2014 Pics and Ride Report

[Clay]

Did you say beer and dirt biking clay????? Maybe I have to organize a guys weekend to see you down there, you can hang out with a bunch of redneck Canadians

Even Canadians are welcome but you prolly need to bring your own beer since ours is so weak compared to yours.

 

[nknudsen]

Did you say beer and dirt biking clay????? Maybe I have to organize a guys weekend to see you down there, you can hang out with a bunch of redneck Canadians

You better be careful Trev. You might end up being stuck in customs too.

 

[schlitzy]

I do intend to send bikes to Kevin Novello at Trail Rider in New England because he rides where we do.

Awesome!! His review of the 2012, combined with AfterHoursCycles reputation with a GG rider here in AZ and Chilly's review got me off the fence. I even subscribe now. Hope to see another write up on the 2014.

 

[forgiven]

I do think it is tough to get good information out of the magazines to be sure.

I went riding with a bunch of guys riding everything from a KDX200 to KTM 450's and my buddies semi clapped out GG300 was my favorite ride. Would have never thought I would have went back to a premix bike again. I rode quads for a few years and hadn't ridden a bike in 20 + years.

I got a new 2010 EC300 and still love that bike today.

Probably not the best suspended bike but really good. Inspires confidence, and my 16 year old who is a 4stroke zealot calls it Dads cheater bike.

It is sad but guys who ride with me and see how I ride come up and ask...is that really 274 lbs??? Looks like it handles well but man I don't want to pick up 274 pounds. That misinformation is powerful. It is again sad but these guys will talk like what is said in that magazine like they rode it themselves...tragic

I try not to be a brand loyal zealot but I would have to ride a 14 GG before I bought a beta as good as they sound. I am short legged so it limits the options anyway. I think most of the guys here know the scoop, but I feel for you Clay trying to fight the good fight.

Keep it up and hopefully Spain can get their act together.

 

[3beejay3]

FWIW I have about 110 hours on my '12 250es & I like it more each time I ride it. The snottier the conditions, the better this bike works.

I've never bought a bike because of what some mag writer said, but because I rode it and liked it.

 

[Clay]

FWIW I have about 110 hours on my '12 250es & I like it more each time I ride it. The snottier the conditions, the better this bike works.

I've never bought a bike because of what some mag writer said, but because I rode it and liked it.

Unfortunately I think you are the exception rather than the rule. A surprising number of riders think that what the mags says is the absolute last word on the performance of a motorcycle.

 

[Clay]

You better be careful Trev. You might end up being stuck in customs too.

I'm sure Trev is safe. They let Scott Rocher through on a regular basis.

 

[Bandit9]

It's possible for us to ride at Carter Mountain? I've been wanting to ride there for a long time.

If you have a demo ride at Carter Mtn, (and my wife let's me go, .) I'm there man! I'm thinking about getting a 14' anyway.

 

[desertgasser300]

Did you say beer and dirt biking clay????? Maybe I have to organize a guys weekend to see you down there, you can hang out with a bunch of redneck Canadians

Rednadians.....LMAO!

 

[desertgasser300]

Nope! I'm done with the west coast dirt rags. If they want to come to the east to ride here then they can test our bikes, both GG and Sherco. I'm done sending bikes out to CA for them to ride. I can't be there when they do the test and show them all of the things they need to know, like how the PFP valve works on the forks, so they will have to come here to ride them. I really am at a loss as to why people care about what the mags say. All of those guys were at a national enduro this summer and only one of them was able to beat a 53 year old "chunky guy" that had a heart attack earlier in the year. I 'm not sure they are qualified to test a bike that will mainly be ridden in the woods rather than the desert. Rather than take their word for what is good, I hope you guys will get in touch with me for a demo ride so you can decide yourselves. I do intend to send bikes to Kevin Novello at Trail Rider in New England because he rides where we do.
Sorry, Stoby! You struck a nerve....!
Funny thing...After I typed my above rant, I went to the grocery store for some milk and picked up a Dirt Bike magazine. In his column, Tom Webb talked about how tough the PA national enduro was and how he was waaaaay out of his element. BUT...he still wrote a test on a bike. Huh? Don't get me wrong....I respect Tom and he is a good rider....out west, in So Cal and in the desert type environments. In over three years now we have sold about 1% of our bikes where he and the other mag guys live. The rest have been bought by customers who ride between trees and over roots with mud and slime on them. The more I have thought about this (I get a lot of time to think driving the bus to and from enduros) the less sense it makes. So, here is my challenge to you guys: Don't let a So Cal writer make up YOUR mind for YOU! If you are about to spend just south of $10k on a dirt bike, invest the time to ride the bike yourselves and make up your own mind. If you ride one of the bikes I sell and decide not to buy it based on that experience, I can live with that. If you decide not to buy a bike I sell because of a west coast mag, then I'm gonna pour a beer on your head!

