Identifying bike

[Isaac]

Hello all, just bought a 2002(?) gasgas xc250(?) and I’m looking for some info.
VIN: VTRXC2500C0120032
It was sold to me as an ec250, it has ec250 stickers on the sway arms, and new plastics so those don’t help. After reading through the thread and comparing my vin I actually believe it’s a 2002 xc250. The wires on the flywheel cover are coming out of the top/front instead of the back, making me fairly confident that it’s the xc. Additionally it has the full ohlins gold shocks and an fmf pipe. Just wondering if someone (Jim…) could confirm the year/model of the bike. Also curious whether not the fmf pipe/silencer is the stock one that came on the xc’s or an aftermarket addition. It’s an fmf gnarly pipe, can someone confirm if those were the ones put on from the dealer? This is my first two stroke and I bought it primarily for trail/woods riding as I had read that the ec’s excelled at that, how much harder of a learning curve will the xc be? Should I just give up and sell it now?
This post is also in the VIN decoder thread but due to inactivity i figured I'd post it here in hopes of getting a quicker response
Thanks!

 

[webmaster]

I had a 2001 ec300 that I imported from Canada into the usa. I purchased it new from the importer and picked it up at the border. They only had "EC" models in Canada.


The 2002 xc250 or ec250 came stock with WP front fork and an ohlins shock. If it has gold ohlins forks it is special order (canada) or a special edition SE (usa) and much more rare.

If it has a lighter ignition - it probably came from the usa... (you are in canada?)

For off road riding in tight trail. I would do the following...

1. Add a flywheel weight (if one hasn't been added already).
2. For jetting, if it has an n1ef needle - you need to destroy it and use a suzuki or yamaha needle... (do a search). I think some have used a stik
3. The fmf gnarly pipe came stock on the usa bikes. The canada bikes may still have come with a messico.
4. I would add a slow turn throttle - g2.
5. If it came with a 48 tooth rear sprocket - you might want to drop to a 50 or 52...
6. Check the "squish" - and have head milled to make it run more cleanly with better effiency.
7. I put on a clutch master cylinder off of a cannondale motorcycle to get more throw and eliminate clutch drag.

jeff

 

[Isaac]

Thank you Jeff, I appreciate the info! Yes I am in Canada so I guess between the lighter ignition and the fmf fatty pipe there's a good chance that it was a US import. I was told by the previous owner that it already has a flywheel weight and a different needle (an necw that is currently set on the 2nd groove, paired with a 175 main jet and a 45 pilot jet). I'll look into the sprocket and slow turn throttle. As someone who is somewhat new to dirtbikes I didn't even know that slow turn throttles existed so thank you for the tip!

 

[webmaster]

The jetting sounds really good to me....

Seriously consider getting the head milled too... The older bikes were really "loose" on the squish measurement. It burns much more cleanly and efficiently after it is set up properly. This will make it easier to ride too...

Here is app note in resources section of this forum on how to measure the squish...

https://forum.gasgasrider.org/resources/measuring-cylinder-head-squish.1/

jeff