Wanna sit on my Wankel? Or eat Doritos?

[LaurieC]

Many years ago there was an NSU ro80 for sale in the local newspaper classifieds . The advert had a typo , it read " NSUro80 for sale good condition , wanked engine"
I don't think it sold !!

 

[bdalameda]

Here is Wankle engine bike.
View attachment 285262

That is a 1975 RE5M model. They came in Orange or Bright Blue heavy metal flake paint. Suzuki hired an Italian designer to style the bike. They thought this would start a new trend in styling, boy were they ever wrong. The instruments were enclosed in a large metal can that had a spring loaded lid on it that snapped open when you turned the key on uncovering the instruments. Why they thought it necessary to cover the instruments was often discussed.

I was at the Suzuki Dealer show in Las Vegas when the RE5 was shown for the first time, I will never forget it. The music started playing 2001 A Space Odyssey and a countdown began with images of spacecraft and the moon landing. When the curtain opened an RE5 came rolling out mounted on a small motorized platform. Much to the dismay of the Suzuki management, who were expecting a loud applause, the audience became silent and then there was an audible groan from the dealers. The Suzuki dealers were desperate for a bike to compete with the Kawasaki Z1 or the new Honda Goldwing but instead they got Flash Gordon Space Ranger!! It was absolutely hysterical. They even brought in Edgar Mitchell a NASA Astronaut to have your picture taken with. They gave everyone a bronze cast belt buckle with the Rotary Emblem on it, I still have mine. It was a quiet ride home with the owner of the dealership I worked for.

Dan

 

[bdalameda]

Here is a fun promotional video made by Suzuki of the RE5. The second video was made by Motorcycle.com of me and my RE5 when I showed it at the Quail Motorcycle gathering a few years ago.