Thank Goodness I have been waiting to here that. Those rags can take a flying leap. I was so tickled when I saw Booth get his pants beat off him by a GasGas. Go Stephen Foord!!!!

 

[erniebearskin]

Foordy is an awesome guy and a great representative for GasGas, as is young local Pro Matt Coonfer. I accidently wiped Matt out this year during a race due to my own stupidy (drifted into his line) and he actually came up after the race and apologized to me?? Lots of fast guys representing GG in Western Canada.

I think I heard Lexi P is on a factory GasGas deal next year as well.

 

[Clay]

It's possible for us to ride at Carter Mountain? I've been wanting to ride there for a long time.

If you have a demo ride at Carter Mtn, (and my wife let's me go, .) I'm there man! I'm thinking about getting a 14' anyway.

Yes it is when hunting season is out. So lets work on doing this maybe in mid-January? Does that work?

 

[Bandit9]

Works for me. I'm pretty flexible, so whatever is convienent for everyone else.

For those of you who don't know about CMRA, I hear it is some really great singletrack that is pretty technical and challenging. Probably going to whip my butt.

 

[Clay]

Works for me. I'm pretty flexible, so whatever is convienent for everyone else.

For those of you who don't know about CMRA, I hear it is some really great singletrack that is pretty technical and challenging. Probably going to whip my butt.

There are 3 loops. Loop one is a little more open but has a lot of logs. About 22 miles long. Loop 2 is tighter and about 23 miles long. Loop 3 (my favorite) is 30 miles long and pretty technical.

 

[andykr87]

Were exactly is carter mountain? I have 12 mile of very technical trail in southern indiana if anyone is ever in the area. Its not ridden much at all. And now that the national enduro trail is established id be willing to take someone there too.

 

[ShelbyJohnson]

Reviewer

One of these days maybe not too long from now I can take some time and write a review. I wrote this review in late 2012 but never published until I started reading this thread. I was like yeah I'm not convinced by a magazine because they are too limited by their perspective and probably too immersed in the industry details. I threw away my Sport Rider subscription because their reviews were written by engineers, who were meticulously pouring over obtuse details that did not matter to average Joe Rider.

Do you know what matters most to a new motorcycle buyer? I would bet you what matters most is how THEY FEEL about the appearance of the bike against their own self image of themselves riding that new bike. That's my bet. I could be wrong, but if I'm close then its easy to see why the reviewers have so much influence.

Earlier this season I interviewed Trent Keen who is number 3 in the Arkansas
series with one race left in 2013. Now mind you he is racing a 2013 but he had a very telling remark, he used the exact words, 'tree to tree" and "low end" I put the the sound file at the bottom of my review as a sort of 2013 update.

I'm no professional reviewer. Just a B35+ average Joe Rider Hare Scramble Racer Because Its A Lot of Dang Fun. Hope you enjoy the review.

http://www.gunpowderracing.com/2013/11/08/gasgas/

 

[Clay]

Were exactly is carter mountain? I have 12 mile of very technical trail in southern indiana if anyone is ever in the area. Its not ridden much at all. And now that the national enduro trail is established id be willing to take someone there too.

It is between Winchester, TN and Huntsville, AL. Just north of the border betwen TN/AL. It is on top of the Cumberland Plateau.

 

[Darrendeep6]

Thank you Clay, this needed to be said. I'm super happy with my GG. I was instantly more comfortable on it than my Husky. Sometimes I buy into the dirt rags a little too much. I remember calling my dealer after the Dirt Bike review came out, "I don't get it, my 300 rips and I couldn't imagine needing more". You put it into perspective for me.

 

[kneehurts]

re:

I have a brand new 2012 ktm 250 xc-w. I have 1 hour on it. It won't idle for some reason. It was in a crate at dealer so it can't be bad gas. I think the ignition is bad. I had a dream last night I traded it for a GG 300. It was so real.

 

[bkwdc]

I want in on that ride. Please keep updating.