1976 Suzuki RE5

RE5M 1976 for sale

The bike was built in March 1975 but stood a while before sale.

It is time for me to retire from ownership of this fine vehicle. This is the second RE5 I have owned, as I bought one new in 1975! I purchased this bike in Morecambe in 2000, already in excellent condition and ran it for nearly six years. After sale, the second new owner then extensively restored the bike from frame paint up with invoices for rare and elusive parts, to show standard. I bought it back from Mick Taylor in 2012 and have used it regularly ever since, including this week! It is an original UK bike, one of the 108 I believe were sold here.

The bike is close to pristine, standard and complete. I know of no parts not present. Over the last 1500 miles, the bike has had a new chain, tyres, front caliper rebuilds, oil, new OEM filter, new R1 plug on an adaptor and a routine carb clean. The chain conversion means the bike runs on a smaller size than the old giant chain which was want to break around the tiny front sprocket and take the outer engine case out, (did it on my 1975 new bike). The rotary instrument rotating cover and flat screen have been replaced, along with a new rheostat for the temperature gauge.

The bike starts, runs and ticks over as per spec. It does not overheat. The bike has now covered 42828 miles (I bought it with 39K, 24 years ago). I have the service book with early services. I have tests which show even rotor chamber compressions and a figure of about 114psi cold, (would be considerably higher when hot), which indicates the engine is about half was through its life. Careful tuning has reduced the infamous transition hesitation from primary to secondary bores. I have the special tool to synchronize the port valve. It can be smoky on start up, just like a GT550, but after a minute or two, it all clears, a trait shared with Mazda rotary sport's cars.

I have the rare owner's manual, the rarer original service manual, an illustrated parts list, various technical articles and many, many receipts, I have several contemporary magazines, an original sale brochure, a large selection of exchanges of emails on the restoration/ expertise and a small selection of spares. There is a "show seat" to complement the one shown. There is an active and helpful club on line. Second hand spares are available but are expensive and the parts for this restoration came from across the world. The bike has historic status, so no tax or MOT. The registration has some value.

I am well into my 70’s and so the old beast is getting a bit heavy for me. Putting an RE5 on the centre stand requires a great deal of effort!

I would much prefer visits to Threlkeld near Keswick, 12 miles from Junction 40, M6. The kettle is always on. These bikes are a wonderful part of bike history and you will be expected to tell every audience you meet, about them. Please do you research on this bike and consider it only if you are prepared to turn a spanner on occasion.

Bikes as good as mine but with low mileages are going for £13k or higher. Bikes that need “fettling”, (i. e. many RE5's), are 6k plus. I have priced mine at about 7K or offers near to simply to reflect the higher mileage.

Mike