I am reaching out to all GG owners who are riding the later 450 or 515 EC models. What is your opinion of the machine. I am currently on a DRZ 400. What differences would I note by going to a 450 or 515. Have you experienced break-down(s). Were parts easy or difficult to find. Also I currently own a 2001 200EC Gaser. I like the bike so much that I am seriously considering upgrading from my DRZ to either the 450 or 515 Gaser. I will not take the plunge however, until I see what you guys have to say about the 450 and 515 GG's. Thank you in advance for your opinions and ratings regarding the GG bikes. Fred
Fsr 450 Ec / 515 Ec
- Thread starter Fred
- Start date
I'll also be watching this as the 515 is on my list of possibles.. I'm now current bike,, bikeless, still have my 97 but thats in pieces as of right now.. I hope to pick something up in the next couple months,, the 515 is on my list as well as a couple jap bikes and the frame breaker ktm's.. also thinking 2stroke one more time..
450fse
I brought my 06FSE450 in June 07. I have had no mechanical dramas with my bike so far and am loving it. I am no expert rider but until this year all my riding was in open country(outback Australia) and because of this I was thinking of upgrading to the 515.Now that I live on the coast again and have been riding in state Forests which is mostly tight single tracks with hill climbs I now know I can't push my bike or myself any harder in this terrain so the extra cc's would be pointless.
I went on a organised trail ride and followed one of the group leaders who was riding a CRFX450 and he was killing it. He also said the 450 was perfect for him and saw no sense in a bigger bike.
But......if i did have the spare coin I would love to have the 450 & 515 in my stable.
Just my 2 cents worth
Cheers Adam
I brought my 06FSE450 in June 07. I have had no mechanical dramas with my bike so far and am loving it. I am no expert rider but until this year all my riding was in open country(outback Australia) and because of this I was thinking of upgrading to the 515.Now that I live on the coast again and have been riding in state Forests which is mostly tight single tracks with hill climbs I now know I can't push my bike or myself any harder in this terrain so the extra cc's would be pointless.
I went on a organised trail ride and followed one of the group leaders who was riding a CRFX450 and he was killing it. He also said the 450 was perfect for him and saw no sense in a bigger bike.
But......if i did have the spare coin I would love to have the 450 & 515 in my stable.
Just my 2 cents worth
Cheers Adam
My 450 is plenty of mumbo. It can be too much at times in the single track. Great bike I love it.. But lately I've been thinking about going 2 stroke for the real tight stuff.
I rode a 515 for a few laps on an MX track. Great bike also but I could see it a problem in the technical stuff.
I rode a 515 for a few laps on an MX track. Great bike also but I could see it a problem in the technical stuff.
Bearman
New member
My uncle pete bought a new '08 GasGas 450, I haven't had a ride of it yet, but according to him and my other uncle geoff, they reckon its horsepower city. They said its real grunty and super torquey. They reckon that they prefer geoff's 300 in the tight stuff coz its not quite as aggressive, but on the open stuff the 450 is king.
PS: I would be using the 450/515 as a dual sport mount. And you tech guys out there.............. your input is very important to me. Please render your knowledge.
Berkyboy
Site Sponsor
We should have a used '08 515 ready for sale in a couple of weeks. Low hours, with some suspension work and the slipper clutch. It also has a Minnesota title I believe. Also we'll soon have a "dealer ride" demo O8 FSR450 avialble with even lower hours.
We've still got a couple of demo rides to go but these bikes are very clean.
Either one of these bikes may be in the Bosie, Idaho, area soon as 2MOTO (the company that makes the "snowbike" conversion kit) is going to use one of them for fitting their kit to.
We've still got a couple of demo rides to go but these bikes are very clean.
Either one of these bikes may be in the Bosie, Idaho, area soon as 2MOTO (the company that makes the "snowbike" conversion kit) is going to use one of them for fitting their kit to.
nhrider
Silver Level Site Supporter
I was thinking about getting a snow bike kit but I like this one better http://www.explorermoto.com/home_en.aspx
SpeedyManiac
New member
What's the price on the 515 going to be?
GMP
Active member
I let you know, might have to go to kid's football game, but thats only a couple hours. If your back was good, I'd say you could help me take my AC window units out, but probably not a good idea for either of us.
I'd be leary about buying a used 4-stroke from the classifieds unless you know the bike or can verify the history. If it goes bang its junk, most are not worth fixing the parts are so $$.
T&C didn't have any '08s last time I was there a couple months ago.
drz v fsr
I bought my 07 450 in nov 06. Previous bike was a 04 drz/.
The drz was trouble free low maintainance ,good for longer rides.
The gaser apart from a TPS switch (due to corrosion after a particularly wet and muddy ride )( tropical north Queensland)
It has been trouble free.
