue. I sourced it in southern Calfornia about 12 years ago. It's very original, just needs getting started and a chain guard. Based in the republic of Ireland.
One model. They really are better for cars thou, as they need such a huge radiator as they run hot.
Somebody used a weedwhacker on the hosts hair.
Jay Leno's had the Flash Gordon lights and gauges.
NO START WHY?
I'd like to get one of these if I can find one at a reasonable price. I love rotaries and insurance quotes for it seem quite good…
Its not so much that people did not like them, the main issue was that the engine
had mechanical problems mainly with premature failure of the rotor tips (Apex seals)
which unfortunately turned many potential buyers off them. They were also far too
complicated for what was only a 500cc machine. This machine had three cooling
systems, liquid cooling, oil cooling system, and vented exhaust pipes, which got
very hot. Admittedly that rotor gave the bike extreme smoothness, but it redlined
far too easily, which hastened the wear of the engine still further, which is a shame.
No one could ever say that the styling or configuration of the engine was a turn off
from people buying RE5's. Look at the original GT750J Suzuki's with their garish
metal flake colour's, that did not stop people buying them. The RE5 was very
futuristic in its styling. I think the high original cost, and mechanical problems were
the major turn off points for many potential buyers.
3mins in. That guy in the background is totally stealing that tree!! If you're not going to start the bike then at least stop that guy stealing the tree! Rubbish. hehe
FYI , the '75's were either red or blue with the "lunchbox" instrument cluster and tail light, while all '76's were black with conventional instruments and lights. Other than external oil hoses instead of steel lines, the '76 engines looked the same. Their main issue was with the carburetor, which tended to cause surging and rough idling due to its extreme complexity. That carburetor was a real bear to get tuned just right. A local bike shop owner of the day used to race a '76 on the local circuit. He replaced the original Mikuni-Solex with a 44mm. Mikuni flat-slide that could be obtained back then. The bike was very competitive, because despite it's weight it handled very well.
I owned a '76 through the late 70's and toured quite a bit with it. Other than a failed voltage regulator/rectifier and a couple of rear tires, I never had to replace any parts.
35mpg on a wankel powered vehicle, i'm already sold lol
I had one of these bikes when i was 14 or 15 years old, I new very little about them and only got it to run for a short time.
Of course being that young i never new what i had lol. I traded it for Suzuki gt550 which good back in the day
#Wankel Engine
blah blah blah, start it up
!zzzzzzzzzzzz…. many talk…
The moment you all look for is… Not in this video, chaps
… shut up and start the bike…
I had one of these – bought it new in 1976 (?), it was one of the ones that was (re)painted black and had the gauges and lights changed to make it less weird.
1. The thing had a kick starter on it! Probably the only rotary engine anywhere with a kick starter and damn near impossible to kick start.
2. It had one spark plug and on mine it tended to whisker the plug so it would have a hard time starting.
3. My mechanic friend described the exhaust sound as 'popcorn farts'.
4. The carburetor was kind of like a 4 barrel on a car only it was two barrels – a primary and a vacuum operated secondary.
5. Probably one thing that hurt sales was that the engine was aesthetically ugly. Just a big misshapen lump, nothing that looked exotic or 'fast', like an anvil with manifolds almost.
6. I was aware of two other bikes like mine in my small town, and all three had the same ignition key.
I sold mine after a year and bought a GS1000.
I bet a few people at Suzuki cried when they saw their great innovative bikes coming back to be destroyed unsold and unridden.
cool bike with the rotory. has anyone ever done a port job on one of these for add hp and performance?
Thanks
#sarcasm
You make a BIKE video, show and start the thing for the love of GOD !! Or don't make video's.