Rotary engines and cars have been odd bedfellows for years, with the likes of NSU, Citroën and Mazda all experimenting with Felix Wankel’s unconventional approach to generating compression. 

Yet in many ways, rotary engines work better in bikes. They are smooth in their very nature and thrive on high revs, both of which are attributes massively appreciated by the majority of motorcyclists.

Recognising this, Suzuki bought a licence from NSU to use its rotary engine technology in 1970 and spent the next four years developing a bike that used a single rotor rather than the twin rotary systems often found in cars. It was a fascinating thing with styling influences in the instrumentation, dials and body frame from Italian styling house Giugiaro. 

Suzuki had high hopes for the RE5 but unfortunately these were short lived thanks to a combination of below average reliability and a cautious approach from buyers towards the rotary technology, meaning that Suzuki lost a huge amount of money on the project and that the RE5 was remembered more as one of the motorcycle industries big white elephants.

it's an unjust reputation, because almost five decades on the simple brilliance of a rotary-engined motorbike makes a huge amount of sense, while the Suzuki styling has aged well. It's a rare, unusual and wonderfully quirky classic bike that deserves a lot more recognition for its bravery today than it ever received when it was new.

This example has covered just under 12,500 miles from new.

The RE5 was registered in 1975 and spent most of its life in the USA. The vendor - who is both a car and a bike nut - had always fancied one so when he saw this example for sale he bought it and had it imported to the UK. 

It was registered here in April 2021 and it's been used a few times by the seller, who is now slimming down his collection to focus on a couple of his classic cars.

Very little is known about the bike’s early history but it has clearly been loved, preserved and kept as part of a collection.

The bike is supplied with a UK V5C. It is both tax and MOT exempt thanks to its historic vehicle status. All of the import paperwork was completed by the vendor, all duties have been paid and the bike is currently road legal.

Overall, the Suzuki is in exceptionally condition – hardly surprisingly given its low mileage. 

The bodywork is in good order, with the frame, forks, handlebars and mudguards all in near perfect condition, though a couple of the badges are slightly faded. It is, however, completely free of any damage and very well presented. 

The frame and engine numbers match and confirm its originality, while the instrument cluster works as intended and all the warning lights come on as they should.

  

Thanks to the engine’s inherent nature and the way in which it delivers instant compression, the Suzuki is a keen starter. Indeed, it fired up instantly with a relatively low battery and after being parked in a garage for several months.

It sounds wonderful, unlike anything else on the road, thanks to the rotary engine’s inherent smoothness. The vendor, an engineer, has been over the bike thoroughly since he acquired it and reports that it rides really well indeed and that there are no known mechanical issues. He has recently given it a full service.

This is a real anomaly of a bike. A rarity that made so much sense when it first came out that it's really difficult to understand why it never really caught on.

Its rarity, though, means that today it's also a highly collectible machine as well as a very interesting sidebar in motorcycle history. 

Given its low mileage and impeccable presentation, this has to be one of the best RE5s on the market globally and would make a fabulous addition to any historic motorcycle collection.