2011 300 Race Ride Report

[celler]

I picked up a slightly used 300 Race. Stock 48 zokes/Ohlins. Has a JD jet kit and Rekluse Core Clutch. 48 Zokes set to stock 20c/20 R. PDF spring 1 turn in from all the way out (When I got the bike the PDF was all out). Rear shock LSC 16, HSC 1.5, Rebound 30. Static Sag 40mm, Rider Sag 115mm, sping Preload 8-9 mm. I weigh 180 lbs, A enduro Skill

I'm also the owner of a 2005 300 DE and a KTM 250 SX (Set Up for Offroad). Also have owned a YZ 250 with SSS forks valved for off road.

Testing so far has been in rocky Missouri clay.

1st things 1st - If you have an older GasGas and wonder if an 11 is worth the upgrade I would say yes. Most every funcion on the new bikke is better than the old with one exception - Turning. The 2011 turns the same as the 2005 which in a good thing. For GasGas riders you know how well they stay neutral while tuning. Flat corners/ruts/ hard pack/ sand/ etc. The 11 feels lighter than the 2005. Still not quite as light feeling as the 250 sx but I do think that model year is the lightest sx ever. Brakes are very good. Equivalent to the KTM. 48 forks seem very good in the rocks and breaking bumps. Better than the LTR valved 45's and the revalved ones on the SX. Best I have had?- Time will tell but I definitely am not even thinking about a revalve. The rear shock seems pretty good. I have found by preloading the shock more the action was not as good. I also tried going lighter on the compression resulting in blowing through the travel too easily and creating a harsh sensation. I have returned to stock and it works well. I don't remember if I ever had a stock bike that I would just ride with stock suspension.

My 2005 was a DE and it has a different ignition than the 2011. The 2011 is very linear. The 2005 was very smooth until the time when the power valve opens and then it was alot to hang onto in the woods.
The 11 can be riden through this tranition much better. Makes me very pleased.

The only complaint I have is the clutch was really noisy.The main reason the previous owner sold the bike was this clutch issue.
Just to make sure this particular bike did not have an issue I dropped in my Barnett basket. With the core EXP and the Barnett -absolutely no clutch noise. With the stock basket I could make the core EXP chirp just taking off on flat ground.

I only have one issue. I have an office job and part of my enjoyment with dirt bikes is the constant pursuit of getting a bike just right. I have quite a challenge improving this one


After a couple hundred miles I have added more rebound to the rear shock (R26). Better overall. I still will continue to tune the shock. Forks continue to be outstanding. PFP now at 2 turns. Front tire is holding up very well in the rocks. Tire has a pretty open pattern so it is a pleasant surprise.

 

[gasmonkey]

Yeah,good write up there cell.Ive got the same bike and the standard clutch churps alright but only when abused
The suspension is tops .Adjusted rear rebound somewhat.I'll shortly have heavier springs fitted as when your riding on the pipe in open country she's bottoming out.Carying a 100kg booze hound just becomes to much for it.

 

[GasGas]

So you would say the cure for the clutch lies in the basket change and not the hub?

 

[john01]

Great report. Congrats. You can always spend more time riding and get your enjoyment that way . Jk I like tinkering around in the garage myself.

 

[roverhybrids]

............

I only have one issue. I have an office job and part of my enjoyment with dirt bikes is the constant pursuit of getting a bike just right. I have quite a challenge improving this one

You may be in luck. Your bike sounds like the one I personally put a hex on

 

[celler]

So you would say the cure for the clutch lies in the basket change and not the hub?

Correct. The only thing I changed was the basket. All other parts are the exact same parts.

This is my theory of what is wrong with the stock basket:

The stock basket has reinforments cast between the drive lugs on the basket. The original owner did a nice job of removing 1/2 of these reinforments which would seem to allow oil into the bottom few plates. This did not work and the basket still chirps. Here comes the theory part. If upu look at the overall diameter of the basket including these cast reinforcments it is very clse to the diameter of the inside of the cases. Now start spinning the clutch and effectively the oil from the transmission side of the clutch has trouble flowing to the clutch. The Barnett clutch has a reinforcing ring about half way up the basket so the plates at the bottom of the clutch are fully exposed to the major resevoir of oil on the transmission side. On the stock clutch the reinformments cast into the basket 1. Cover up the bottom 4-5 plates and 2. Stop oil from migrating to the clutch. If one looks at a KTM 2 stroke the cases around the clutch have 2 large passages that allow oil to go from the trasmission side to the clutch side. Eventually I'm going get my stock basket machined to validate the theory. The Barnett works. From the picture I saw it appears the new Rekluse clutch basket is not using any secondary method to tie the drives together (which is consistent with any other clutch I have seen) so I expect that basket to also work well.

 

[celler]

Great report. Congrats. You can always spend more time riding and get your enjoyment that way . Jk I like tinkering around in the garage myself.

