I mentioned earlier I had never bought a brand new bike before. But, I had heard a lot about manufacturing companies being real stingy with the bearing grease. I know you aren't supposed to pack bearings 100% solid. Still, the pictures I'd seen were nearly dry as a popcorn fart. I expected no better from my favorite motorcycle builder. Industries typically are too alike to expect much difference.
I got the bike home and decided to start tearing it open to pack the bearings and check fasteners for tightness before I got it covered in mud.
Here's my teardown review. I had to work off an annoyingly low bikestand. My usual lift-table is filled with an ADV bike that's missing all its suspension. There was no moving that out of the way.. Some may say I'm spoiled.
Pulled the frame guards off and noticed a lot of grease oozing out around the main swingarm pin. Cautiously optimistic......
Lookin good!
But I was really happy to see the swingarm and linkage bearings packed very nicely with waterproof grease. It added a little more confidence that GasGas was doing things right. No cutting corners here.
Very KTMesque with the torque spec stamped in the triples. Even if these are actually an upgrade "aftermarket" triple. Nice touch.
Lots of grease here on the steering head bearings too. I didn't bother pulling them apart beyond this point for now. If the swingarm was packed as well as it was and this much was oozing out of the steering head I'm sure it's fine.
As I said earlier I work in product marketing. So I catch dumb stuff like this pretty quick. Who in the great name of all things good and right decided to make this a nyloc threaded nut on the backside of a throughbolt to hold the chain guard on!!!! Stupid design. Shoulda been a captive fastener in the mould for the guard. It's a small detail. But the details are what matter. Stupid stupid design. Thankfully it was the only bolt I found on the bike that made me shake my head. I'm not saying the guy who made this design should be fired... But he needs a stern talking to!
Got my OFTR Sticker!! All ready to go for my first ride!
After all that I'm extremely pleased with what I found. I think the "Ready to Race" tagline a certain inferior orange company is using should really be transferred to the Torrot/GasGas company. To see a bike this well put together was unexpected, even from someone like me who is a card-carrying fanboy. The pictures speak for themselves. Well done GasGas!