[prof_stack]

Yesterday I took a new red C5 on a 17-mile test ride.  I waited to post this until after a day to let it settle in and lose any initial euphoria.  It had 101 miles when I got on it.

I rode the C5 like it was mine, so the revs were varied and the motor wasn’t lugged.  I went up hills (easy to find in Seattle) and around corners and got it up to a maximum 40mph for a brief time.

Here is what I liked in 17 miles:
- Most Everything

Here is what I disliked in 17 miles:
- Almost Nothing

I am almost 60 years young and am looking to ride off into the sunset on a single cylinder motorcycle.  Here are the cc displacements of all my bikes since I was 16 years old:  90, 175, 500, 883, 1340, 1340, 492, 984 (almost got me killed), 744, 744. 

Comments:
- A honest to God center-stand!  I thought they vanished.
- The shop is TWO miles from home.  Heh, I could coast downhill most of the way.
- The C5 falls into corners quicker than what I’m used to.  That’s a feature, not a problem.
- The mirrors work well enough for me to not worry about them.
- The torque hits right off throttle, so short shifting will be the norm, so to speak.
- The motor pulls well.  Plenty good enough for my riding pleasures.
- The sound and vibration are all correct for the theme of the bike.
- The suspension and springer seat eliminated almost all street imperfections.
- If the after-market pipe first shown on the C5 when it was intro’d is any good, I might switch.  Otherwise I have no problems with the stocker.
- I wish the pegs folded up.
- Would 19 inch wheels help or hurt the handling?  Looks?

Anyway, I’m pretty certain I will put some $$$ down on an incoming model.  Stay tuned.

[2bikebill]

Buy it!
I too am 60 years young and bought my G5 for my 60th birthday last march. I have ridden off into the sunset pretty much every day since.
5300 miles, and I still can't get enough of it.  
Buy it.
Really - go out and Buy it  

oh  -  and the easiest centre stand in the world. Just stand on the lever and the bike lifts itself onto the stand effortlessly.  

[Ducati Scotty]

I found things much the same a short while ago on my test ride.  The quick steering takes some getting used to but ain't bad.  Short shifting is the way to go when it's new.  It will rev higher but it complains a lot.  After 1000 miles of break in my engine is much smoother at higher revs and all accounts say it gets even better in the next 1000 or so.  I was worried about the non folding pegs too but it's something I think of less every day.

19" wheels.  gashousegorilla has installed the 19" front wheel kit but the increased stability we all expected has yet to materialize.  The C5 and G5 have different frames.  The G5 handles like it's on rails, the C5 doesn't but looks prettier, IMO   Ride both if you have any doubts but so far no one has come up with a way to make the C5 handle like a G5, and the G5 really handles very differently.  And better IMO.

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,7936.0.html

Scott

[r80rt]

I have a red C5 that I absolutely love, nothing but trouble free fun for the last 6000 miles. The handling is great on these Arkansas twisty roads and the upswept exhaust is an improvement, but fairly loud.

[Sub]

My impressions were, and are, pretty much the same. I also long for folding foot pegs. My baggy pants get caught on the rubbery foot pegs A LOT - almost caused me to fall once.

Just go for it, I had some reservations too, but I'm really enjoying the enfield. Its fun to play with and mod, and look at. Ridding in high gear on a nice cool summer night at 50mph is just so relaxing. I've put 20 miles on my sport bike since getting the Enfield a couple months ago, for what its worth.

Go for black, its the fastest color.

[prof_stack]

... Go for black, its the fastest color.

Hey, I thought red was faster!!   

[prof_stack]

Quiz time:  What is missing in this picture?  Besides my helmet, something looks amiss on the C5.  Can you spot it? 

I'm sure the C5 is supposed to have it, but the G5 does not.

[gashousegorilla]

A shrubbery? How 'bout it r80rt?

[r80rt]

Ya got me, it looks like it should unless I'm just missing something obvious
And red IS faster!

[gashousegorilla]

Headlight eyebrow? Didn't come on the 09's,but they do show it on the 10' promo pic.
And sorry , black is faster. Black heats up faster in the sun,therefore softening the the dynamic airflow over the counter acting,centrifugal and torsional imbalances created by the colors red and teal, it's a proven fact.

[r80rt]

I think the visor was only on the UK models, my 09 didn't come with one.

[gashousegorilla]

I got it! It's a trick question. It's missing two things, the rear pillion and the hot Blond. No?

[prof_stack]

I think the visor was only on the UK models, my 09 didn't come with one.

Yeah, its the visor that is missing.  The one on this site shows it.  When I asked the new dealer about it, he said that there was none included.  I like the visor.

SO, IS THE VISOR STANDARD EQUIPMENT?  Thanks KM or SB or whoever.

I got it! It's a trick question. It's missing two things, the rear pillion and the hot Blonde. No?

How does the rear pillion attach? 

The hot blonde would be my wife, but she was taking the photo!   

[Ducati Scotty]

The visor in the brochure and the short upturned muffler are not stock.  There's a disclaimer in small print somewhere on there.

The pillion bolts to a spot under the main seat and the two top shock mounts.  Doesn't touch any other spot or the fender which is really nice.

Scott

[2bikebill]

You will find that black with plenty of go-faster chrome is the fastest colour. A sunday morning spent polishing will add a couple of hp.  
Oh, and Prof  -  getting shot of the standard torpedo tube exhaust and putting on something straight-through will save about half a ton in weight and give a surprising performance boost. And suddenly it'll sound like a 500 single should...