2012 ec300 or race 300
 

So i have decided to buy a 12 model 300 but Im not sure if i should get the race for Its extras or the ec for Its elec start. At the moment Im leaning towards the race because i have a kick 300 now and to be honest they kick over easy so i am not sure it would bother me. What are your thoughts people? I only Will race 3 or 4 times a wear the rest is trail riding. Anyone have a link to the exact difference between the 2?

Get the e start, you'll love it once you've got it unless its PURELY for racing, all the race stuff like bars and sprockets can be replaced cheaply if you need them, the weight difference is hardly noticeable. The motor, suspension and brakes are the same. The e starts are easier to sell as well.

The confusion on models is that in Europe the 2012 has Sachs front and back on the e start and the "race" has the ohlins 888 rear and marzocchi 48 mm closed cartridge fork, in Australia and the U.S BOTH the "race" and ec have the zoke/ohlins because the Sachs aren't liked in either market. They all have the same brakes. The race in all markets has the twin wall bars and plastics that say "race" ( yeah baby).

Essentially in Australia you can have either a "race" with no estart, some flash looking "race" plastics and renthall twin wall bars which are stiff as buggery OR an "ec" with estart and some as flash looking plastic that don't say "race" and some hebo bars that are just as tough but don't beat you up as much and (IMHO) have a nicer bend.

I agree - get the electric start. You will love it. I don't mind kicking either, but pressing a button is that much better!

Luke

Pretty straight forward hey Simmo?
That is why I went the E start( also easier to move on down the track).
Cheers Mark

My biggest complaint about the estart 300s is that they are the cause of the delay for the 250s here in the USA.:mad:;)

When you are on some horrible hill, covered in sh(t, buggered, wrong side of forty, 15k from anywhere, buggered, broken levers, sole coming of yer right boot, completely knackered with a pack of d3ckheads laughing at you. That little green button turns to gold.

Just ask me.

Turn around.. bump back down.. throw the bird at the bunch and then punch back up on the back wheel.. So why do you need the button Simmo? :D

Now Nato.. I'm sure in my interwebs browsing tonight I saw a post on another thread in another forum saying you've just placed an order.. So which one was it?

Either way for a few hungy you can either bolt the e-start onto your race, or put the race plastics on your E.. For me the biggest win about the button would be the few seconds you'd save after a break when everyone else is on their bikes, pressed the button and taking off while I'm still peeling the kick starter out and finding tdc. By the time I kick they've all filled me in!

race. look better, no battery/starter motor/wiring to fail, saves 3kg & bulk around engine & no battery in the way of filter

Never bought into the 2stroke estart thing either, sorry, JMO. If I get to the point of not being able to kick my bike over, I'm probably not strong enough to ride reasonably safe and should reevaluate my situation both at the moment and my future involvement in the sport. To me the beauty of the 2stroke is its simplicity and light weight. Now a 4stroke is a completely different story, wouldn't ride one without estart, because its there to solve a real problem.

No battery in the way of the filter but I think you will find the battery box is , as it is a strenghening part of the subframe and the seat is hooked on it also.
Cheers Mark

Buy a cordless 1/4" impact. Non issue then.

Got the elec start coming within 2 weeks ill be on it.

Personally, the e-start provides some cost saving advantages (seeing as the E-start and kick are the same price in Canada). With the e-start I know a couple of guys that haven't bought a Rekluse (me included) yet as a quick stall is easily restarted with the button.

Correct me if I am wrong but I think the only Rekluse for the GG is the full Core EXP and at $899 adds some big outlay of Cake! I can get away with the e-start for now and leave the Rekluse.

Second for me, haveing a battery to power some lights or heated grips is really appealing for winter riding and those longer rides/short nights in the fall where some lighting is necessary to make your way back to the truck.

Eitherway, the 6-7 pounds for me is a few less beers and wings at the pub after the ride!!!

Here in Aus the RRP on the E-start is actually less than the Race model. Try and work that one out. I haven't confirmed if we get the spares kit with the R like previous years though.

If I can get at the kickstarter I dont mind a kick start only 2stroke bike but theres been a few times I wish I had an estart bike... stalled on a hill while off the bike on the left thats happened a few times and once I was stuck in a rut so deep I couldnt kick the bike over the kickstarter was hitting the ground lol.

I have an e start 2011 ec250 with a recluse core exp. If I had to choose between the recluse or the e start I'd pick the recluse hands down. I find myself only starting the bike about 40% as often as I did before the auto clutch. No more searching for neutral or holding the clutch in at stops. Where I used to shut down I now just let it idle in gear. The e start is nice if the motor dies on a hill (yes there are hills in East Tennessee) but that almost never happens because it's much easier to keep it running with the auto clutch. I've seriously considered selling the e start components to clean up the looks of the motors' left side and make air filter changes much easier.