Gas Gas reviews

[clw]

Let's try this another way. Why don't we see more tests of GG in magazines? Is it their policy not to allow tests in case they get some bad press?

It is hard to learn about the bike(s) without some write ups somewhere. TM seems to get quite a few articles on them and I never see a TM at the races, but I do see a lot of GG's.


Where is the source for info on these?

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[MR.WR]

Right here on DRN is the best place to get your views on a bike! There is plenty of GasGas owners here. As for TM, there is a handful. As for write up, Dirt Rider had a write up back in 99 on the EC200/EC250 and the XC 250. I know that Dirt Bike had a nice write up on a TM125E that Lawson rode in the 00 ISDE MXA pukes have had write up's on the TM 250 motorcross version.

Being a GasGas owner, I could really careless about the reviews. I know that the bike works for me, and the type of riding that I do. Here on DRN, you get the truth from riders all over the counrty, East, West, North and South. Real riders that trail ride, race and maintain their own bikes! Not some dirt rag test rider that is getting $$$$ for his .02 input! What facts, you come to the right place

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District 36 Member
AMA Member
99 GasGas EC200

 

[KDXfile]

Trailrider Magazine has done a few test reports and reviews on the bikes. The best test report is done by finding somebody who'll let you ride it. Then you'll know.

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Mark
GasGas EC200
KTM 125 Enduro

 

[WoodsRider]

The first write up I ever saw on a GG was in the Jan. '99 issue of Dirt Rider magazine (I think). Dick Burleson and Karl Kramer went down to Miss. and tested the '99 EC200 and '99 XC250. There was also a small blurb about the EC250 in that article.

I had seen and heard of GG's before that, but never actually rode one until Nov. of '99. It was the EC200 and after 5 minutes I was thoroughly impressed. The thing I liked most was the linear power delivery. So many 2-stroke enduro bikes are either all bottom-end or all top-end. A year later I purchased a '98 EC250. It is the finest off-road motorcycle I have ever ridden. It is so easy to ride, just point and shoot.

I've read a few other write-ups on GGs, in various mags, since then. However, I feel riding one is the ultimate test!

[This message has been edited by WoodsRider (edited 04-15-2001).]

 

[HONDA65]

Check out the new issue of Dirt Rider. They had a great review on the XC250. I tell you, if I rode only off road as oppossed to MX, I would definately own one. I have a '01 YZ250 now, but would trade it in a heartbeat.

 

[Mudshark]

May 2001 Dirt Rider Magazine article is a good article for the Gas Gas. As you go through the test on the other bikes, check out the amounts for aftermarket parts. The KTM nad Gas Gas both needed less! (I know, we all already knew that!)

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[Gasoctane]

hi...
so glad i could find so many GasGas owner here....personally i'm kinda impress with GasGas bike which are race ready outta the crate....but i'm getting a used GasGas bike but i'm not too sure wat i should look out for....i dun wanna buy a bike that's so ridden dat it will virtually fail on me when i ride trails....so wat should i look out for and any basic mod i can do? thanxs a million in advance...

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[Girlrider]

Gasoctane,

I have both a 2000 GG 200 and now a 2001 GG 250. Here are the things I recommend:

1.) If the bike still has the stock Hebo handle bars then get rid of them and get some hi bend bars. I am sponsored by Moose so I get the CR Hi-bend from them and really like them but you can get the Jimmy Button Bend Renthal bar. The Hebo are really low and cramp my style of riding.

2.) The suspension stock impressed me but since I am only 120 pounds I had WER rebuild the suspension for my weight and "oh My Goodness". People always comment on how when I go fast over really rocky rough stuff it seems so smooth.

Other than just a pipe guard, rotor guard and skid plate I didn't do anything. (Except the steering stabilizer) Be sure to ALWAYS use the expensive Antifreeze like the kind Moose has and don't just mix antifreeze and water. The expensive stuff boils at a hotter temperature so the bike won't overheat as easily.

