Suzuki made rotaries?

**Edbear** · 2nd August 2011, 17:35

Originally Posted by T.W.R

been living under a rock huh?

Van Veen OCR1000 is the rare one to have

only 30 made

http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/van..._1000_1977.php

I'd clean forgotten about the Van Veen!

**toycollector10** · 2nd August 2011, 18:22

I know a guy here in Christchurch who has one. Apparently the carburetor has 32 adjusting screws. There was no training for mechanics, if the engine went phutt a new one was installed. There's no parts book I think is what he said. He was lucky to be able to source a spare crated engine with zero hours on it out of Canada a few years ago too.

**Kickaha** · 2nd August 2011, 18:23

Originally Posted by Deano

A Norton rotary actually qualified on a GP500 grid many moons ago.

They also won the Isle of Man senior TT in 1992

**robinm** · 2nd August 2011, 18:25

I have ridden 6 different RE5's over the years. To my knowledge Colemans only brought 29 of them in (at least that was the information I was given many years ago), so that means I have ridden approx 1/4 of all the RE5's in NZ.
I love them. A good friend of in ChCh has had one for over 30 years.
Ant the earlier poster was 100% correct about the instrument panel and tail light, only the 1975 "M" model had the cylinder style units. The '76 "A" models used GT750 components.

**Paul in NZ** · 2nd August 2011, 18:26

Originally Posted by Bender

Later models didn't have the round dash and tail light.

I remember seeing one in Tommys Suzuki Centre wiht the round barrel tail light and instrument cluster. The salesman though he would impress us and flipped on the key and some cheesy screen thing flipped up over the insanely UGLY barrel instrument panel. We all fell about laughing and hopped on our old Triumphs n shite (me on My Norton Atlas) and buggered off.... Fuck it was one UGLY motorcycle

**Oblivion** · 2nd August 2011, 18:31

Originally Posted by ducatilover

Lada made a rotary too, would be even worse than an RE5.

I'd like a CBX of Z 6cyl from that era, so yummy.

What about a Laverda Jota?

**Paul in NZ** · 2nd August 2011, 18:32

Oh - wasnt there the Herculies (SP) which was the most sane rotary back in the day (W2000?) and then the genius in ChCh that grafted the lawnmower rotor onto an AC50... I loved THAT!

**pritch** · 2nd August 2011, 19:00

Originally Posted by Oblivion

What about a Laverda Jota?

Be hard to find one of those here. As I recall it was the Brit importer (Slater's?) who organised the Jota. Some people here did a paint shop hot up and called the result a Jota but...

**98tls** · 2nd August 2011, 19:04

Originally Posted by pritch

Be hard to find one of those here. As I recall it was the Brit importer (Slater's?) who organised the Jota. Some people here did a paint shop hot up and called the result a Jota but...

When i was roughly 16/17 a bloke that was working for the old man in Nth Canterbury turned up with a Jota,blue from memory and cost him an arm n leg.was bought new in Christchurch.

**Kickaha** · 2nd August 2011, 21:25

Originally Posted by pritch

Be hard to find one of those here.

yeah must have taken me all of 30 seconds

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-394662319.htm

**nadroj** · 2nd August 2011, 21:35

Or baby brother.

At least 1 RE5 in New Plymouth.

**98tls** · 2nd August 2011, 21:44

Originally Posted by nadroj

Or baby brother.

At least 1 RE5 in New Plymouth.

Very nice indeed,that and a Bevel 750 Sport in the shed would be superb.

**Taz** · 2nd August 2011, 22:13

Honda made a prototype rotary but had the sense not to put it into production.

So did kawasaki, Yamaha and BSA.

http://www.rotarycommunity.com/f103-p0.aspx

**BMWST?** · 2nd August 2011, 22:14

a mate had one,we once spent all friday night (re) installing a (new?) engine(he was a rolls royce mechanic).They were thirsty and unlike most rotaries the re5s were really torquey,you could drop the clutch at idle and they would not stall.It would use a tank of gas(about 18l) to go from welly to manfeild (albeit at a reasonable clip )