![]() 05/26/2015 at 12:21 • Filed to: ROTARY, TWO WHEELS OK, INNOVATION | ![]() | ![]() |
I saw today’s QOTD, and it lines up with a thought I had over the weekend. Why hasn’t a rotary engine been used for a motorcycle?
![]() 05/26/2015 at 12:23 |
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It has been.
![]() 05/26/2015 at 12:24 |
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![]() 05/26/2015 at 12:24 |
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Norton and a few others have made a bunch of Rotary engined Motorcycles.
![]() 05/26/2015 at 12:29 |
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![]() 05/26/2015 at 12:35 |
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It has been.
Norton, Suzuki, and a brand called DKW, have done it. Unfortunately production support for rotary engines is not exactly cheap, because it is not industry-supported... and rotary housings aren’t the easiest things to manufacture.
Norton F1 and 588, Suzuki RE5, and the DKW ‘Hercules W2000’, respectively.
![]() 05/26/2015 at 12:42 |
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I have never been up on motorcycle history, so it’s good to see that it has been done in the past. Thanks for the references!
![]() 05/26/2015 at 12:44 |
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They also run really, really hot, which is harder to control on a motorcycle than in a car.