Difference between revisions of "Suzuki RE5"
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The '''[[Suzuki]] RE5''' was one of the few rotary engine bikes ever made, was only made for 3 years. Suzuki, in 1970, was locked in a three-way competition with the other two big Japanese motorcycle makers, [[Honda]] and [[Yamaha]]. In a relentless march to improve technology and capture market share, Suzuki went after a then-untested production technology, the Wankel rotary engine, with the idea of putting it in a motorcycle' | The '''[[Suzuki]] RE5''' was one of the few rotary engine bikes ever made, was only made for 3 years. Suzuki, in 1970, was locked in a three-way competition with the other two big Japanese motorcycle makers, [[Honda]] and [[Yamaha]]. In a relentless march to improve technology and capture market share, Suzuki went after a then-untested production technology, the Wankel rotary engine, with the idea of putting it in a motorcycle' | ||
==The Only Japanese Production Rotary== | ==The Only Japanese Production Rotary== | ||
The RX-5, Suzuki's prototype rotary, was unveiled at the Tokyo salon in 1973, one year after [[Yamaha RZ201|Yamaha's RZ-201]]. The RX-5 was technically more advanced, | The RX-5, Suzuki's prototype rotary, was unveiled at the Tokyo salon in 1973, one year after [[Yamaha RZ201|Yamaha's RZ-201]]. The RX-5 was technically more advanced, it was rumored to be designed by Giugiaro but is not the case as was confirmed by the offices in Italy. It went into production soon after, while the Yamaha languished at the prototype phase, In doing so, Suzuki had made the new bike, rechristened RE5, the only Japanese series production rotary and the first rotary put on the assembly line since Germany's rustic [[Hercules]] and the antiquated Dutch [[Van Veen]]. | ||
==No Splash with the Public== | ==No Splash with the Public== | ||
It is rumored that the RE5 was designed by Giugiaro, Alessandro Colombo, famous Italian motorcycle engineer, motorcycle historian and editor of Legend Bike confirms that this is not the case. The bike is too Banal and in line with everything else of that era to even be considered a Giugiaro. | It is rumored that the RE5 was designed by Giugiaro, Alessandro Colombo, famous Italian motorcycle engineer, motorcycle historian and editor of Legend Bike confirms that this is not the case. The bike is too Banal and in line with everything else of that era to even be considered a Giugiaro. | ||
Revision as of 23:26, 5 April 2008
The Suzuki RE5 was one of the few rotary engine bikes ever made, was only made for 3 years. Suzuki, in 1970, was locked in a three-way competition with the other two big Japanese motorcycle makers, Honda and Yamaha. In a relentless march to improve technology and capture market share, Suzuki went after a then-untested production technology, the Wankel rotary engine, with the idea of putting it in a motorcycle'
The Only Japanese Production Rotary
The RX-5, Suzuki's prototype rotary, was unveiled at the Tokyo salon in 1973, one year after Yamaha's RZ-201. The RX-5 was technically more advanced, it was rumored to be designed by Giugiaro but is not the case as was confirmed by the offices in Italy. It went into production soon after, while the Yamaha languished at the prototype phase, In doing so, Suzuki had made the new bike, rechristened RE5, the only Japanese series production rotary and the first rotary put on the assembly line since Germany's rustic Hercules and the antiquated Dutch Van Veen.
No Splash with the Public
It is rumored that the RE5 was designed by Giugiaro, Alessandro Colombo, famous Italian motorcycle engineer, motorcycle historian and editor of Legend Bike confirms that this is not the case. The bike is too Banal and in line with everything else of that era to even be considered a Giugiaro.
1975 RE5M
1975 Suzuki RE5M
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Red
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Red
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Red
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Red
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Red
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Blue
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Black
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Black
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Black
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Black
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Red
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Red
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Red
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Red
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Red
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Red
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Red
1975 Suzuki RE5 in Red
- FRAME #: RE5-10053
- ENGINE #: ..... RE5-10112
- ENGINE TYPE: . . .497cc Rotary
- MODEL CODE: . . . 370
- COLOR: Firemist Blue, Firmist Orange
- Headlight housing primary color
- Futuristic instrument panel
1976 RE5A
- FRAME #: N/A
- ENGINE #: N/A
- ENGINE TYPE: 497cc Rotary
- MODEL CODE: 370
- COLOR: Black
- Chrome headlight mounts and housing
- Conventional instrument panel