Check to see what kind of jetting the bike has and set it up for your altitude. They come with jetting that is designed for sea level and so if you are at 6,000 feet or more you really need to change the pilot, main and needle to make it run right. Enjoy!

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Nicole
GAS GAS 250
GAS GAS 280 Trails

 

[Gasoctane]

wow....sounds great! thanxs for u valuable info Girlrider!!

but i was thinking of changing the stock handlebar to a Pro-Taper 1.5" riser....

the rest..well...maybe will change depending on how hard i wanna ride

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[Timr]

Has anyone noticed that you haven't seen much or anything about Gas Gas bikes in Dirt Bike Magazine?

A couple of seasons ago ('98) at an Enduro down in Mississippi, I was chatting with Don Knight. Don and his son Nolan had just returned from Spain where they were testing the 400 Four stroke. He showed me the pictures, and we started talking about Magazine coverage of the bikes.

Don goes on to tell me how Ron Lawson from Dirt Bike called up and said that he needed an EC200 for a shoot-out. Don explained that he didn't have an EC 200 to send to him at that moment. (You have to remember, that this was 3 years ago, and practically every Gas Gas that came in was sent straight to the Dealers that ordered them.) Don tried to explain that he could get him an EC200 in about 4-6 weeks. Ron became rude and indignant on the phone and practically demanded that Don locate an EC200 from one of his dealers and have it shipped to CA.

At this stage in the game, Don didn't feel that this was an appropriate thing to do and wasn't about to ask one of his dealers to send an already paid for motorcycle to a magazine so they could trash it.

So, Dirt Bike got no bike for their test. Ron's Lawson is not very high up on Don's list of favorite people.

Gas Gas is doing magazine advertising, but not on the same scale as Yamaha, so there won't be a Gas Gas Action produced by Hi-Torque in the near future.

I'm guessing that Gas Gas now has some designated Magazine test bikes, but back then, they didn't have any. The Knights are good people and easy to deal with. It's too bad that Lawson won't get to take advantage of the Knight's Southern Hospitality.

As Paul Harvey says: "Now you know the rest of the story."

BTW, you might wonder why a guy with a KDX 200 would know about the Gas Gas situation. I wrote some press releases and articles for Don and Gas Gas that were published in Cycle News back in '98.

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Tim Roberts
99 KDX 200
http://sera.dirtrider.net

 

[clw]

I remember a lukewarm article in 1999 in the same issue of Dirt Bike as a KTM 250EXC test. They liked the GG somewhat, called it an unfinished project, and said the KTM had way better suspension and about the same motor, as I recall. I bought a KTM based on that article and others.

But, besides that ......

Haven't seen one since, so I guess the charm wore off when they didn't get their way.

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[bgdawg]

clw, good Money say's that dirt bike probably got a ktm out of the deal!!!

Check in to it and find out lots of undercover facts!!!

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[Offroadr]

Originally posted by Timr:
BTW, you might wonder why a guy with a KDX 200 would know about the Gas Gas situation.

uhhh, lets see, his buddy Lemming got one, Offroadr has had 2, Woodsrider finally seen the light, and he's jealous???



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[Timr]

Off,

Our buddy KDXfile just picked up a new '99 EC 200 too! I also have to drive past the Gas Gas dealer to get to my house on the way home from work. UGGGHHHH!!! Maybe someday, we'll see. I've had two KTMs in the past so they aren't out of the picture either.

We'll just have to see what the household budget will allow.

 

[Michelle]

I had to buy an Aussie magazine the other day, mainly because I wanted to read their review of the EC200. From that I found that Aussie didn't get them until recently (I've checked with the NZ dealer & there are none in the country).

They reckon they will be popular trail bikes, but aren't sure how they will go competitively.

If anyone wants a copy, I can type it out & email you, or if you send your snail mail addy, will photocopy & send it over.

As for me, I'll keep dreaming, but still think the yellow is yuck.

