hello from new member and some plastics help please.

[andy_scouser]

Hi there,
My name is Andy and im about to have a go at a bit of 'green laning' and enduro on my new to me, gas gas 300ec

I am hoping this is not going to be a bucket to throw money at, but im excited to ride it any way. Im totally new to off-road riding but i have ridden sports bikes for years and currently ride a suzuki gsxr 1000.

Any how, the bike was cheap but is supposed to have had a recent engine rebuild and has been used competing in enduro's. As such it is a little messed up and im hoping to give it a new lease of life cosmetically. It is supposed to be a 2002 model, but from pictures, it looks more like a 2001. Can anybody confirm which plastics i can buy for it with a more modern look please?

cheers

Andy

 

[reiterrider]

Personally, I would spent your $$$ on mods before plastic.
If you search on the word plastic you will find tons of info on where to get plastic.

 

[andy_scouser]

ok, what should i be looking at for mods? or is that just a case of ride the bike and find out what needs sorting out

 

[iancp5]

Sure ride it straight away, sooner you do the sooner you start learning.

You're going to be on a big learning curve for a year. First you have the wrong bike for starting in the UK but you may be ok in the dry of summer. Don't give up.

New plastics look good for a couple of rides. If you are new to dirt bikes you will be spending a fair bit of time in bushes or on your arse - actually if it stays dry you may get to spend more time on the bike than your arse! After a year you learn how to fall and as long as you don't hit anything it becomes painless. Don't worry going down on dirt is usually a low sider and pretty painless. Oh I recommend knee pads of some sort though.

Don't worry if the plastics are just scratched. I would only bother with new ones when they really fell apart or if I was selling. First thing to do is to get the bike to fit you if you're not around average size and weight. That's the ergonomics - bar, pegs, seat heights, control positions. If short you can do things to lower a little. Then get the suspension set right. If not average get the correct rate springs fitted, set the sag (very important) and start reading about damping on dirt to help you setup the clickers.

Next check the jetting is correct. Dirt bikes often have the jetting messed about with. I'd recommend a CCK needle - look up Pobit's recommendations for the 300 using CCK for smooth power. You will find the 300 a very fast aggressive bike if you're new to dirt. Alternately go with a standard UK setup such as 38P, 178M, N1EF (on 3 or 2). Some US setups do not work here. I think they ride much more open terrain than us.

Tyres, tyres, tyres!
Almost anything will work ok on hard pack. When it's sloppy they get really important. I would advise Michelin comp 3 rears and comp 4 front. They are FIM legal for enduros and E marked for the road. After that the Metzeler FIM enduros are good too. Be warned the grip on tarmac is crap. I often forget when I've been riding road bikes for a while and end up in a speedway power slide on the first bend on a dirt bike!

Basically you need to make that bike as easy to ride as possible. Getting on a 300 2 stroke as a first enduro bike in the UK is a bit like passing your test on a 125 and buying a Desmosedicci as your first bike and going on a trackday! You will be lucky to use more than 1/8 throttle in the woods. Makes overtaking on the fireroads easy though.

 

[andy_scouser]

Firstly, thank you very much, loads of help there... although im now a little scared

Sure ride it straight away, sooner you do the sooner you start learning.

You're going to be on a big learning curve for a year. First you have the wrong bike for starting in the UK but you may be ok in the dry of summer. Don't give up.

New plastics look good for a couple of rides. If you are new to dirt bikes you will be spending a fair bit of time in bushes or on your arse - actually if it stays dry you may get to spend more time on the bike than your arse! After a year you learn how to fall and as long as you don't hit anything it becomes painless. Don't worry going down on dirt is usually a low sider and pretty painless. Oh I recommend knee pads of some sort though.

Don't worry if the plastics are just scratched. I would only bother with new ones when they really fell apart or if I was selling.

The plastics are just scratched apart from the rear mudguard, ill just change that for now, but for £80 for a full kit... might just go for it! I have a back protector from my sports bike kit, but yes, ill get some more shoulder and knee pads too.

First thing to do is to get the bike to fit you if you're not around average size and weight. That's the ergonomics - bar, pegs, seat heights, control positions. If short you can do things to lower a little. Then get the suspension set right. If not average get the correct rate springs fitted, set the sag (very important) and start reading about damping on dirt to help you setup the clickers.

Cool, as soon as i have it cleaned up a bit ill have a look see. Im 6'0 and 13st. so probably averagely tall..

Next check the jetting is correct. Dirt bikes often have the jetting messed about with. I'd recommend a CCK needle - look up Pobit's recommendations for the 300 using CCK for smooth power. You will find the 300 a very fast aggressive bike if you're new to dirt. Alternately go with a standard UK setup such as 38P, 178M, N1EF (on 3 or 2). Some US setups do not work here. I think they ride much more open terrain than us.

Thats basically needed if the power is too sharp or economy is too poor?

