Pampera write up - great little bike !

[BunduBasher]

check out http://www.motomerlin.co.uk/ for a write up on the Gas Gas Pampera 250 - the owner writer has entered his bike in a number of off road evernts, enduros, long distandce trials, and is really doing well, loves the bike and has much praise for the bike. This is not just a chick bike !

http://ds.dial.pipex.com/merlinbooks/mypamp.html this link will take you directly to the story -

look for the section on the gas gas pampera, and in that you will find Riding the Pampera plus tuning & prep hints

some good info, interesting reading. thanks to entangidahl for the info.

see picture: http://ds.dial.pipex.com/merlinbooks/haf2.jpg

check out these pics of a very cool old gen Pampera.

http://ds.dial.pipex.com/merlinbooks/bp1.jpg
http://ds.dial.pipex.com/merlinbooks/bp2.jpg
http://ds.dial.pipex.com/merlinbooks/bp3.jpg
http://ds.dial.pipex.com/merlinbooks/bc4.jpg

 

[BunduBasher]

I also sent an email to Mike husband who owns the site and this is what I got in return:

At 15:52 17/01/02 -0500, you wrote:

>Hi Mike
>
>I have just read everything you have to say on the new Pampera 250, sounds like you LIKE the little bike.
>
>I have just received my P280 here in the USA, and have spent only a little
>time on the bike. What can I say, this bike rocks, it is extremely stable,
>has gobs of power and is a pleasure to ride. Having read about your
>exploits I may just try a hare scramble or enduro in the near future. I
>had the DRZ400S, loved the bike, was way to big and powerful for me, I m
>only 5'8". The new P280 is so light and small, it is a pleasure to ride.
>
>What have you done about a skid plate, also have you tried an aftermarket
>muffler FMF or is stock good enough.
>
>Check out the Euro and Ladies forums at
><http://www.dirtrider.net>http://www.dirtrider.net look out for
>BunduBasher, that's me.
>
>Alan Dennill
>Amarillo TX

Hi Alan,
Yep - a real fun bike if ever there was one.

Thanks for the mention on Dirtrider.net. I do look at the forums now &
then, good site.

Didn't know they made a 280 Pamp - I'll be onto the Uk importers for info. Reckon the 280 would make all the difference. A fellow UK Gas Gas dealer has supplied a bash plate - it lines up but the brackets supplied did not. I've yet to tell him that - so not fitted yet.

Its unlikely that an after mkt pipe will be available - bike is too new &
sold in small numbers. Stock pipe is fine by me.

We have http://www.rides.org.uk/ a yahoo list with maybe 4 pampera owners contributing.

Below is their thoughts & a fork mod.

I just had rear brake probs - sticking on - filthy muddy ride so assumed it
was the muck in there.
Turns out caliper is not quite in line (vertically) with disc & so pistons
on one side get extended too far when pads are getting thin. Also pads not
quite in line & a lip forms over disc which also drags - solution : fetch
the file..for the pads & add 2 thin washers as shims on caliper bolts. Best
to fit new pads by then anyway.
This might be unique to my bike , but worth checking.

Let me know if you hear of any Pamp hop up parts Stateside.

Regards,

Mike

.............................................................
I bought one soon after the write-up in TBM. It seemed the ideal bike
for a returning (after 7 years) novice-ish bloke with a broken ACL in
knee (need to wear a brace). I wanted something that was softer power
delivery than my old KDX, lower and lighter (and easier to start) than
my KTM400 EGS and could handle the Northants mud, plus be reasonably
confortable for a whole day out.

I got an incredibly light and easy to handle motorcycle, that you can
just get on and ride. Its premix which is a bit of a pain, but I'm sort
of used to that nonsense fron the KDX. Plus of course no oil pump
malarky means less weight. I can lift the bike onto the car rack myself,
even with attached optioal extra mud, added advantage the car doesn't go
out of control 'cos its all so light.

The bike is about the same performance as a TTR250 given the several
burn-ups me and some mates have had. Its much lower and lighter.
Apparently when you get stuck in a deep rut with a TTR it's quite
difficult to get out, with the pamp you turn the wheel, gas it a bit and
hey presto, you are the other side of the trail - lovely! (I'm getting
round to thinking that weight is one of the most important aspects of a
dirt bike)

The build quality/pdi on mine was fine, I had an O ring chain put on
from new to save the sprocks, plus now have Mich S12 on back and
Motocross star (or something) on the front, which helps it deal with the
clag.

I too think that the susp is way too soft and needs heavier springs.
Mike Husband reckons there is a rear available and is looking into it
for me (thanks Mike! (gentle reminder))

The speedo is weird/crap depending on how you look at it.
The bars are nasty steel thingies that are crying out for a change - now
done. KX bend give more room front to back for rider.

The tank holds 4.5 ltrs to reserve and then 2.25 so you get plenty of
warning to get to a garage. It seems to last about 3.5 hrs to reserve on
the lanes.

Conclusion:
I'm well pleased with mine: kind of a 3/4 scale real dirt bike but so
easy to live with. IMHO everyone should have one 'cos they are so cheap!

Shez: I'd be very interested in your experiments with spacers and oil
viscosities, if you'd care to share them..?
................................................................................

got one to use green laning as I felt the Husky 250 was too quick
for green lanes (Now I have also bought a KTM300 from Si as the Pamp
is too slow at enduro tracks)
Mike Husband has an ongoing write up on his site which is honest but
I will add my opinions anyway,
Bad points;
The suspension is far too soft for a 13st rider, I have added 25mm
spacers to the front which made huge difference, I am currently
experimenting with oil grades.
The build quality is poor it arrived with a buckled front wheel and
the speedo doesn't work, and when it does is useless anyway. But the
thing cost new roughly the same as I sold my 2000 Husky for what do
you expect, I think some of mines poor build were more poor PDI.

