Need advice on buying my first GG

T

TeamExileRacing

New member
So I've been reading on and eyeballing gasgas bikes for probably 6 months now. First off, everything I read or see, I like and I want. I currently have a built xr400r and a built kdx200. I've been wanting a bike that divides the two and excels at what both the kdx and xr4 do. Xr4 is great for long trail rides and exploring for several days. The kdx is great for single track, tight technical stuff, and plane old having fun. I also want the option to plate. Naturally, I've found the GG ec250/300 to fit this bill.

I've been looking at GG bikes for 6 months now, more a
Specifically the ec300. What I found is that used bikes are rare and move fast, always within a month of posting, especially if plated. I've also seen a ton, and a mean a ton of 2011 bikes; what's up with that?

I've recently started looking at ec250's to brouden my search since finding a GG tough business. Is there anything majorly different between the ec250/300? I've heard the 250 is pretty tunable to make it ride smoother like a 300. I've also heard that some 250s came with a weighted flywheel and to look for those as they are less agressive when hitting the powerband.

I recently found a guy 2 hrs from me with a 2011 ec250. It's street titled and plated and has a few aftermarket goodies such as skid plate, aluminum pipe guard, flexx bars, cycra CRM guards, but besides those bolt ons it's seamingly stock. He's asking $3500. It has probably 50hrs on the top end he did in 2014. In my opinion that's at least $500 too high, any thoughts?

BTW I'm in Kentucky and will travel up to 6 hours for a bike. Please keep me in mind if you hear of anything around me!

Thanks for any and all information!

Luke
 
There is almost no difference between the 250 and 300 ... with changing the piston and barrel you can make it a 300. Jakobi here did the change on a 2010 and can accurately tell you the difference but from my experience the 250 is just a little more fun

Reason for all the 2011's is possibly that was the year after a successful 2010 bike and the year before the start of gg road to bankruptcy with the 2012 bikes being all new but with a faulty air filter system resulting in engineers being fired and the bike only being released very late well after potential buyers had already looked elsewhere
 
Thanks for the reply.

When you say the 250's are more fun, could you elaborate?

Also what are the pros/cons. Of the early 2000 models? I found an 01/02 and have see a few of those rolling around but never looked into them much.
 
I had 02 200. Have a 07 300. Mate's have had 250s and 300s from 07 to almost new.

I prefer my old one as the new ones got a bit taller/bigger and I'm not tall.

The 300s are torque monsters but can also sing. The 250s are more aggressive. For my skill level the 300 seems easier.
Stock they are jetted badly but that's a needle change away.

I rode a 200 way back and my kdx felt rubbish when I got back on. The 300 a mate bought made me then 'need' a 300.

The xr400 felt like landing a block of flats.(apartment to you). But it was too tall for me to start the damn thing.

An 02? Wellll heck depending on the owner but 90% likely to be worn out and 4th owner abused. Nothing like old dirt bikes to make you reevaluate your opinion of other people.
 
(F5) said:
The 300s are torque monsters but can also sing. The 250s are more aggressive. For my skill level the 300 seems easier.
Click to expand...

This is it...

As Swazi said, the bikes are the same chassis, same bottom end (inc rod), and the only mechanic difference is the bore (cylinder, piston, head) and I think the 250 CDI might run a bit more advance.

While on paper it doesn't look like much, in action they show themselves in difference colours.

The 250 feels more nimble and responsive. It likes to be flicked and thrown around and you'll get the most joy from it when (ab)using the clutch and keeping it singing. It'll lug down alright and still has enough grunt to take you where it needs to go but an aggressive riding style will bring out it's best traits.

The 300 has big punch right off idle which can make it want to stand up more in corners, making it feel less nimble and more planted. The engine will pull your arms out if you try to crank the throttle everywhere, but as F5 has said above, if you knock it up a gear and let the torque work for you they can be quite easy to ride. They have a broader spread of power and less critical of both where you are in the rev range and what gear you're in.

