So today I finally got down to Vespa Portland to take both the C5 and the G5 for a ride. Many thanks to Justin for basically tossing me two sets of keys and recommending a nice twisty road. Some of this will be a comparison to my Ducati Monster, sorry but I've spent three years on it so it's unavoidable. I rode a 2010 C5 with about 700 miles first and then a 2010 (I think) G5 with about 150 miles.
A few first impressions:
The nacelle looks just bitchen!
The C5 speedo looks great illuminated in the dark.
A 500 single sounds awesome chuffing along in a tunnel, even with a stock exhaust.
Common traits of both bikes:
On pulling away I have to admit the bike felt a bit 'mopedy' in the power department. I'm used to more than 3 times that much power and a 9,500 RPM redline and smooth delivery throughout. I was a bit disappointed at first but after just a few blocks I realized there's not much point in revving the engine much, it just vibrates a lot more when you do. Take advantage of the low end torque and the bike is very happy and pulls plenty well enough to keep up with in town traffic. Actually, better than that since I was frustrated being stuck behind a few people lolling along at 35-40. I pulled over and let them motor on to get some clear road and then set out again. There was plenty of giddy up to quickly scoot me up into the 50-60 indicated range without any complaints, on a slight uphill.
Nothing was out of place or awkward. All the controls are well placed and the seating position is very comfy and upright. Even so, the wind at 50-60mph was easily tolerable. I like bikes without shields or fairings so YMMV but I never felt like I was being pushed off the bike. The front brake is very light, has good feel and modulation, and stops the bike well. It was so light it took some getting used to. I'm used to the dual 320mm disks with 6 piston calipers on the Ducati. The rear brake holds well on a hill and keeps the bike well composed when braking, which is all I expect from a rear brake. The clutch was amazingly light but also worked very well after a few minutes of getting used to it. Again, Ducatis (at least pre slipper cltuch era models) are known for very stiff clutches. The throttle was light and the action was smooth. It has less rotation from closed to wide open than I've seen on most machines.
The transmission was amazing! Smooth, quiet, and sure. I was pleasantly surprised at how refined it felt. I guess I was expecting it to feel sort of agricultural. Not at all. Shifts were quiet and predictable with no fuss. There was only one false neutral on the G5 in the upper gears and that bike had the gearshift lever positioned high and I was shifting lazily. My fault entirely, not the machine.
The mirrors suck. Don't they all? The little handle by the seat makes getting it onto the center stand a breeze.
The pegs transmit some vibes, especially in the upper revs where I quickly decided not to be anyway. They are also fairly wide set and non folding so I caught a boot or leg on them from time to time. I'm sure it would sort itself out as I got used to the bike. The bars also transmit some vibes. Hands and feet were both a little tingly after my two rides totaling maybe 40 minutes. I bet some better grips would go a long way. Not sure what to do with the pegs except keep the revs down and get the engine broken in so it smooths out.
At 6' tall with a 34" inseam I expected to feel cramped. I didn't on either bike. The seats differed and I preferred the C5 solo seat. It took me a little while to get used to sitting back on the C5 saddle. Despite what you think you won't fall off and I was most comfortable at the tail end of it. A little scoop for reference would be nice. I didn't really like the springs on the seat. If I bought one I'd probably add some little black brackets to make the seat fixed but leave the springs for aesthetics. The G5 seat was a little softer and also less comfortable for me. I don't think I could spend more than an hour or maybe two on it.
Forgto to mention this at first...The suspension is just fine. I weigh 230# and the fork on this bike is notoriously simplisitc but I have to say, both bikes rode just fine. There was nothing either miraculous or terrible on either, the system is well balanced and suited to the bike. Like I said about many things, nothing truly ugly rears its head.
End addendum.Differences:
Ok, so we know they look a little different. The C5 is a nod to the 50s and the G5 is a nod to the 60s. I think the C5 is gorgeous. I don't like the G5 as much. The seat looks cheap and poorly proportioned. The chrome tool boxes are awkward and gaudy. The smooth panels that cover the battery and air cleaner look almost like 80s styling. In my opinion the panels and tool boxes should be reworked to look more like a rounded oil tank and less flowy. All that said, I could probably modify it to a configuration I liked.
The REAL difference:
So the main thing I was really curious about and why I wanted to ride these two bikes back to back was tire/wheel size. The C5 has 18" wheels, the G5 has 19" wheels.
The frames, forks, and all other mechanical bits are the same. Correction:ScooterBob points out below that the C5 and G5 actually have different frames
End corrrectionThe wheel size difference means that the C5 has less trail and less gyroscopic force making it, theoretically, a quicker handler at low speeds but a little less stable at high speeds. Shouldn't matter that much, right? And yet I am telling you now these are two very different bikes to ride!
At speeds under 10mph the C5 drops into turns at the slightest suggestion. It doesn't quite fall into turns the way an old style chopper with bad geometry does but you need to pay attention in low speed turns or it will turn more than you expect. From 10 to 50 handling is light, very light. Again, just think where you want to go and the bike is there. Let your mind wander and the bike will too. From 50 to 60 mph (fastest I went) the front end feels a little squirrely and you also really start to notice the 'rubber band hinge' feeling in the middle of the bike, especially when changing directions or your line through a turn. I think GasHouseGorilla is right, this swingarm is too flexy and needs some reinforcement.
The G5 is a totally different story. From 10mph up it really feels like it's on rails. Surefooted and planted. Mid-corner corrections elicit none of the waggling that would come from doing the same thing with a C5. The handling is not heavy but I was now consciously countersteering the bike and the bars pushed back a little. Just for giggles I gave the G5 bars a few sharp nudges while going about 55. I could instantly feel the rubber band hinge in the middle of the bike but it stayed mostly composed and did not wander offline. The C5 needed some attention at these speeds to keep it where I wanted it.
I could not believe the difference between the two bikes! The C5 is light and airy and steers with a thought below 50, but takes some attention above that to keep it on course. It's easily upset at higher speeds by ham fisted input from the rider. The G5 takes just a bit more effort to steer but handles the speeds from 50-60 without a second thought.
When I got back Justin asked what I thought about the two bikes. It turns out we're on the same page. The C5 looks better but the G5 has that surefooted feeling at higher speeds. Again, thanks for letting me ride both bikes today Justin. We're both curious to see what the C5 would do with a 19" front wheel and I'm going to keep following Gorilla's swingarm mod thread.
Just to frame this review for you, a little about me...
I learned to ride when I was 12 on a Honda XR-75 dirt bike. I had a Puch 50cc moped when I was 16. I didn't ride much again until I was about 30 and took the MSF course. I put about 10,000 miles on a Yamaha V-Star 650 one year, and 10,000 more on a Kawasaki ZR-7 the next. I took a few more years off and then bought a Ducati Monster 800 and put about 10,000 miles on that over the last 3 years. I studied a little engineering before swtching to computers. I've worked on all kinds of engines and vehicles since I was 12 and still do most of my own maintenance on everything I own. My riding stopped abruptly 3 weeks ago when a sweet old lady knocked the Ducati over while it was parked and totaled it. The damage isn't terrible but it's expensive because it's a Ducati. So now I'm in the midst of working through the insurance claim and deciding whether to repair the Ducati or get something else, like maybe a nice C5
Thanks for reading,
Scott