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Post by Mortimer on Oct 22, 2011 18:48:19 GMT -5
Does anybody know how many RE5's are still in use world wide, registered and ridden. How about in the US?
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Post by HGH 770N on Oct 23, 2011 3:34:57 GMT -5
I'm not sure how anyone could answer that question, ( Good one)
my Re5 is 1 of them in the UK and has been all its life.
Best
Rog
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Post by kettle738 on Oct 23, 2011 11:21:03 GMT -5
This web site purports to show how many vehicles of a given type are still registered and taxed (on the road) in the UK www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?q=Naturally the RE5 is missing from the listings, and I have no idea if this information is even real. The best guide for RE5s is probably the registers held by Dave Cameron in the UK and Jess in the US, but of course they can only be as accurate as the information provided. There must still be a lot of unknown bikes in various types of storage that may or may not surface occasionally, the short answer has to be that beyond the owners club registers there is no way of really knowing........unless someone knows otherwise. Mick...........kettle738 |
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Post by Mortimer on Oct 23, 2011 17:25:40 GMT -5
Thanks, Rog and Mick. The only RE5 that I have ever seen on the road here in California is mine. I saw an M in a junkyard ("breaker's yard" in the UK) about 15 years ago. I suppose if the question remains unanswered, it can only add to the unusual nature and history of the RE5.
Brian.
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Post by maleric on Oct 25, 2011 19:58:40 GMT -5
I think this question has been answered before: about 6000 units exported to the USA, but only 108 exported to England. Not sure about other countries, and I am really only confident about the number of US bikes. Now, how many are still in good shape and how many are in junk yards? I don't know, maybe Jess has an estimate.
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Post by snowrench on Oct 27, 2011 23:46:31 GMT -5
It is amazing how many appear on Ebay at anyone time, and quite a few chop shops have parts for sale constantly. One, mistermonkeyclaw, seems to break one down every few months. Since I stumbled onto my first, I quickly found myself buying 4 more. They are everywhere if you look, most of them are roaches, stored outside and not run in decades. You can find a decent runner for about $2,500, so why anybody would restore a total POS is beyond me. This forum has been very usefu, but I think it's fair to say that you need to be dedicated and capable if you want to run one of these much. My CB750's are a piece of cake in comparison, and they seem to appeal to the general public just as much. Bike nuts either are fascinated by the RE or regurgitate all the negative lore from yesteryear....
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Post by Mortimer on Nov 4, 2011 13:45:17 GMT -5
I think that I may have found an answer to my question close enough for my satisfaction. I followed a link found in another post in this forum. A guy in Denmark has a list of about 2000 bikes worldwide. I found my bike's VIN on his list and updated the information.
Thanks to all
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Post by Mortimer on Nov 4, 2011 14:22:44 GMT -5
I must give credit where credit is due. The RE5 registry is at re5.dk, a member of this forum.
Good work,Tonny
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Tonny
2nd Gear
Posts: 124
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Post by Tonny on Nov 4, 2011 15:15:02 GMT -5
I must give credit where credit is due. The RE5 registry is at re5.dk, a member of this forum. Good work,Tonny Thank you very much  |
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Post by HGH 770N on Nov 4, 2011 16:24:58 GMT -5
Thanks Re5dk.
I found my bike 10626 No 3 for the UK.
i also noticed a black one 10910 in 1975 was this the only "A" model imported to the UK ?
Rog
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Post by kettle738 on Nov 5, 2011 8:00:18 GMT -5
The one and only RE5A officially imported into the UK by Suzuki presumably to test market response was registered PGN 20P I owned it for a while back in about 1983. I didn't realise it's significance at the time, I have since found road tests featuring the bike. I believe it surfaced a few years back for sale by auction but didn't sell, unfortunately I don't know the chassis number etc.  If I have this photobucket thing right this should be a photo of yours truly with the RE5A back in 1983. This was of course pre internet when owning RE5s in the UK was a much more risky prospect than it is now. Can you spot the very obvious anomaly on the bike? Mick...........kettle738 |
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Tonny
2nd Gear
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Post by Tonny on Nov 5, 2011 9:46:56 GMT -5
As I am being told the frame is 15968 tinyurl.com/6f5pbhgI guess that 55968 should be 15968. It is listed in "The Rotary Register" as 15968 and engine 16001. -Tonny |
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Post by bdalameda on Nov 5, 2011 22:29:38 GMT -5
I have not seen the chrome trim around the seat base before. Did Suzuki ever supple RE5's with this type of seat trim?
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Post by kettle738 on Nov 6, 2011 4:25:00 GMT -5
That is the obvious error, it has to be a GT seat of some description; unfortunately I can't remember how it was and this is the only photo I have of the bike. I would love to know what the square dealer sticker on the side panel says as well. I would also like to know whether it came with a UK style VIN badge on the steering neck or the full US type VIN plate.
Notice it has pukka UK spec with low bars etc, so it wasn't just a US spec bike, they took the trouble to make it right for the UK, so even at that stage they must have harboured hopes of selling a few here.
This bike was a b**ch to start, I took it to the only dealer who would touch RE5s at the time, the late lamented Geoff Monty of Monty and Ward motors in Edenbridge Kent; he declared it the most compression free motor he had ever seen actually running.
By pure coincidence I met the guy who had previously owned it before me quite recently, he now owns another RE5A and probably visits this forum. I didn't buy it directly from him at the time and he told me the bike had done a staggering mileage.......the thick end of six figures and it was used hard, so it was hardly surprising the motor was a little 'tired'.
The rest of the bike certainly didn't look like a high miler, so it must have been well cared for, and given that it was a press test bike as well it was a miracle it survived at all.
I'd certainly like to see it again now.....hopefully with a correct seat.
Mick..........kettle738
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Post by markwildig on Jan 4, 2012 12:54:16 GMT -5
I was the proud owner of PGN 20P before Mick, I bought it secondhand from a gentleman in the Epsom Area, and rode if for 3 fine years in the Ashford Kent area. I was only 17 years old in 1977 and managed to mess the bike up by adding clips on, and a full fairing, even attended the amazing 500cc GP at Silverstone, Kenny Roberts vs Barry Sheene on her.
The swapped her with a friend at college(Stuart Troughton) for a TZ 350 something that seemed a good idea at the time, and still regret to this day.
I've been luck enough to get my hands on 2 more wonderful Re5 since, an A that Mick has done an amazing restoration job on, and a M that I hope to show this summer .
I will try to find the picture of my old girl at Lydd in Kent.
Would love to know where she is now ...
Kind Regards Mark Wildig North Devon UK
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