Its great to ride ,more fun than the drz ,,lighter by 18 kg handles and turns like nothing i have ridden .
power ?, decieving, very even power delivery. will pull from low revs .
brakes ,fantastic .
fuel range with standard tank not good 80 to 100 km i use a bum tank.
use a double ester full syn oil and u will have a ball.
cw
I bought my 07 450 in nov 06. Previous bike was a 04 drz/.
The drz was trouble free low maintainance ,good for longer rides.
The gaser apart from a TPS switch (due to corrosion after a particularly wet and muddy ride )( tropical north Queensland)
It has been trouble free.
Its great to ride ,more fun than the drz ,,lighter by 18 kg handles and turns like nothing i have ridden .
power ?, decieving, very even power delivery. will pull from low revs .
brakes ,fantastic .
fuel range with standard tank not good 80 to 100 km i use a bum tank.
use a double ester full syn oil and u will have a ball.
cw
Fire Escape
New member
Not a good one to judge by
Since I suck as a rider and don't get out on the bike often besides, my opinion may not be worth any more than you are paying for it! That said, I have had my 2005 FSE 450 for two years now (I rode it as a demo bike when it was new, but didn't buy it until after someone else did). When I got it it had been sitting for several months, didn't always start well, occasionally died for no apparent reason and needed some TLC. I replaced the battery but that didn't make much of a difference. Following advice from Nick I replaced the two OEM (crap) relays and changed to an Iridium plug (not sure if that was his advice). Now, as long as the battery has a decent charge it starts right up and only dies (stalls, MY fault) when I ride even more badly than usual. Still catching up on the TLC, someday I will fix the suicide stand, cut the striped wire, and gear it down some (did I mention that I suck? I am also (by choice) very slow). Far and away the best dirt bike I have ridden, actually not bad on the street considering the tires, I think it would need a larger tank before I could consider it a "dual-sport".
Bruce
Since I suck as a rider and don't get out on the bike often besides, my opinion may not be worth any more than you are paying for it! That said, I have had my 2005 FSE 450 for two years now (I rode it as a demo bike when it was new, but didn't buy it until after someone else did). When I got it it had been sitting for several months, didn't always start well, occasionally died for no apparent reason and needed some TLC. I replaced the battery but that didn't make much of a difference. Following advice from Nick I replaced the two OEM (crap) relays and changed to an Iridium plug (not sure if that was his advice). Now, as long as the battery has a decent charge it starts right up and only dies (stalls, MY fault) when I ride even more badly than usual. Still catching up on the TLC, someday I will fix the suicide stand, cut the striped wire, and gear it down some (did I mention that I suck? I am also (by choice) very slow). Far and away the best dirt bike I have ridden, actually not bad on the street considering the tires, I think it would need a larger tank before I could consider it a "dual-sport".
Bruce
speeddemon
New member
Here's a tip if you want to make a 450/515 a bit dual sport: put on michelin T63 trail tyres and put a 40 - 44 rear sprocket on it. With that setup it performs relatively good on or offroad and the motor won't suffer as hard when riding fast (+60mph). I wouldn't recommend going lower then 40 teeth because it takes to much punch out of the motor and that's a bad thing when driving offroad in the tighter/more technical terrain.
Fred i have a 08 450 i went for the 450 and glad i did, i have also used my bike for dual sport across the middle of australia in the dessert approx in your terms 1500 miles on one oil change and it did not problems.
The 450 is a better bike IMO
The 515 power is not as smooth as the 450, the 515 has a very powerful bottom end and mid range but falls off in the top end, this is due to the overly square bore design (large bore, short sroke) the 450 will still blow your drz away and it got power every where in the range and is more manageable and smoother in the tighter stuff.
The 450 is better on fuel on a standard tank DS riding you will get about 130kms / 75 miles unless you get a larger tank, clarke or safari, i have got up to 20kms per litre just casual cruising /sight seeing etc thats 150kms/ 90miles to a tank.
With standard gearing the bike will do 95 to 100mph, fit a 14 tooth front and its still got heaps of power but will cruise at 70mph at 7200rpm, and plus 100mph top speed.
I have done 8000 miles on my bike , the only issue ive had was a blown head gasket, i replaced that and checked the valves and springs, piston and rings and big end, and nothing was replaced or for that matter any where near the seviceable limits, so i put it all back together and i should get another 8000 miles out of it, only the valves have had a shim adjustment once, i change the oil normally every 500miles.
The gasser is a great choice for DS its the closest race bike that can DS out of the lot of the 450's.
The 450 is the go, power, top speed, and still a great bike in the tight stuff.
Skidad
New member
Yeah, I had an 2004 SXC and while it was a cool bike still a beast at 300+ lbs. The GG 450 with the oh so nice FI would make a cool dual sport bike (my version of dual sport anyway). Look for a 2007 and newer and I don't think many were brought into the country to be honest. Email Dale M. to see how many he imported over the last few years and what sizes. It would be no surprise to me that new ones are still kicking around at some dealers.
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