Both bikes once tuned make similar peak power, but the 300 feels like it's always 1000rpm ahead of the 250. I like the softer bottom end and the faster transition through the mid that the smaller bike has, but it's not for everyone. The 300 typically comes with a few more vibrations free of charge too!

Bottom line, I would happily ride either. I'd buy the bike you can find in the condition that matches the price they'll take and the work you need to put in to make it what you want. Down the track if you decide to change the capacity it won't cost a whole lot more than it would to have a cylinder recoated and new piston anyway.
 
If planning to use on the blacktop, don't discount the 200 / 250 models. In the UK, our trails are few and far between and we have to use trail / enduro bikes on the road. I'm increasingly convinced that 300s struggle to cope with prolonged higher speed use. My old EC200 worked far better in this context than current husaberg te 300.

As an aside, I've found the ktm / husaberg experience very disappointing and will most likely be selling my husaberg once we can get the thing running properly and can move it on in good conscience. I'll be returning to GG, either a 200 or 250. Might even scrape together the funds for my first ever new bike if I can find a deal on a 2018.
 
Jakobi said:
This is it...

As Swazi said, the bikes are the same chassis, same bottom end (inc rod), and the only mechanic difference is the bore (cylinder, piston, head) and I think the 250 CDI might run a bit more advance.

While on paper it doesn't look like much, in action they show themselves in difference colours.

The 250 feels more nimble and responsive. It likes to be flicked and thrown around and you'll get the most joy from it when (ab)using the clutch and keeping it singing. It'll lug down alright and still has enough grunt to take you where it needs to go but an aggressive riding style will bring out it's best traits.

The 300 has big punch right off idle which can make it want to stand up more in corners, making it feel less nimble and more planted. The engine will pull your arms out if you try to crank the throttle everywhere, but as F5 has said above, if you knock it up a gear and let the torque work for you they can be quite easy to ride. They have a broader spread of power and less critical of both where you are in the rev range and what gear you're in.

Both bikes once tuned make similar peak power, but the 300 feels like it's always 1000rpm ahead of the 250. I like the softer bottom end and the faster transition through the mid that the smaller bike has, but it's not for everyone. The 300 typically comes with a few more vibrations free of charge too!

Bottom line, I would happily ride either. I'd buy the bike you can find in the condition that matches the price they'll take and the work you need to put in to make it what you want. Down the track if you decide to change the capacity it won't cost a whole lot more than it would to have a cylinder recoated and new piston anyway.
Click to expand...

Having raced both the 250 and the 300, I agree with everything posted above. Spot on.
 
Mapping switch, switched to the rain drops is a bit mellower, better traction in wet. Other setting gets a bit snappier.
 
I run mine in sunshine all the time, and I enjoy riding in wet conditions the most :D

2011 Race models picked up the revised 2012 linkage ratio and Marzocchi closed cart forks if I remember correctly. No magic button. Great work! Post some pics up.
 
TeamExileRacing said:
I was ear to ear smiling when I was riding it lol

What's the switch behind the left radiator on a tube running to the head
Click to expand...

As Jakobi said, it is the mapping switch.
Here is my take on using the switch. I moved mine up next to the throttle, where I can flip it back and forth with my right thumb.

On the 250, the different settings are more subtle. However, the rainy setting will give you more low end grunt and better hill climbing ability.
The sunny setting will give you more snappy top end and will carry the revs longer; like when you are wheelying across a long mud hole and don't want the front wheel to drop early and land in the mud.
I usually ride with my 2011 EC250 in the rainy setting as long as I'm in the tighter woods single track trails.

On the 300, the switch makes a profound difference.
I generally only use the rainy setting when I am in full race mode in the tight woods. Other than that, the rainy setting combined with the 300's bottom end makes the power delivery too abrupt to be smooth at an easy pace.
As does Jakobi, I ride my 300 in the sunny setting most of the time. There is still plenty of torque at low rpms for everything but the steepest slow climbs, and the softer bottom end helps keep the ride low effort. Plus, the front wheel will stay lofted way longer in the sunny setting.

Congratulations on the new bike. I hope you like it as much as I do mine.

Good Riding!
Jim


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