Dirt Bike Gas Gas article

Clay

Banned
Just got my August issue of DB. There's a great article on the '12 300.
Finally getting the bikes in the mags!
 
I hope they tested it in it's element. Hopefully they made some comparisons to the KTM 300 which they love. I"m still lurking on this site before I purchase the next bike. Learning alot.
 
For the most part itwas a great write up with very little to complain about. Unfortunately I think the bad thing that will stick with any one who has never riden a gasser is the comment they made about how heavy it is. They said it weighs 245 without fuel and then went on to say that it's 5 pounds heavier than akx450. They said the bike felt very light while riding which is a true statement that we have all experienced with our own gassers.

Overall a 99% great writeup with some good pics.
 
I have a 2012 kxf 450 and I thought they felt about the same weight when moving and lifting. Riding the gasgas feels like a toy in comparison.
 
For the most part itwas a great write up with very little to complain about. Unfortunately I think the bad thing that will stick with any one who has never riden a gasser is the comment they made about how heavy it is. They said it weighs 245 without fuel and then went on to say that it's 5 pounds heavier than akx450. They said the bike felt very light while riding which is a true statement that we have all experienced with our own gassers.

Overall a 99% great writeup with some good pics.


That weight is hard to believe, but I've never actually weighed one. I know my 2011 250 Race felt lighter than my 2009 250xcw when I had both. At least while riding.
 
A friend of mine just bought a KTM 200 with e start and it is far lighter than my GG MC 125. I was pretty surprised it was so light. 40 pounds less than his 06 GG 300.
 
Gas Gas can save at least 5lbs on the engine alone. They just have to switch to die cast cases instead of the sand castings.

Sand casting is way more durable though.
 
It was a very positive write up. They went on and on about the motor. The weight commets were definitely nuetralized with how light it felt while riding. My biggest surprise is they said the forks were a little harsh on square edges. I do not have a 2012 but I have a 2011 Race and now after riding it 6 month I still think the forks are really good and have hardly touched a clicker. I happened to buy the bike used and I always wonder if they actually break in before being smooth. Through the years I have not really noticed that to be the case for many bikes. The other thing is they said it was a little busy at high speed. Seems to me they did the normal thing and had a 100 mm of sag which I found on the gasgas is too little sag and makes the shock harsh and the bike busy. Took me a while to believe I could run more sag and everything was better. After riding Jap bikes for years at 95-100mm I naturally started there but found less preload is qute a bit better. the other thing is it was actually a test and not a ride report at some race. For Dirt Bike it was quite lengthy. I like the last 2 lines of the test "And almost certain some young guns will find it's what they've been waiting for all along. They just don't know it." This is why Clay needs his support riders to sell bikes. He needs people to try the Brand.
 
I would rather have durability then save a little weight. But I am a trail rider not a racer.

I wish we had a way to determine how many riders:
1. Never race
2. Race once or twice a year
3. Race at least once a month.

Doesn't matter if you never race or race every weekend, every customer is important. But it would help us with marketing. By the way...when I worked at the orange company we struggled with this too.
 
I think 245 no fuel is BS. I didn't weigh mine yet but it feels lighter lifting it for sure. My '07 weighed in at 253 fully guarded with half a tank.
 
I find it hard to believe 245 is a legit number; Gas Gas would be going backwards in the weight department. IIRC, my '03 with skid plate, radiator guards, front and rear disk guards, pipe guard, bark busters and steering damper went 255 with a splash of gas in it.
 
I've got a set of NASCAR scales from my race car days, when Clay sends me that 250 I'm winning in the raffle I'll weigh it and Clay can tell me what he wants it to be:D

Last bike I weighed on there was a 09 husky txc450 with your standard off road bolt ons and the estart had been removed, it was 275 full of fuel.
 
My 2005 EC250 weighs in at 256 -- with:

Full armor (Aluminum skid, carbon pipe, bark busters, rads, rear shark fin)
Half tank of fuel
Bib Mousse front and rear
Spare tube (used for racers as I swept for a race).

Did I miss anything? ;)
 
I just read the article. Overall, it was very positive. I don't think the 245 lb weight is correct. But even if it is they should have made some basic explanations. The Gasser is a bike with a headlight, taillight, a very large spark arrestor muffler and all the extra wiring for signals,brake lights, large diameter spokes with strong hubs, a very large kickstand with spring, plus a bulletproof motor.Kx 450s don't have this stuff and they are top heavy as hell. I never notice any weight issue with my 300 Gasser. All the 450s feel like porkers to me. Besides the Japanese 450s are so unreliable that they are throw away machines after a season without a huge amount of maintenance. Just IMHO.:D
 
I've got a set of NASCAR scales from my race car days, when Clay sends me that 250 I'm winning in the raffle I'll weigh it and Clay can tell me what he wants it to be:D

Last bike I weighed on there was a 09 husky txc450 with your standard off road bolt ons and the estart had been removed, it was 275 full of fuel.

LOL! That's funny!
 
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