Tyres, tyres, tyres!
Almost anything will work ok on hard pack. When it's sloppy they get really important. I would advise Michelin comp 3 rears and comp 4 front. They are FIM legal for enduros and E marked for the road. After that the Metzeler FIM enduros are good too. Be warned the grip on tarmac is crap. I often forget when I've been riding road bikes for a while and end up in a speedway power slide on the first bend on a dirt bike!

The bike is fitted with brand new pirelli tyres, i noticed the FIM mark on them. Ill find out more.

Basically you need to make that bike as easy to ride as possible. Getting on a 300 2 stroke as a first enduro bike in the UK is a bit like passing your test on a 125 and buying a Desmosedicci as your first bike and going on a trackday! You will be lucky to use more than 1/8 throttle in the woods. Makes overtaking on the fireroads easy though.

I love a challenge, my first bike was a new 2000 honda fireblade and within 6 months i was in the intermediate group on trackdays

Thanks again, let the pain/fun begin

 

[SideshowBob]

The plastics are just scratched apart from the rear mudguard, ill just change that for now, but for £80 for a full kit... might just go for it! I have a back protector from my sports bike kit, but yes, ill get some more shoulder and knee pads too.

What do you have for boots? Real MX boots are a must for the dirt. I wouldn't spend any money you don't have to on plastics. Yours look way better than mine.

Cool, as soon as i have it cleaned up a bit ill have a look see. Im 6'0 and 13st. so probably averagely tall..

You are a little on the tall side for a European build bike, but rotating the bars forward a little bit, or just new taller bars can fix that easy. You might eventually find you want a tall seat like my bike has (I am 6-2), but you should be good starting with what you have.

Thats basically needed if the power is too sharp or economy is too poor?

Jetting is a fine art that is really pretty easy to learn the basics of. Read the Jetting forum, a lot. A 2 stroke 300 like that (on good tractable dirt) should pretty much rip your arms out from bottom to top. If it doesn't feel fast and crisply respond to throttle inputs, the jetting should be tinkered with. It's not hard, Keihin has carb info on their site and parts should be easy to obtain. I assume the Euro bikes also have the PWK?

http://www.keihin-us.com/am/products/pwk.php

 

[andy_scouser]

Thanks, i have just stripped the back end down to sub frame, basically all the plastics bar the forks. its got a Keihin 26SA PAU and it does have PWK embossed there too. I also notice that it doesnt really have an air box, its just an open to the top, sides and back (although back covered by the rear fender). Isnt that bad news as far as water ingress? Im not entirely sure whether it has been 'cut' like that as its a good job, but not perfect. Im likely to be in the water, it is england remember!, so can i not protect that more other than just the plastics/seat?

Boots, yes, i will try and invest in the safety side first and foremost, i spend for my sports bikes with top leathers etc, so i will for this.
I also have an anodised blue alloy unit for my bars, probably 2 inches higher than the yokes so maybe thats a riser kit

I want to at least check out the bike mechanically before i head out 200 miles from home only to find something is wrong, so ill get an oil change, air filter and plug for it..... although it fires up first kick.

Ive noticed a small nick in the alloy cover on the kick start side, its weeping a little oil. But in the box of bits i got, there is a black, rather than alloy cover which looks new, probably from a newer bike. So, ill see about getting a gasket and sorting that out too.

thanks for all your help lads, really appreciating this

 

[andy_scouser]

quick picture

 

[SideshowBob]

Thanks, i have just stripped the back end down to sub frame, basically all the plastics bar the forks. its got a Keihin 26SA PAU and it does have PWK embossed there too. I also notice that it doesnt really have an air box, its just an open to the top, sides and back (although back covered by the rear fender). Isnt that bad news as far as water ingress? Im not entirely sure whether it has been 'cut' like that as its a good job, but not perfect. Im likely to be in the water, it is england remember!, so can i not protect that more other than just the plastics/seat?

Boots, yes, I will try and invest in the safety side first and foremost, i spend for my sports bikes with top leathers etc, so i will for this.
I also have an anodised blue alloy unit for my bars, probably 2 inches higher than the yokes so maybe thats a riser kit

I want to at least check out the bike mechanically before i head out 200 miles from home only to find something is wrong, so ill get an oil change, air filter and plug for it..... although it fires up first kick.

Ive noticed a small nick in the alloy cover on the kick start side, its weeping a little oil. But in the box of bits i got, there is a black, rather than alloy cover which looks new, probably from a newer bike. So, ill see about getting a gasket and sorting that out too.

thanks for all your help lads, really appreciating this

Definitely has a bar riser, that's an expensive part you got there!

The seat, side covers, and fender make up the majority of the airbox on our bikes. Looks to me like everything is intact although it's hard to tell 100% from your pics. You can seal the airbox using various methods, although you really only want to seal the bottom/sides so there is still plenty of airflow.

