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I never knew about the Suzuki RE 5 until today!
McCabe-Thiele (Ted):
In 1973 I was working for an Audi/NSU dealership several years before the VW retailers merged.
The first NSU RO80 cars. Had a twin headlamp front end with a four plug rotor engine. The gearbox was a two pedal manual with a micro switch in the gear knob that operated the clutch.
Plug fouling and exceeding the revs would destroy the engine.
The later model had a more modern rectangular Headlamp. The engine was quite different being a two plug unit so only one plug per rotor. It also had a catalytic converter plus an electronic rev limiter. This later model was a huge improvement. Sadly the warranty costs on the early model was bankrupting NSU who were bought out by Audi who killed off the short lived later model.
They were great to drive, very quiet, very smooth engine once you mastered the gear shift, fuel economy was in the low 20 mpg region.
K2-K6:
Interesting account given here from within BL development https://www.aronline.co.uk/opinion/i-was-there/bl-rotary-engines/ but the comments section fascinating too, with personal account of racing an RE5 ! along with very well described limitations within the design.
Johnwebley:
--- Quote from: K2-K6 on December 15, 2025, 08:26:30 AM ---Interesting account given here from within BL development https://www.aronline.co.uk/opinion/i-was-there/bl-rotary-engines/ but the comments section fascinating too, with personal account of racing an RE5 ! along with very well described limitations within the design.
--- End quote ---
Thanks for that link
Fascinating
I noticed a 500 Honda finished in the places
4 or twin??
Sent from my SM-A546E using Tapatalk
Rozabikes Tim:
Mazda are still at it. Twin rotor rotary hybrid + carbon capture.
Mazda’s done it again: the Vision X-Coupe is a 503bhp rotary-engined concept | Top Gear https://share.google/VXGVingbPbSg7Ew6A
K2-K6:
--- Quote from: Johnwebley on December 15, 2025, 09:13:29 AM ---
--- Quote from: K2-K6 on December 15, 2025, 08:26:30 AM ---Interesting account given here from within BL development https://www.aronline.co.uk/opinion/i-was-there/bl-rotary-engines/ but the comments section fascinating too, with personal account of racing an RE5 ! along with very well described limitations within the design.
--- End quote ---
Thanks for that link
Fascinating
I noticed a 500 Honda finished in the places
4 or twin??
Sent from my SM-A546E using Tapatalk
--- End quote ---
I think you'd guess at a four being the choice, but you never know though.
The RE5 riders sound like quite capable characters by that account of riding around last laps on deflating tyre, which looked to have held sway over the nimble quality of a good 500 Four.
I remember watching an Australian proddy race in which the Yamaha XS 1100 were amusing in their competitiveness, given that they looked like elephants clomping around at high speed. A triumph of adventurous and advanced riding techniques if ever there was one.
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