L and B Models.

[supersaki]

Does anyone know the chassis no`s for the L models.
I have a very early 74 bike,but is it a L or a M model.
How do the two differ?
One thing i did notice, was that the rotor housing side plates have no pattern or moly on them they are just plain?? (internally)
What was the difference between the A and the B?
All the best in the new year,Roy

[Jess]

There are no L or B models... only M and A.

It is a common misconception that manufacture dates and model designations are the same.

Manufacture dates do not denote model years.

With regard to the Re5 many folks are far too wrapped up in the year stamped on the frame tag, or listed on the title. All that matters with this particular bike is the cosmetics. The question I always ask, is the bike an M or A? People respond "it is a 1975" I then ask is it red, blue, or black... (while not a perfect system, due to resprays) but pretty good... If they answer "red or blue"... it is usually an M. If they answer black, again, usually an A. I then go on to ask them if it has "softball turn signals" or more conventional ones... This is usually as far as I have to go.

I have personally seen at least two bikes titled as 1980. Does this make them an "T" model...? Most folks would say no.

There are no records as to when the change was made... There is no clear deliniation as to up to frame number XXXXX is an M and after is an M. Anyone who tells you that there is... is incorrect.

Exact production numbers do not exist. There were approximately 6300 total units built., at about a 50-50 split of M and A. Now... Add to the equation that the M's did not sell as they were considered ugly... Suzuki sent teams to convert M's to A's at dealers where the bikes had been sitting for a while. The M parts were ordered destroyed by directive from Suzuki and most were smashed to bits then throw in the dealerships dumptser... Some have survived. I have purchased form techs that worked at a dealership and after the change was made they were given the parts.

The bottom line is that there are only M and A models. L and B are internet creations or marketing lies. The bike was only produced for less than two years.

Hope that helps...

Best,

[supersaki]

Thankyou,very helpfull.
Do you have any explanation regarding the smooth side plates in the rotor housing?
All the best Roy.

[Jess]

Roy,

I'm not sure that I understand your question?

Best,

Jess

[ziggystardust]

I think this site may be responsible for the L and B model myth.

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

Sometimes it may be read wrong. What this site says is that the year 74 is L and B 77. A bit misleading for the RE5 perhaps?

The RE5 piece in CMM for this February also relates to the L and B models, now I know the journalist personally and even though he's really knowledgeable on Japanese classics with respect he's no expert on the RE5 so he's obviously done some research through people he knows like myself and the Internet for the article, chances are he used this site for some of his information.

[supersaki]

Hi Jess,
The proper unit or the rotor housing on my early bike is different to my other M models.
Looking in the exhaust port,the internal surface of the side plates has no swirl pattern on it,just plain
Have you seen this before?
Engine No.RE5-10225
Hope this helps, thanks Roy

[Jess]

Now I understand...

Suzuki used a special and hugely expensive coating on the rotor side plates...

On the early engines they coated the entire surface of the side housing. This proved to use much, much more of this hugely expensive coating... So they devised a way to screen the material on the side housings in the "spirograph" pattern.

The pattern allowed them to use much less of the unobtainium coating. I do not know what engine number the change was made. Your bike is very early... It is 172nd off the line and about 140th (approximately) that was actually available for sale. The first 30 or so were pulled and given to Suzuki executives and others as payoffs ect.

If anyone has a duff engine housing that has the complete side coating that they are willing to part with, I would love to have it for the museum.

Hope that helps

Best,

Jess

[supersaki]

Thank for the info.
Spirograph, I was gona say that,did you have that when you were a
youngster? (was it available in the U.S?)
This engine is sick and i am about to replace it with a new one.
Are you looking for a side plate or the whole proper unit?
Regards Roy.
P.s. How about some pictures of museum.

[Jess]

Roy,

I would love to have a side plate. Let me know what I owe you for it...

Yes, I had a spirograph as a child... They were available here and I spent many hours with that silly thing.

The museum is open by appointment. I am happy to give tours to anyone who wants to come for a visit. I don't give out photographs as the last thing I want is photos bouncing around the web...

Good luck with your project. Glad I could answer some Q's

Best,

Jess

[gerryggg]

I have a question. Have you found very many RE5s where the engine number was lower than the frame #? As you can see in the attached photo, the engine number in the unit I just bought is 10270. The frame # as you can see the in next photo is 10569. I find it odd that the frame number would be almost 300 higher than the engine number.

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[gerryggg]

Here's the frame number. 10569

[mike500]

my frame number is 648 higher than my engine number

[gerryggg]

I guess it's not that unusual on the RE5 then. I know it's not the norm on other models.

[gerryggg]

I did a little research on the model years. According to the Suzuki Service Publications Bulletin 3, last updated in 2/99 (the latest update) the RE5M started with frame number 10053 and engine number 10118. Under the RE5A it lists the frame and engine numbers as N/A. There are no listing for an L or B model.

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