Time has been kind to the looks of the G5. And that’s about the only good think that I can think to say about the passing years and miles that I’ve clocked up. I was stuck with the Honda when learners were forced to ride 125s and the value of the Honda disappeared overnight. If there were a few people who might have accepted the Honda as a free gift, there was no way I could sell it for sufficient money to buy anything better.
The motor is famed, of course, for having bearings for the camshafts as part of the cylinder head. With tiny oil ways the heads last for about ten thousand miles if the oil’s changed every 750 miles. I’ve gone through three. The pistons and bore last about 25000 miles, and with 37500 on the clock I think the small end/conrod is on the way out - which means a new crank.
I’ve also had trouble with the six speed gearbox, fifth and second keep jumping out, so I have to ride around them - not easy as the GS has a paucity of both power and torque and to maintain a 70mph cruising speed needs rapid changing between fourth and sixth.
Then there’s the rectifier, which has leads that fall off just inside the casing - it’s held in position with a couple of elastic bands and a few prayers. The battery has long since been chucked and a large electrolytic capacitor fitted - when the rectifier leads lose contact the bike just stalls with far from amusing consequences.
The front disc brake is dangerous in the wet and the caliper needs rebuilding every 5000 miles, although the pads do last well. Rear shocks don’t work out of town, with weaves on motorways and pogoing on bumpy bends. That said, the frame is quite strong and no speed wobbles result. Top speed is just below 80mph, downhill and it averages 50mpg in nearly all modes. Rust has eaten away the frame and cycle parts, and all the chrome has long since disappeared.
Good points are a nice feel in town, with a very chuckable chassis and enough urge in the lower gears to keep Escorts guessing. And the OHC vertical twin engine sounds rather good, especially with rusted baffles and holes in the silencer. There are lots of dead engines in breakers, it’s simple to tear apart and rebuild.
I paid far too much for the Honda to consider it as a cheap hack but that’s what it’s turned out to be and there’s little more I can say.
W Deels