2000 Gas Gas 200 good woods bike?
 

Hello Everyone,
I found a 2000 GG 200 (don't know the model) on ebay for $2000. I'm looking for a woods/trail bike. no MX or racing. This would be my first dirt bike. I have rode a few but am by no means an expert rider. I'm 5'11" 208lbs. in good physical shape for my age (52) the ad says it has a smooth powerband which is what I'm looking for. Can anyone tell me a little more about this bike?
I haven't had much luck on any of the other 2 stroke forums. thanks in advance, LeftyNC

Lefty,
The 200 is a great starting bike for the woods. The 200's are light and easy to pick up when you fall.:D The power they deliver is not really dangerous like the 250's or 300's. I started riding in the woods on a KTM 200 and I am a big guy and I enjoyed it while I had it. Then I jumped on my friends Gaser 200 and feel in love with it and now I have a 300.

That being said the 200 is a great starter bike and it's power delivery is smooth.

Boom

Not sure if you know this but it's worth pointing out...
The KTM 200 is built upon the 125 chassis.
The GG 200 is built upon the 250/300 chassis.

This would make the GG 200 a milder version of the bigger GG bikes (250 or 300). IMOH, GG bikes have smoother power delivery than KTM's. I rode my friends KTM 250EXC back-to-back with mine and you would could easily feel his midrange hit. Wheres, mine pulled strong right from the bottom through the entire range.

For me, I would prefer the KTM 200 since it's a smaller, more flickable bike. It's basically a torquey 125 bike. Not to say the GG 200 is bad, it's just a different way of doing a 200cc bike.

I love my 2001 GasGas EC200. It's a great woods bike and has definitely helped me improve over the last two years. One thing though: this bike doesn't make a lot of low end power. It definitely likes to be ridden in the sweet spot of the midrange so clutch skills and a quick left foot are useful to take full advantage of the bike.

I have a 2000 GG ec 200 and I love it . It has smooth power to take the corners . I have a doma pipe to inprove the low end with a 52 t rear sprocket and I dont think it's heavy. Great starter bike I am also 5'9'' 210lbs and it has enough power to carry me around doing enduros.

It'd be best if you could try a few.
I had an XR650R. I decided I wanted a GG EC200 when I started riding with guys that rode more than once a month.
My, more experienced, friends talked me into a 300. They said I could be lazier (they meant less skillful) on the 300 due to the torque. I love my EC 300. :) I can flub up and be in the wrong gear (high or low) and the motor pulls me through every time.
Yeah, the 300 can take you to the moon but it's really tame when you want it to be.
I'd still love to give a 200 a try (our A rider rides a KTM 200) but I just thought I'd throw my thoughts at you.
No matter which motor size you end up with a GG will probably inspire enough confidence that your skills will improve quickly. Mine's certainly done that for me. More so than any other bike I've owned. The fast guys can probably ride anything but I need my Gasser if I'm even gonna finish. :)

200 power delivery
 

This is just second hand info, and I'm sure the guys with 200's know more of what they are talking about. I was calling around to find a 300 for a buddy of mine who can ride, but tends to ride beyond his ability and crashes alot and likes smooth power delivery with no surprises .

A dealer with a 200 told me that the 200 basicaly had the power delivery of the 125 and had to be revved out and had a strong hit. I've been told all kinds of wrong info from dealers, so this may be another instance. After thinking about it, I'm afraid the total power of the 300 may get my friend into trouble because the linearity of the motor fools you into thinking you are not going fast when you are(I briefly had a KTM 300xcw). When I read the 300 has the hp output the same as my MC250, I had second thoughts about recomending it.

Does the 200 have the hit and need to be revved like a 125, or is it much smoother? My friends previous dirt bike was a KDX200,which was a perfect bike for him, but he sold it when he got married. Can anyone tell me how the GG 200 power delivery compares to a KDX? He's going to look at a KTM 360 today, which I'm sure is too much bike for him and would like to get him on a GG that he can handle. Thanks for any info.
Matt

I have an EC200, but the ignition has been swapped with the motocross ignition. It makes alright low end, but then it comes on HARD in the midrange. It's still smoother than a motocross bike, but if you're not prepared for the hit, things get interesting fast.

While a GasGas 300 is a great bike for the lazy trail rider. It, as well as the 250, is a bit of a handful when you push their motors to their full potential.

For most "A" and "AA" riders the GasGas 200, ridden the way the motor likes to be reved, is a great choice for off-road racing. Especially when it comes to dicing through trees.

If a rider likes to lug the motor and wants a bike with an easy learning curve the 300 is easier to handle in those lower RPM ranges but it can quickly get a rider in "over their head" if they don't respect the power generated "wide open throttle."

The draw back to the 200 is it typically doesn't like to be lugged especially one with a lighter DE ignition.

Each bike does better for the beginner if it has the EC ignition and / or a flywheel weight is added. All of them become even more rider friendly if the bike is a newer model with high/low ignition and ridden in the low setting.

IMO $2000 seems too high for any 200 that old. I rode a GG200 and it was a good runner. I believe the seat height is a 1" taller and it wieghs a bit more than a KTM 200. The KTM 200 has great low end, still makes the peak hp of a 125 but carries so much more in between. A common complaint about the KTM 200 is that it hits too hard. This engine has one of the easiest, most tunable PV's. Just turning a screw will make smooth tractable power, and at the other extreme is a big midrange hit. I weigh 220lbs and my 200 had no problem pulling me around. The 200 is the most fun bike- It always makes you want to go fast.

If I were searching for my 1st dirt bike I would take a good look at a KDX200/220. There are plenty of new ones around and priced below $4000. Sure the performance is down compared to a KTM or GG but so is the price.