Interesting. Brand newie on Hemmings

[goandy]

This may be the one posted up about recently. Brand spankers. Nice.

www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/suzuki/re5/1410708.html

[Jess]

This is from the listing...

Engine type: 497 cc NSU water-cooled two-barrel Wankel rotary. 62 hp/ 16.500 rpm, 54.9 lb-ft/ 13.500 rpm.Collectors Item

Really?

It appears to be an exceptional machine. However, unless it is on the MSO it is not verifiable. Documentation is critical.

I wish them the best of luck with the sale.

Just my 2 cents...

[bdalameda]

This bike is right up the road from me. I am headed that way this wednesday and will drop by and take a look at it.

[gerryggg]

According to the RE5 registry, that engine number is in California and it is an A model. That at least matches the pictures of the bike, although they are trying to claim it is a 1977 which doesn't exist regardless what the title says. If it is new it should have an MSO which wouldn't say it was a 1977. If it has a title, it's not new, regardless of how many miles are shown.

Attachments:

[bdalameda]

It is my understanding that Suzuki did sell a very few 1977 Rotaries that basically were 1976 Models. I remember this from when I worked at a Suzuki dealership back in 1977.

Dan

[raychappo]

My first RE was an 'S' registered bike (UK reg), which is 1977 but it must have been manufactured in 1975 as it was an 'M' model. It had obviously been sitting in the dealers for 2 years before anyone decided to buy and register it.

[Jess]

There are no 1977 Models. This is a common misconception. If the bike sat until 1977 at a dealership and then was titled as new... depending upon the state DMV they called the bike a 1977.

I have had one bike in my past that was first titled in 1978 and on the title it said that the bike was a 1978 model. That did not make it true.

Re5's only come in two flavors... M and A. People get themselves wrapped up about year of manufacture. It makes no difference, your bike is either an M or an A... period. Some M's were converted to A's by Suzuki. No records exist... so NO ONE can tell definitively if a bike was converted... Educated guess... yep, but there is no way to tell.

Years ago, when M parts were plentiful, I converted some A's to M's. I have had a few customers purchase all the parts to do the conversion.

That this seller is calling the bike a 1977 leads me to believe that the bike is titled. If it has been titled it is not "new". The value of new, is IF the bike is on the MSO.

That said... the photographs are lovely. It looks like an exceptional unit. I hope he sells it for what he wants... It appears to be a nice bike.

Again, just my 2 cents.

[wayne]

Thank you Gerry and RR, I've wasted a lot of breath trying to explain that there were no "L" models and even once, 13 years ago, trying to settle an ex Suzuki salesman about his insistence that there was a third '77 model.

There is a seller of parts books on ebay who lists his books as covering the L, M and A models. We've had a long discussion and I gave him my final authority as the folks at RR. In the end, I accepted that as a "commercial" angle, if he thought he could sell a few more books by saying it covered the "L" when his competitors were doing the same, fair enough.

Of course when you buy one of his RE5 parts books and open the front cover to the photocopied factory page, it still says "M" and "A".

Having said all that, isn't a snipped B point wire inside the points housing on your "A" model a pretty fair indication that it's a converted "M" ?

[bdalameda]

Here is where the info on the 1977 Model listed came from. The errors about the torque and HP rpm listed are here as well.

www.suzukicycles.org/All-Suzuki/all_suzuki_models.html

[bdalameda]

Also

I definitely remember Suzuki listing a 1977 Rotary for dealerships to order. They may not have actually produced or sold any and the RE5 was dropped right afterwards. Perhaps this is what is causing the confusion.

[bdalameda]

I just found out something interesting about this bike. It was placed in an Auction by Bonhams in May 2011 at Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley California, it did not meet the reserve price of $13,000 USD so it was not sold.

[Jess]

Having said all that, isn't a snipped B point wire inside the points housing on your "A" model a pretty fair indication that it's a converted "M" ?

Nope... No indication at all. If that were the criteria, all A models would be converted M's Some folks may see it that way... does not make it so.

Think about it. That is an extremely simple harness. Suzuki probably had 10000 made by a subcontractor or in house when they were lining up the bike for production. No one thought production would cease at 6300 at that time. No need to spec and make a new part. Use what you have on the shelf.

The highest recorded serial number we have is 16297. I can go out to my collection and take a photograph of the wiring in 16124 (very low milage, very original bike). It would show that one wire has been snipped.

I stand by I disagreeertion. No one on earth can tell if a bike was an M converted to an A definitively. There are indications and one can make an educated guess. However, if one were using the points harness as an indicator, they would be just flat wrong.

Sorry my Aussie mate...

Best,

[Jess]

Wow...

This is really strange.

I have tried to correct my prior post that says... I stand by I disagreeertion

Cant do it.

I will try some different words. Insert.. I believe I am correct...

[goandy]

I thought you were just trying to make up a new word Jess. That's funnytastic!

[snowrench]

I got two A models, and I believe they were both conversions. I suspect this because of the wad of crudely taped wires under the dash, and the Firemist Orange showing through where the black paint has flaked off.