My GT Review, After 24 Hours of Riding

It was uncomfortable this morning when I went to my garage to get on the loaner GT instead of my ET4. My ET just started at me, with a contemptuous look in its headlight. It already knows that I have fallen for the GT. Of course I told myself I wasn’t going to do this. I told myself I was not going to get on the blog today, after having picked up the loaner GT and absolutely gush over it. I told myself I was going to analyze the pros and cons of the GT verses my beloved ET4. The same ET4 that has carried me faithfully for almost 2 years and 7500 miles back and forth every day to work, in winter and in summer, in rain or in shine. How do you tell someone you love that you found someone new? Worse even, how can I deal with the fact that I will only have this fantastic new love for only 2 weeks?

But what can I do other than to be honest? Here are some things that immediately made me smile (as compared to my ET4 experience):

Smooth as Puddin’: Oh Sweet Lord do I LOVE the extra cushion the GT gives me! Bumps what bumps? Pot holes? Why bother steering around them? It’s not that I don’t feel the road, because I do, it’s that my bones aren’t rattled by it.

Accelerate? Don’t mind if I do: That extra oomphf that the GT has is so nice, with a subtle flick of the wrist I am pulling away from traffic with ease.

Wanna go for a ride?: After having ridden on the back of the ET4 for 2 years my wife was amazed at the comfort and room that the GT provides for passengers.

Glove-ly Goodness: A water tight glove compartment?! You don’t say!! Centralized fuse box in said compartment?! You double don’t say!!

Silenzio!: This bike just seems more quiet than my ET4. In part I think this is because the idle is so perfectly tuned, but also it is because the engine has a lower quality to it, more of a growl than what the ET4 has.

Have I found some things that I am not crazy about, for instance:

- I cannot fit my helmet between the seat and the front of the bike to hang it off the handle that is there.

The storage under seat, while longer than the ET4, is not as deep and seems unnecessarily curved. It is designed that way so that it can accommodate 2 half shell helmets, but to be honest I don’t wear a half shell (and neither should you, full helmets are much better) and would benefit much more if the storage were a bit more wide. Maybe someone will produce a better storage compartment to replace this?

I am sure there are other detractors that I will discover over time, and at the end of these 2 weeks I will come out with a pros and cons list. But right now, the pros win.

Comments

[KarenJ]

I agree about helmet storage and wish that my Arai helmet fit underneath or at least from the underseat hooks. I now use a helmet leash (see http://www.bobsbmw.com/parts_accessories/goodies.html and scroll down to helmet leash) and strap it to the helmet hook. Other than that, I don't really have anything bad to say about the bike. I love mine.

[Cari]

Oh, I'm so with you on the love for the GT. I've been riding my trusty '78 P200 for several years now, and have had the opportunity to test ride a lot of the bikes lately. The GT is dreamy. It's comfortable, it handles well, and I swear, it purrs. It freaking purrs. It handles beautifully, it's comfortable, it'll stop on a dime (well, I shouldn't be stopping on dimes, but did), and well... I just love it. I've been calling it "The Cadillac of Vespas". Oh, it's so great.

And it's on my Holiday wishlist. Ahhh. Beautiful GT. Dreamy.

[Christian]

I checked out the new white GT a few weeks back, and a major con is the faux snakeskin seat...yikes, who thought that one up? They're riding hopped-up GT 250's in Europe...I think I'd rather wait for that bad boy.

[Gary Feduccia]

I finally reached the 300 mile mark on my '06 GT! After owning one '46(?) Cushman and 6 motorcycles over the past 40 years, I can say that I really appreciate my new Vespa! It's been 2 1/2 weeks since Katrina and I just laugh at the gas prices (not really . . . it costs over $6 to fill the Vespa).

By the way, I was the only one who took the motorcycle skills test a few weeks ago, along with 5 motorcycle drivers, who made 100%! One other motorcycle driver passed the test; the others failed! I can attribute this to the supreme manuverability of the Vespa, its non-stalling transmission, and keeping my feet off the ground when turning! Whew, everyone was very impressed.

My only complaint is the lack of a side mounted kickstand that would be much easier to handle than rocking back some 300 lbs. to get it up on the standard stand. Too, self cancelling turn signals could be added.

Otherwise, a well made scooter for two and wonderfully quiet as opposed to the many Harleys down here in the Destin area.

Gary Feduccia
GFeduccia@Cox.Net

[Jon]

Oh, this is making me wish I had gone with the GT instead of the LX that I picked up in July. Maybe in a couple of years I'll upgrade to the GTS 250.

[Paul Miller]

My wife and I had our first big trip this past weekend from Falls Church (near Washington, DC) to Luray, VA. The weather was perfect and the scooter ran beautifully ... right up and over the Blue Ridge Mountains with nary a strain. I'm amazed at how the GT runs so much smoother after the first year and 3,000 mi. ... a soft steady purr now. Of course it's a real grin at the gas pumps these days.

[Vespaqueen]

Got my GT200 the other day in Sydney Australia. It is beautiful - I got the vintage verde with the snakeskin seat, which my dealer happily swapped the standard black one for. People either luv or hate the seat, but that's ok in a democracy. The sidestand comes standard in Australia, but to be honest it is not very stable and I won't use it much. It handles like a dream and feels like a lounge chair.

[Mark E]

I finally convinced a friend to buy a GT (black, like my 2004). I traded him my light brown seat/backrest for the new black w/snakeskin. I like the new look!

[Damian]

Several of you mention how the GT200 purrs. Well, I put a Scorpion exhaust on mine - now it not only roars but it has an extra 5mph at the top end. And, in misty grey and sounding fabulous, it really turns heads.