Oh, one of the magazines also did a review on the EC50 (think that was the model, the little 50 bike in any case). What an awesome machine, I'm just waiting for friends to have kids so I can justify buying one lol

 

[Gasoctane]

hey michelle...
one thing abt GasGas is dat it doesn't require much mod to ride....
like in the Dirt Rider magazine...it's one of those bikes dat require very little mod...
tester who rode the bike said they need a little tweaking and dat's abt it

i can send ya the mod the tester made if u want.....

juz leave a note here..

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[Offroadr]

Originally posted by Michelle:

They reckon they will be popular trail bikes, but aren't sure how they will go competitively.

Trail bike? I don't think GasGas or their owners considers their bikes 'trail bikes'

As far as how they fair in competition, look at the results in this year's National Enduro Series. That should speak for the bike's 'competitiveness'



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[WoodsRider]

Off - This is from the country that has given us Steve Irwin.

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'98 GasGas EC250
'01 Sponsors: me, myself, I

 

[weimedog]

It really isn't very hard to understand why TM gets more press at Dirt Bike than Gas-Gas. TM through the TWS distributer arrainged for Ron Lawson to have a TM ride at the ISDE last year. There is a relationship between TWS and DB. As was posted earlier there isn't between Gas-Gas and DB. It's about bucks, marketing, and Ass kissing. The motorcycle magazines can play god about who wins and looses because they ARE the marketing channels to 90% out there.

I think Gas - Gas is doing well inspite of the lack of relationships with magazines...a BIG flag to those considering a new bike. Those Gas-Gas owners are all happy guys. Gas-Gas machines are placing in national level enduro's as well. Without the bessing of Ron Lawson. Its certainly worth a look at those machines.

My respect for the magazines has taken a big hit this year. And I was driven by these guys for 20 years....had an epifany this year.

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2001 VOR503 V-Cross
1982 husqvarna XC430
1974 Bultaco Frontera 360
6 Kids, Four Ride, 3 race. (cr125, yz80, 2 KX125's)
Case 780, INT 1066, Ford LTL9000...and a Percheron

 

[Michelle]

Originally posted by Offroadr:
Trail bike? I don't think GasGas or their owners considers their bikes 'trail bikes'

Here's the exact quote: "Without comparing other 200cc two-strokes back to back with the GG it's difficult to say how it will fare in the hard-edged competition of enduro racing, although European results throughout the '90s suggest the EC200 will be right up there. Whether or not it wins races in Australia remains to be seen but the GG EC200 will make trailriders all over the place very happy. That's a certainty.

Another direct quote:
As far as top-end goes, the EC200 won't win any land speed records but it did manage to keep our highly tuned DRZ400 in its sights".

I look forward to seeing how well it goes over there & hope to see some over here (apparently GG is about to launch into the NZ enduro market).

And the Aussies gave ya Shane Watts

 

[GlennP]

weimedog,

If you havn't done so already, check out Trailrider Magazine. Although they are primarily a small, local East Coast publication, they seem to call it like it is, no BS. They don't get as many test bikes, but you get an accurate evaluation of what they do get. You are absolutely right, the CA mags are just about advertising.

Glenn
'00 GasGas XC250

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[Josh Cook]

I'm with you Glen. I am starting to re-think where I send my money for subscriptions.


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[ripin520]

Here's a link to trailrider write up on GG. http://www.trailrider.com/story.php3?id=2

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01 520EXC

 

[Mudshark]

If there was a magazine called Trail Bikes for Old Farts, I might pay attention to their reviews! Trail Rider is the best magazine for real Enduro and Harescrambles riders(East Coast). The old Dirt Bike/Motocross Action duo are really geared toward the "Hey look at me" crowd.
That's OK, they still have some good info but it's getting harder to find in each issue. I bought the first issue of Dirt Bike and Motocross Action and still buy them(more out of habit). Dirt Rider also does a good job on their reviews and seem to work hard at testing in a different way than their competitors.