..................................................................................................

Hi James.
The standard oil is very light, I tried 10wt in there (300ml each
leg that is what came out) but that is much better but seems a
little heavy so I will try mixing 5 and 10 to make 7.5 next :-)
At the top of the forks there is a plastic spacer, mine was 32mm
outside diameter and 38mm long, I added another 25mm to that by
getting some plastic pipe from the plumbers centre and cutting a
piece 25mm long this also inproved the bike no end, I weigh 13 st
but the front was using over half its travel with just me on there.
If I wanted to lift the front for a pot hole or similar I couldn't
as there was so much fork to extend first. Since adding the spacers
it is behaving the way a 2T should lift the front over small pot
holes. I also found the front didn't tankslap so much at four marks.
Speaking of four marks don't know if anybody mentioned but it is
open anytime except when there is a race on as the field is used as
a car park then. Also the farmer has been allowing builders etc to
dump soil there and there are now lots of jumps etc :-)

Mike Husband
Free Motorcycle Book newsletter - join now!
http://www.merlinbooks.com Motorcycle books & videos
http://www.motomerlin.co.uk Dirt Bikes

phone/fax 01403 257626
P.O. Box 153, Horsham, RH12 2YG, England

 

[KelvinKDX]

BunduBasher,

Thanks for posting the Pamera info.

OK - Now it is time to face it. The Pampera is a girlie bike. Ride it for a season and get it broke in and fix all of the bugs. Then you can sell it to Wendy! :p

Glad to hear that you like the bike. Right now Wendy is not working so I give her $5 everytime she makes me lunch to take to work. This is how she is raising money for her (Pampera) next bike. She should have the money in about 3 years. Who knows - next she will be charging me for other things too! ;)

 

[BunduBasher]

get it broke in and fix all of the bugs. Then you can sell it to Wendy!

Jim, go get your own :debil:

next she will be charging me for other things too!

and so she should, then she can get the bike in a month :scream:

You should be able to sell the TTR no problem, get 2K for it, then you are almost there ..... otherwise she can ride mine at the next fest :confused: I charge too :p

 

[Bob Brooks]

Bundu Basher,

Gas Gas should have you on their payroll for all the marketing you're doing on the Pampera! They should at least throw you a little commission, some free parts and oil or something!

 

[BunduBasher]

ya know Bob, in my next life I am going to own a bike shop, maybe only sell Pamperas :) , An exotic bike shop would be nice, have only Gas Gas, husaberg, Cannondale, VOR and TM - I am no salesman, always wanted to be a grease monkey, was building and repairing motorcycles from 15 :think

If Anne did not get the new KTM, I can bet you she would be on your case for a new Pampera.

OK guys, listen up, if any of you from now on buy a Pampera because of my write ups, you have to let your local dealer as well as Dale Malasek at Gas Gas know, you never know, I could make 'salesman' of the year :cool:

 

[gospeedracer]

Well I'll tell you what Bundu, my interest certainly is peaked because of you and Trialwench. :) I'm looking forward to trying CJ's out in Reno next month. :)

 

[DirtFamily]

I've also decided on the Pampera due to your glowing reports and TrialWench's, and CJ's!

....and will be trying out CJ's bike this weekend! (Thanks CJ!!)

Katie

 

[MCNut]

Katie,
Let use know what you think!
Bruce

 

[DirtFamily]

Absolutely, McNut! Ride report coming soon...
Katie

 

[BunduBasher]

Whatever you do ... don't ride the Pampera :( gottit :confused:

Last Saturday I went out with the P280, and had a blast, did some awesome hill climbs, had a guy on a YZ400F blast up a steep hill, he took the easy route, and I just went straight up the hardest route - shoulda seen the look on his face :p

The suspesion as it is is real soft, the first jump I went over I bottemed out, after that I took it easy, will have to dial in the rear shock, other than that, if I stay on the ground the bike is real smooth.

At one point I had to help my son out, and stoped at the bottom of a steep embankment, did not have to turn around, just slipped the clutch and blasted on up and over, the guys on the MX bikes were pretty impressed. This bike just does everything so easily.

The more I ride this bike, the more I like it, tomorow we ride again, 3 weekends in a row, setting a new record here - Must be that durn Pampera :debil:

 

[Shaw520]

Bandu, I'll take 2

At 6'-1" and 250 pnds,...I think I'll need one for each leg.
Actually, I enjoyed Merlins site, Rich, they even have a supermotard. The EC400 looks very interesting.( I wish someone would get one so I can try it out). Cool Stuff

 

[euro gasgas]

This austrian web page was posted over on r.m.d. about the new gasgas fse400. I translated it from german using babelfish and shoved it up onto LTRs website.. Check it out...

www.lt-racing.com/gasgas400.html


jeff
'01 gasgas ec300
www.lt-racing.com GasGas Performance Accessories and Services

 

[DirtFamily]

Love the Pampera!

Didn't do much more than putt-putt around the track, but had a blast on CJ's 250. Did a post over on the Women's Forum....I'm sold on it!! But since I'm 5'4" instead of CJ's 4'11", I don't think I'll cut down the seat!:eek: (had to say that CJ!;) )

Bundu, hope to meet you when you come out to Colorado!
Katie

 

[BunduBasher]

Katie, I'll let you give my P280 a bash, I'll leave the seat as is ! :)

 

[CJ Rider]

wha... er... ya don't want a slightly-uneven home-improvement chop-job on yer seat just like mine? LOL! I can't imagine why?! :confused: