I know I've seen single rotor renesis engines somewhere on the web but can't find any specs. I was daydreaming the other day about their potential and wondered if they would be feasible as a motorcycle engine. Seems like they'd be a whole lot smoother than 2 piston engine. Probably wouldn't eclipse any superbikes, actually I know very little about motorcycle tech.

anyhow, thoughts?

I think the renesis is too big for a bike. Cut down the external dimensions by q third, mount it sideways in the frame, make some custom housings to mount a slot-in gear box (like on race bikes) and your away!

The biggest problem would be mounting the gearbox and cooling. And intake! You could never use the standard manifold, and whatever manifold you used it would be sticking out the side of the engine! Yuk!

Worth dreaming about though, someone will do it,,,

Hmmmm. Mazda rotary motorcycle? Why not. Honda, BMW, and Suzuki make both cars and bikes.

There used to be a company called Eco-Max that made single-rotor engines running on Liquid Propane Gas. Supposedly generated 125hp from those motors.

In regards to rotary motorcycles - it's been done before.
Here's a page that has rotary motorcycle information:
http://www.monito.com/wankel/motorcycles.html

Originally posted by shawnio
I know I've seen single rotor renesis engines somewhere on the web but can't find any specs. I was daydreaming the other day about their potential and wondered if they would be feasible as a motorcycle engine. Seems like they'd be a whole lot smoother than 2 piston engine. Probably wouldn't eclipse any superbikes, actually I know very little about motorcycle tech.

anyhow, thoughts?
Did you really see single-rotor Renesis', or single-rotor rotaries? There are a few companies that make the latter. I'd be more interested in using one to swap the Briggs on my lawn mower. Now, that would be sweet - especially if it was a riding mower.
I think Rotax makes a small rotary for go-karts, and I believe someone even makes a complete turn-key kart with that motor.

In regards to rotary motorcycles - it's been done before.

Yep, I know. I meant that a Mazda rotary bike would be interesting. I'm planning on buying a Suzuki RE-5 after I get an 8.

I've got an old 13B in my parents garage. Since they've cut the outer dimensions down on the renesis already, I expect it should be possible to build a frame around the entire 2 rotor engine. Damn, that'd be sweet.

A 2-rotor motorcycle? Deathmobile, I say.

Originally posted by kbull
A 2-rotor motorcycle? Deathmobile, I say.

Well it's not all that bad. The Suzuki Hayabusa, which is not at all uncommon nor unobtainable, has a 1300cc motor. Granted, that thing is considered a deathmobile by most as well. :D

a pix of hercules wankel bike.

http://membres.lycos.fr/rebel6/hercules1.jpg

a link.
http://www.millville.org/Workshops_f/kess_mech/tools/1tools/motorcycles.html

Norton used to race a Wnkel powered bike in several race series in Europe. It was by far the best and sportiest of the rotary powered bikes.. it actually looked like a modern sportbike.
However, it was eventually banned from competition because it was obnoxiously loud, smoky, and they just couldn't figure out what class to put it in displacement-wise.
I'd be all over a new rotary powered sportbike, since I'm a 2stroke junkie who is rather unsatisfied with all current motorcycles...

http://mujweb.atlas.cz/www/mcb.cz/galerie/Norton/Nor038.JPG

Behold the Norton F1 Rotary racebike.

One of the big issues on the Suzuki re-5 was fuel range. Since the bike was too heavy for anything except a street cruiser the fact that it could only go ~100 miles on a tank full became a real problem.