Tour kit. Fairings, rack and bags.

[wayne]

A detailed history of the RE5 "Tour Kit" can be found HERE.

[quawk]

Wayne, I assume the "m" bike shown in the pic with your name is yours. Was wondering if you purchased this bike new, if so did you purchase the touring kit parts (fairing and bags) at the same time or did you have to wait until later in the year for the touring kit items to become available as the above history indicates. Or did you buy them at a later date used? As a nod to all he did for motorcycling, a small correction, his name is Craig Vetter, not Carl.

[wayne]

Correction Carl to Craig done! Thanks QUAWK.

I bought the bike "naked" in 1980 with 8000 klm on it from the original owner. Originally purchased new in Dec 1975 and in storage since 1976 and had it's original registration sticker still attached. Had been on the road less than a year.

We never got the tour kits in Australia. I rode the bike for a a year, had to stop riding for medical reasons but kept the RE5 as I felt it was unique. It was in storage another 19 yrs and then I discovered Sam Costanzo and Rotary Recycle. With a source of parts and help, I decided to revive the bike. I happened on a US article showing a "Beta" test of the tour kit. Never heard of this before. I asked Sam and he (of course) had several. I was working in the US at the time for an airline so it was relatively cheap to ship the kit to Australia. That was around 2001. I believe at the time it would have been the only tour kit in the country.

I've had contact with at least 1 owner who bought his bike off the showroom floor fully equipped with the tour kit in the US. Several bikes have subsequently been imported into Australia from the US with tour kit attached but in all my years of ownership I've never seen another tour version on the road in AU. I think at one point Suzuki in the US gave away two "his and hers" RE5's brand new fully equipped with matching tour kits in gold metal flake.

If you're not a fan of the tour kit, shield your eyes:

The seat is not a Suzuki item, made by "Mr Seats" of CA for the RE5 and I don't believe the sissy bar was either. However, the rack comes equipped with mounting holes for the bar.

[quawk]

I must say I like the look of your bike "fully kitted" as I think they say. After riding an early Gold Wing (yeah, I know) behind a fairing and windshield for lot of years, and climbing on a "naked" bike, I quickly remember why I prefer riding behind some protection. Did the exhaust extension tips come from Sam C. as part of the touring kit or did you purchase these separately? My "m" model, which I have never had a chance to even touch let alone work on since I've had it, came with these extensions installed. It has a Windjammer (Craig Vetter) fairing, a double bucket seat, and trunk, but no side bags. It's quite possible it did have bags at one time, hence the extensions. I personally like the looks of these extensions with or without the extra touring kit. This may not be the correct place to ask this but if a member, me in this case, is interested in purchasing items that Jess was offering for sale, should one go ahead and message him about purchasing or wait until such time that he returns to being an active member?

[wayne]

I like telling 'Wing owners the Touring RE5 was available off the showroom floor around 1976. IE years before Honda brought out the GL1100 with all its gear.

I've owned a 1500 and now an 1800. Two very different bikes but that 1500 was the most comfortable thing I've ever ridden (don't buy one for the handling!).

When I bought the kit from Sam it came with the extensions. My imported A model (also from Sam) was fully kitted and with extensions. I also bought a replica set in Stainless from Jess. Superbly made. You can also get replicas from the UK.

I think the understanding with Jess is that you can email him. Just don't expect an answer 'til he's ready.

RR told me they were supplied to owner's of the tour kits by Suzuki (that would be through Suzuki USA). I've never heard what the whole deal was. Were they free? Nominal cost? Fitted during a service? Would like to know. All the brochures I've seen don't show the extensions so presumably all photographed before the need for them arose.

If you want, you can pack the extension with Rockwool acoustic insulation. It has no appreciable effect on performance or flow of exhaust. It reduces the noise a noticeable (and measurable) amount. My M was dyno tested with the packed extensions and was still 2nd highest hp of the 5 REs tested. It would have been interesting to test again without them:

re5rotary.proboards.com/thread/929/exhaust-extensions-more-bling

Dyno Day:

re5rotary.proboards.com/thread/1242/dyno-day-re5