I'm very intrested in getting on a Gas Gas, only thing I would like some opinions(help) with is the decision to go 250 or 300...for 4 years I have been on a KTM 250F and love how smooth the power of the 4t is which leans me toward 300, however the 250F is pretty revvy and you stay in the pipe which i guess is more 250 2t. Any opinions or advice will be appreciated.
Opinions
- Thread starter hamer174
- Start date
bowhunter007
New member
I love opinions! I have a 300 & 250 in the garage. on an average day the 300 is far more forgiving a trail bike. The 250...is a lot more fun to scream around and play on. I ride the 300 way more, but never stop thinking about the 250.
bowhunter007
New member
Mine is a 2001 SE model. It came with D.I.D. u-rims, WER steering dampner, Enduro Engineering barkbusters.
Jakobi
Super Moderator
I went from 250F to EC300 to EC250 Race Ported Cylinder and Head.
Both make so much more power than the 250F. The 300 is more like a 250F off the bottom end, but blows it away in the top. The 250T likes to rev more, but has more hit and also makes just as much power as the 300 in the top end. After riding them all I'm enjoying the 250 2T as I can really hook into it without getting as beat up as punching the 300.
Both make so much more power than the 250F. The 300 is more like a 250F off the bottom end, but blows it away in the top. The 250T likes to rev more, but has more hit and also makes just as much power as the 300 in the top end. After riding them all I'm enjoying the 250 2T as I can really hook into it without getting as beat up as punching the 300.
bowhunter007
New member
Mine came race ready, or ride to the store. Mine claims to be road legal('cause of the license plate). All the breakables aren't there. I still have headlight, tail, brakelight, but that's it.
Jakobi
Super Moderator
In Australia we get fully registered. All the lights and indicators and that stuff but thats normal for all the bikes. The goodies Gas Gas brings to the table are things like decent handlebars, an effective expansion chamber, fmf silencer, even a good bashplate on the 2012 models/race models. The 6 days had rad braces (although not sure on their quality). Its all those parts that can easily add up.
As was mentioned, headlight, tail light. Spark arrestor. But not just a stock oem spark arrestor. You get an FMF Stealth along with a sweet looking stainless expansion chamber. And don't forget the Renthal Twinwall bars, Talon sprockets, Ragina chain. Most new bikes I've bought did not come this well equipped. The fold-away clutch lever is another cool item. All this at a price that's VERY competetive (if not cheaper) than the competitor's 300. Great deal in my (pocket) book.
skid jackson
New member
Bingo!!!
I went from an 06 300 to a husky 144 and back to a 11 gasser 250. With a kawi 250f on the side for track riding. 300 2t's are like 450 4t's ..... lots of power you don't need that will rear its ugly head at the worst possible time. My vote is for the 250 .... actually i think I would go for a 200 but I'm kind of getting my 250 figured out ...niiiiiiiiiccceee motor!!!!
Jakobi
Super Moderator
Well said skid. Thats how I always thought of the 300. Like a 250 4T off idle building into 450 4T by the midrange. I was also set to buy a 200 before doing the 250 conversion (which I did due to 200 supply delays and also saved a few coins). I'd still love to catch a ride on one!
Clay
Banned
Skid,
I got a chuckle out of your description of the 300s power. To me, having that extra power you don't need gets my lazy a$$ over and up things that I wouldn't be able to get over on the 250. Funny how we all have such different opinions of the same thing. I guess that's why motorcycles companies make more than one engine size, huh?
Clay
haha there are alot of different opinions. My thing is I ride a 250F with a 280 kit in it and I guess i rev it a good bit. Thats the thing Im trying to figure out is if i will have to change riding style on the 300, the smooth power of the 300 sounds appealing but just not sure if I can hold it when I really get on it.... I know I havent liked the 450s or even a KTM 505 I have ridden.
I was warned over and over again about the horrors of the GG 300, power wise.
Having ridden four of them (before and after the warning), including a base 2011 300 and a 2011 SixDays, I just have to chuckle. The power is *very* manageable with that big-azz flywheel weight. I'm gonna love it when my bike arrives in Arizona in a couple of months.
Having ridden four of them (before and after the warning), including a base 2011 300 and a 2011 SixDays, I just have to chuckle. The power is *very* manageable with that big-azz flywheel weight. I'm gonna love it when my bike arrives in Arizona in a couple of months.
Jakobi
Super Moderator
Like I said. I went from a 250F to a 2010 EC300R, as my first ever 2T. I don't think the bike was too much or too brutal. It was very ridable indeed, but still very tiring to ride aggressively. The 250 2T still makes just as much power if not more in the very top end, but lacks a few hp through the rest of the range which makes it a bit easier to flog the guts out of it. I never felt a 450F was over powered or too much to handle at any time either, but it would wear me out if I tried to ride it hard all the time. The 300 was the same. As Clay has made note of though, the 300 has enough extra oomph to bail you out when you don't neccessarily put it all together right.
I've dropped a few different graphs below including one I just did a dodgy overlay on. These were supplied by an engine tuner who specced up both engines and then ran the data through simulations to map the effect of varying gasket stacks and port timings. You can read more about it in my engine rebuild thread. The images alone should show the differences in the 250 v 300 though.
I've dropped a few different graphs below including one I just did a dodgy overlay on. These were supplied by an engine tuner who specced up both engines and then ran the data through simulations to map the effect of varying gasket stacks and port timings. You can read more about it in my engine rebuild thread. The images alone should show the differences in the 250 v 300 though.
GMP
Active member
The 250 gains a bit more lower mid range snot with a head mod and correct jetting(not too lean). This makes it just about perfect IMO, enough to grunt over stuff, but not too much. I like to have them make enough midrange power to make the map switch effective and useful. If your not a big dude, the 300 is just more excess power to manage. I agree they can be like 450s off the bottom when jetted clean. Of course this is all related to racing and for a trail bike the 300 is tough to beat. I've put about 5 hours or so on my new '12 250, and jetted the same as my '07, its a little softer off the bottom into the lower mid. I suspect much of this is due to the '07 having the head modified for correct squish and compression optimized. I haven't measured compression yet, but the old bike has a stiffer kick for sure. This is typical factory setup for world fuel variability, and I'm going to have Ron take care of the head ASAP. It also may be that the JD Blue needle is a hair leaner in the new bike on its first taper. The '12 has a bit more of a dull tone where the '07 just comes on sooner and pulls through the range very quickly. Its a tough comparison though with a straight silencer on the '07 and the Stealth on the '12 which I will replace ASAP as well. I'll have to see what needles I have in my collection that may make this area a just a bit richer and not screw the rest up. Make no mistake about it this is a fast 250 that is very smooth and easy to ride even with a light ignition. I'm very in touch with the GG 250 motor having had four of them now and tinkered a lot over the past ten years, so I can tell a subtle difference.
