Rotary-powered bike?

[TomoHawk]

Happened to be thinking about ratary engine when a bike show was on .

Is there a rotary engine small enough to fit on a motorcycle? Not just the regular kind, but I think you could makethe engine with a long rotor like a roots-style blower has. Maybe even rotary valves too.

the thought was too make the whole bike slimmer and reduce weight. Straightens out the driveline too, so you could run a driveshaft to the rear wheel with less direction changes.

Maybe even an automatic trans!

[axelr8]

Rotary powered motorbikes were produced... they were the Suzuki RE-5 and Hercules W-2000. I actually just found out about them while reading through some rotary forums.

Heres a website if you want some more info on them.

http://www.rotaryrecycle.net/main.asp?pg=intro.asp

[CoastGuardZ]

I have a 97 ninja 600r (c10 model). It rides on a steel frame has about 100hp and tips the scales at 390 lbs. It has more than enough power to be downright scary and is about as narrow as they come for a 4cyl bike. I think the rotary is out of it's element on two wheels. Remember, for a motorcycle the engine sits sideways in order to power the tranny and in turn via chain belt or shaft to the rear wheel. What true advantage would the rotary have over any 600 or 750cc machine. The public must have thought the same because those bikes put themselves out of production.

In my own very opinionated world,

Nate

[kyteler]

I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but a wee while back I posted some pictures of 2 240Z's that belong to a guy I had recently met (Terry). They're in my gallery.

However that's irrelevant, he also had a bunch of other cars and things in his shed, inclusive of 1x Suzuki Rotary Motorcycle, he told me that apparently Suzuki made one in the 70's/80's and Triumph made one in the late 80's or something.

It was pretty novel but I don't know how it performed power wise.

[turbo240]

i've seen hydrogen feuled rotary drag bikes... my dad used to hang out wth a guy who raced rotory bikes at bonnieville

[Rusty1]

The last rotary powered bike that I know of was built by Norton in the early 90's. The greatest problem with these bikes was that the engine was fitted along the length of the bike and it required an additional counter balace shaft to sopt the bike tipping over every time it was revved. The engine was a dog of a thing, because of the heavy shafts it was not particularly responsive and with the addtional space taken up by injection and exhaust it was really bulky.

The end result was a large, ugly, slow revving, wide slug of a bike. The bike was not available for long. I rode one once, I never want to do it again.:sick:

[TomoHawk]

Like I said initially, the (modern) rotary engines are smaller and more powerfull than piston engines. If a rotary engine was used, I don't think they would use a traditional transmission, or even a chain. It would be shaft-drive.

This is the new Millenium guys. You gotta start thinking forward. You will remember that 30 years ago, Americans didn't think that a good sports car could come from Japan.....?

Then what happened?

[CoastGuardZ]

You know, the 600cc sportbikes are all putting out in excess of 100hp. The engines are all aluminum and spin 12000-14000 rpms effortlessly. They get 35+ mpg (I typically get ~45), and the engine is about 15 or so inches long and 8 or so inches wide. I really don't think a rotary could match the size power and torque of these late model damn near street legal race bikes.

Shafts are smooth but I have never been pleased with the performance of them. I can't think of one sportbike, 250cc-1300cc that has ever came with a shaft drive. Of course you dont have to lube them every week either.

I really haven't thought about this application except for a sportbike, It might be more fitting to think of it as a tourer or a standard but it wouldn't be excepted as a cruiser thats for sure.

There is always price to consider. You can pick up a new Suzuki SV650 (v twin sport standard) a comfortable piece of transportation with a great reputation for $5900. I don't think a rotary can match that either.

Tomo... what brings up the moto bit? Do you ride?

Nate

[CoastGuardZ]

Whats the smallest rotary made today?

What would the equivalant size rotary be of 750cc sized 4 stroke engine?

Nate