In 1970, Suzuki obtained a license to use the rotary engine patents of the West German company NSU Wankel. In a little over three years, Suzuki used this license to develop and launch a rotary engine-equipped motorcycle. The RE-5 is a model exclusively developed for export to North America, Europe, and Oceania. The liquid-cooled single-rotor 497 cm³ engine generates 62 PS. Advantages of rotary engines include smooth revving, seamless acceleration, less vibration, and the lower number of cylinders required . However, with the oil shock of the autumn of 1973 increasing demand for more fuel-efficient models, production and sale of the RE-5 was halted about a year after its debut.