Suzuki RE5 - Test Rider Impressions

Test Rider Impressions

The RE5 was quite advanced in its steering and overall handling, and numerous motorcycle test riders of the day remarked on this, some claiming it the best-handling bike out of Japan and close to European marks. It also had excellent ground clearance. The complex B point system (explained below) gave smoother running on overrun and gave some engine braking. Suzuki stopped fitting the B points to the 1976 "A" model and allegedly had dealers disconnect the system on remaining "M" models. It was also noted that the bikes sometimes exhibited a dead spot or hesitation during acceleration as the carburetor transitioned from primary to secondary throat. This is due to poor synchronization between the positions of the primary, port and the secondary carburetor throat valves. There is also some evidence linking this to jetting, possibly an excessively lean primary mixture. The bike is less powerful than Suzuki's 750 of the day but its greatest attribute is tremendous torque. The bike is smooth compared to many reciprocating engines of the day but has a grinding vibration around 4,000 rpm which was often remarked upon in road tests. Despite speculation about worn or misadjusted components, it is more likely a feature of the engine harmonics. Average fuel consumption is around 37 mpg (7.6 L/100 km; 31 mpg),) but road tests sometimes achieved results as low as 28.6 mpg (9.88 L/100 km; 23.8 mpg) and as high as 43.3 mpg (6.52 L/100 km; 36.1 mpg). In the end, and once over its novelty, test riders found that other than its handling, it wasn't superior to more conventional bikes.