My friends have been talking about putting together a motorcycle powered by a rotary engine. Has anyone in the past tried this unique idea?

 

Van Veen used a NSU based engine, and Norton build a rather nice number of rotary powered bikes
but a selfbuild one? not that I know of...

 

I believe Suzuki made an rotary engine motorcycle. But don’t quote me on that.

- Dana

 

I'd like to see some of these bikes although the technology in piston engined bikes at this point would be pretty damn hard to beat.

 

Suzuki did make a Roatary bike. It was a 1 rotor bike called the RE-5, they also made an RE-6. It's the coolest motorcycle ever, Fast too. Especially for its time

 

If you can figure out how to keep it cool. Thats what made most people step out of the rotary motorcycle game, they couldn't keep it from overheating.

 

Norton as well as Suzuki built rotary engined motorcycles.

 

5 days to go on auction - a mint RE-5

http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/64802106

 

Suzuki had the RE5 in the early seventies. It nearly bankrupted the company . Norton had the Commando race bikes in the early 90's. Absolutely dominated at the Isle of Mann TT. Then it got banned. Would you beleive it was actually air-cooled!

 

Single rotor S5 or S6 13B engine. Peripheral ported, nitrous, and EMS.
Mate it to a strong sportbike transmission.

Wheelies anyone?

 

ahh, thats sweet

 

Suzuki not only built the RE5, they built a prototype dirt bike powered by a rotary. It was called the Roto-Trail. Unfortunately, it never got past the prototype stage.

 

Here are the others:
http://www.der-wankelmotor.de/Motora...otoraeder.html

and when I was in Lahr (Germany) in 2002 to celebrate the 100th birthday of Felix Wankel, there were a few special rotary bikes too...

 

I got to see some parts for an RE5 yesterday.

 

This only hafe way relates, way back in the mid 60s some one but to getter a bike useing a corvair engine amd as I remember it wsa mated to a shaft drive bike, some what remember details. But the thought is some thing like that, a doner bike like one of them 6 cly gold wings

 

did the norton f1's make it to the US?

 

Check out rotaryrecycle.net. They usually have a few RE- 5s for sale . They are not cheap for an old bike and parts are almost non-existent. The engine was the only really unique part of the bike as i recall.

 

What about Eamon Hurley's, obviously?
http://www.hurleyrotary.com/concord.aspx

 

you're right, I forgot about Hurley's drag bikes...
I believe they used NSU engines at first didn't they?