If I had someplace to ride by my house I would definitely ride more. I enjoy riding more then wrenching I could only imagine my tire bill if I road 3 times a week. The Missouri rocks just eat tires.

 

[celler]

Yeah,good write up there cell.Ive got the same bike and the standard clutch churps alright but only when abused
The suspension is tops .Adjusted rear rebound somewhat.I'll shortly have heavier springs fitted as when your riding on the pipe in open country she's bottoming out.Carying a 100kg booze hound just becomes to much for it.

Glad you have your priorities straght. A lot easier to buy some springs than giving up the booze

I have noticed I'm using most of the fork travel so I'm not surprised on the bottoming. Even though I've used the travel I have not felt bottoming. How is the bottoming control - easy on the wrists? Have you turned up the IPF spring preload to reduce bottoming? Not really a replacement for the correct springs but might be a great tuning tool.

 

[john01]

I hear you celler I've got 10 acres at my house and a 100 acre club we ride at about an hour from my home it's fun but can get expensive. LOL I'm loking for tires now .

 

[GMP]

I always thought the clutch issue was oil supply from the center through the clutch, as centrifugal force will expell oil from the basket no scoop it up. This is why GasGas addressed the problem with the new cover design. Get a cover and add holes to the hub if neccessary.

I have the same problem with tires and rocks, will waste a good knobby is a few rides. To save a ton of $$ on tires in the rocks just run a trials tire.

 

[GasGas]

If the older bikes never had this problem with the open basket design and the new more closed in basket does exhibit the problem (as mine does) then it would stand to reason the the basket is the route of the problem. I abused my 125 clutch with no mercy for 5 years ( on one set of plates !) and never a chirp. I can't get through a snotty section on the new bike without it sounding the the clutch is going to self destruct. I also never had a problem with the old 450 either. I ordered a new rekluse basket and will report back in the spring.

 

[Skidad]

I always thought the clutch issue was oil supply from the center through the clutch, as centrifugal force will expell oil from the basket no scoop it up. This is why GasGas addressed the problem with the new cover design. Get a cover and add holes to the hub if neccessary.
.

Isn't the basket redesigned on the 2012 models also?

 

[swazi_matt]

Isn't the basket redesigned on the 2012 models also?

Think it is - slightly better circulation and also the clutch cover is designed to direct oil into the centre of the basket and I believe it can be fitted to the 2010/1 models as well

 

[GMP]

There is another thread on this subject, with pics, fixes and results. Some of the hubs had fewer holes from the factory than others as well. My '07 basket has the webs at the bottom, which is supposed to be bad by some opinions, but the hub has a lot of holes and its been great. 450s shouldn't be a problem because they are lubed with a positive flow from the mainshaft. They also have a dry sump, so no oil to scoop up there. The '12 baskets are also supposed to be hard coated or plated. Clay had pics but not with the side cover off so you could not see the basket design.

 

[celler]

I always thought the clutch issue was oil supply from the center through the clutch, as centrifugal force will expell oil from the basket no scoop it up. This is why GasGas addressed the problem with the new cover design. Get a cover and add holes to the hub if neccessary.

I have the same problem with tires and rocks, will waste a good knobby is a few rides. To save a ton of $$ on tires in the rocks just run a trials tire.

If oil can get into the center of the clutch I can definitely see how holes in the center hub will work. On the other hand with a Rekluse installed oil from the new cover would just hit the outer surface of the rekluse and then centrifigul force would just spin the oil off befor ever getting into the clutch??? I will report back when I test my modified stocker. Edit - I'll post results on clutch sticky. I did not realize the sticky was their.

Trials tires - I do run and MT 43 in the summer. I can grind one of those down in about 300 miles in Missouri. It is the longest lasting tire I found.In Colorado where I don't have any power they last 1000. I really like the Dunlop 803 but I tear off all the center knobs in 150 miles when it is hard and rocky in Missouri. MT 16 at low pressure work and last well in Missouri.

 

[GMP]

Not too familiar with the Rekluse pressure plate offhand, but its the same regardless of application and there is no widespread problem created by it in other bikes. You also have to consider the clutch hub/pressure plate is only spinning at high speed when the clutch is locked up. Slow going in tight woods, technical rocks, almost stopping sometimes, it will be moving slowly, so more oil can potentially enter the hub. I would not doubt GasGas made a clear plastic model of the new cover to visually test the theory.


Mitas ET-01 if you can find one, toughest trials tire out there for a woods bike. With a smooth style in the rocks the tires work well and last reasonably long. MT-16 with a Tubliss at 8-9 PSI is good too, thats what happens to be on my bike now until more of the fall leaves go away, trials tires suck on leaves.

 

[celler]

Agree -My normal tire is mt 16 at 8 psi
Thanks