New Zealand bike rider magazine

**toads** · 2nd February 2005, 18:42

we subscribe to it and find ourselves fighting over who get to read it first lol. The answer is I should cos I read 50 times quicker than he does.

**merv** · 2nd February 2005, 18:42

Originally Posted by vifferman

I wonder whose bike that is? Jantar? I noticed it seemed to have non-standard (i.e., non-cylindrical) instruments - from a GT750??

The later i.e. last model, had ditched the cylindrical theme before the model faded into history. Check them out here http://www.suzukicycles.org/RE5/RE5-Rotary.shtml and you'll see the '76 model.

**Will** · 2nd February 2005, 18:50

We have a sub with BRM.

Read it from cover to cover and then the mag is put away with the rest (like a library) and is used for references or more reading later.

I can identify with a lot of the people in the mag and their bikes. I guess it is also because of the way it is written

**What?** · 2nd February 2005, 19:06

Originally Posted by Will

We have a sub with BRM.

Read it from cover to cover and then the mag is put away with the rest (like a library) and is used for references or more reading later.

I can identify with a lot of the people in the mag and their bikes. I guess it is also because of the way it is written

Sums it up for me, too.

**speedpro** · 2nd February 2005, 19:23

The only RE5 I ever saw was bought as a wreck by a couple of students in the neighbourhood in Riccarton about '78-'79. They put a mikuni 32?mm carb on as the original had been burnt off, and then did burnouts up and down Newnham Terrace till the cops came and told us to go away.

**White trash** · 2nd February 2005, 20:04

Originally Posted by Skunk

Changed your avatar already WT...

When you get the cover on your VERY FIRST ARTICLE you need to let people know about it.

Of course, it was all due to the fantastic photography of "Lensman" Gibbings which I am forever in debt.

LB · 3rd February 2005, 04:42

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Yep, it's a good mag, all road stuff and it's nice that it's glossy and coloured (perhaps that's a girl thing?)

SPMan - I've actually had about FOUR articles published in it!! However, WT has a bigger claim to fame cos I've never featured on the cover like he has.
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**gav** · 3rd February 2005, 06:16

Maybe you need to work on your stand up wheelies?

**Deano** · 3rd February 2005, 06:59

Re: the RE5

I used to own a rotary (RX4) and absolutely loved it.

Was really enthusiastic about the Norton Rotary competing in the Grand Prix. Pity it didn't do better than it did in the standings.

One thing that pissed me off was the commentator (can't recall his name but Pommie ex racer - any ideas ?), was completely dissing the bike when it was getting lapped by the front runners, saying it shouldn't be in the field as it was slow and not a 500cc 2-stroke. What the dickhead forgot to mention was that the bike had outperformed many 500cc bikes in order to get a place on the grid !!

Unless Im mistaken and Norton were given a token placing ??

**XTC** · 3rd February 2005, 07:05

Originally Posted by Deano

Re: the RE5

I used to own a rotary (RX4) and absolutely loved it.

Was really enthusiastic about the Norton Rotary competing in the Grand Prix. Pity it didn't do better than it did in the standings.

One thing that pissed me off was the commentator (can't recall his name but Pommie ex racer - any ideas ?), was completely dissing the bike when it was getting lapped by the front runners, saying it shouldn't be in the field as it was slow and not a 500cc 2-stroke. What the dickhead forgot to mention was that the bike had outperformed many 500cc bikes in order to get a place on the grid !!

Unless Im mistaken and Norton were given a token placing ??

Probably Barry Sheen. For an englishman he didn't like much that came out of england....

**Blakamin** · 3rd February 2005, 08:05

I just had a look at the one they sent me for free... (been too busy)
It has WT on the cover...

**Deano** · 3rd February 2005, 08:21

Originally Posted by Andyadams

Probably Barry Sheen. For an englishman he didn't like much that came out of england....

I thought it was but didn't want to dis a dead dude.

**Jantar** · 5th February 2005, 06:54

Originally Posted by vifferman

I was looking at that issue the day before yesterday.

The RE5 never took off because (a) it was too radical, (b) the "Fuel Crisis" came along, (c) the Wankel rotors had problems with the longevity of the seals/rotor tips (d) I believe the engine ran too hot.

I wonder whose bike that is? Jantar? I noticed it seemed to have non-standard (i.e., non-cylindrical) instruments - from a GT750??
...

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The RE5 never took off because of (a) A marketing faux pas by Suzuki, (b) The fuel Crisis, and (c) The cost.

(a) Suzuki leaked the concept of the RE5 (initialy called the RX5) in 1973. I ordered my first one as soon as I heard this rumour, and that was even before the Suzuki dealers in NZ had even heard that a rotory eninrd bike was being developed. Suzuki launched the RE5 with massive simulteneous shows in 8 different countries in 1974, and took thousands of orders. Unfortunately they weren't fully geared up to go into production as early as the marketing gurus had promised, and deliveries weren't made. A small problem with the carburation further delayed delivery, and soon many orders were being cancelled. Bikes were finally making their way onto the showroom floor in early 1975. ( I received one of the first ones in NZ on 5th march 1975). The carburation problem hadn't been fully resolved and Suzuki launched a quiet recall to fit a heat insulator between the engine and carby. This recall lead to unfounded rumours of unreliability of the seals and rotor tips. More orders were lost. and in march 1976 production was ceased for ever.

(b) The fuel crisis of 1973 meant that most manufacturers were aiming to meet the public's demand for economical machines. The RE5 LOVES fuel. 160 km on a tank fuel if 'm caeful.

c) In 1975 a new RE5 cost $2699. Compare that to a new GT750 at $1999, or a CB750 at $2199. The RE5 was expensive. However just as production of the RE5 ceased, Honda introduced the first Gold Wing at $3299.

The RE5 shown in BRM is standard. When Suzuki started losing orders they thought it may have been due to the radical new styling, so they changed the styling on their 1976 model (from september 1975 actually) to a black bike with conventional instruments, and called it the RE5A.