 

[andy_scouser]

Next check the jetting is correct. Dirt bikes often have the jetting messed about with. I'd recommend a CCK needle - look up Pobit's recommendations for the 300 using CCK for smooth power. You will find the 300 a very fast aggressive bike if you're new to dirt. Alternately go with a standard UK setup such as 38P, 178M, N1EF (on 3 or 2). Some US setups do not work here. I think they ride much more open terrain than us.

Hi Ian,

I have been looking around for jets/needles but cant find any where in the uk, can you suggest any where at all please?

 

[SideshowBob]

Next check the jetting is correct. Dirt bikes often have the jetting messed about with. I'd recommend a CCK needle - look up Pobit's recommendations for the 300 using CCK for smooth power. You will find the 300 a very fast aggressive bike if you're new to dirt. Alternately go with a standard UK setup such as 38P, 178M, N1EF (on 3 or 2). Some US setups do not work here. I think they ride much more open terrain than us.

LoL I wish. I ride the tightest nastiest stuff around.

Right now-

40P
180M
DDK (similar to CCK) in middle clip.

If no one in the UK, try carb parts warehouse here stateside.

http://www.carbparts.com/

Their site kinda sucks, but they have everything for the Carb in the GG.

 

[darren]

I recently got mainjet and needle direct from gasgas uk. They cost me £18 for both items, which i thought was good prices.

Regarding your bike, i am no expert by no means I brought my first off road bike last April time its a GG EC250 1998.

I think its a fantastic bike excellent for learning on (you only do the wrong thing once!)
Dont let them tell you its the wrong type of bike you learn so much quicker on an unmanagable bike.

The first thing i got sorted was the static and race sag. I had a lot of trouble with the front conventional marzocchi magnum 50s. So i replaced them with a set of 45mm shivers off a 07 bike courtesy of spdfrek from this web site, who posted them from US. It dramatically changed the handling of the bike.

With regards to protection i always wear knee protection alongside mx boots.
occasionally body armour (depending where i am riding) Shot do some good reasonably priced gear.
I Hit a tree on a practice track in Swaffham Norfolk completely wiped my knee and right leg off the bike (bout 30mph) i had already let go of the bars,
with the protection on all i had was grazing where the bars scraped on me side.

I completed one enduro last year which was a real eye opener (lack of fitness) i had been practicing with a mate on a field and thought we were fairly quick. Haha little did we know.
Just recently completed my second enduro which i faired quite well in comparison.
Just looking forward to the next one.

Good luck with the bike i hope it serves you well, you will find lots of info and a lot of helpfull people on this web site, its like one big happy family.

darren

 

[andy_scouser]

Thanks Darren,
Gasgas uk for jets, now why didnt i think of them i need to get a few other bits from them this week anyhow. Had fun and games with the bike this weekend, all 4 bolts holding the front fender sheared whilst trying to undo them, the last owner must have swung on the bolts. Had to strip the front end down and drill and tap them out! I had a list of jobs to do on the bike but this used up all of my time, at least i got the 4mm tubes in so thats one off the list.
Im really enjoying tinkering at present, but finding things that need addressing all the time, but im getting through them

Brakes next, and looking at the front caliper i cant work out how to get the pads out, im sure something is not right as the 10mm nut once removed will not allow the bolt to be removed, it hasnt an allen head on the other side so im not sure its just a bolt stuck in, marvelllous

Suspension to follow

Pay day next week so all the kit should be bought very soon and im hoping to finally get things started off road

 

[darren]

If you have a nissin front caliper at the bottom you should have a slotted screw , (see pic ) if you remove the screw the pads should slide out of the bottom of the caliper.

If it is a Brembo in the same place they have a pin retained by a R clip, remove the clip and the pin will knock out with a punch towards the wheel, again pads slide out of the bottom.

Just a word of advice if i may. When it comes to bearings for your bike (engine wheels swinging arms head sets) GG uk seemed expensive to me, I got most of my bearings from a company called "Hayley Group plc" http://www.hayley-group.co.uk/

Our local branch are very helpful, most bearings and seals are half the price of Genuine.

cheers
darren

 

[andy_scouser]

Thanks Darren,

This confirms exactly my thoughts, the slotted pin had been replaced with a bolt and i had to tap it out on the vice. Thankfully the threads are perfect so no damage, i have ordered a new pin and pads from gasgas today so i should be on my way soon. Brakes have been cleaned and checked.

Bearings, top tip, thank you. The only bearings i have checked,cleaned so far are the wheels and headstock, they where a little dirty but no pitting or wear so im assuming they are not very old at all, no need to replace, just clean and re-grease.

Something else i have done today is swap out as many bolts/nuts for new stainless allen type's, looks fresher. I was a little concerned that a drop of oil came out of one hole, the front powervalve cover, when i replaced that bolt. I read that these can get quite messy inside, so im assuming that is ok.

Nearly there

 

[andy_scouser]

Wow, ordered all the remaining bits i need for the bike at 15:30 yesterday, and a van has just arrived with a big box at 10:40 this morning, now thats what i call good service.

well done gasgas uk