Well, I went out last night for a play on Grace (as my better half has named her).
First impression is.. WOW!
I think I may have found the bike for me.
Straight away I found the linear smooth power to be just intuitve to use.
If I had got into 2t enduros, when I came back to off road in 09, then maybe I may have enjoyed their Hit!
As it was though, it was trials bikes that I came back to, so smooth bottom to top (ok, to half throttle) power was what I got used to.
The WR I then got delivered that style of power.
The EC 300 i then added, didn't.
I'm glad I decided to try the gg250f, as the choice was simple, modify the 300 to be something it really dosn't want to be, or find an agile version of the WR.
Anyway, back to the plot.
Engines...
The yammy lump in my WR never really seemed to like the grey wire mod.
It did light her up as the revs hit the spot, but it wasn't as seamless as this GG. (which dosn't have the grey wire to start with.)
This bike pulls like the proverbial freight train.
At the mo she is geared 12/50, which in the type of stuff I ride
(goat like trials stuff ~ I'd like to say extreme, but that would be me just trying to sound heroic)
it's fine for sticking in 1st and just fethering the throttle to make progress.
The wr is 12/48. which in the same terrain makes 1st a little softer to use,
but as the trail opens up it means that 2nd is 'on it' and 3rd just a tad too high.
When I am out on next with the gg and wr back to back I'll see which seems to be the best combo.
The bike did originally have the hydaulic conversion clutch lever on it, but this got broke when the first owner leant 'it' against something sturdier than 'it'.
Juan had put a manual lever on, so at present it is very similer to the Yamy.
The power delivery is such that, like the yammy, you arn't constantly riding the clutch.
You just need to be aware of stalling occasionally, as the motor can't just pick itself up from nothing on a whim.
I have a magura set up that was for the wr so I may try that on her.
Ideally I imagine a rekluse would be the perfect solution.
(short of taping juha salminen to the bars and poking him with a stick when I need to use the clutch)
Chasis...
Some comparisons, I can make between bikes are that the ec250f will loft her front at will, as easily as the ec300.
And a lot easier than the WR.
We're not talking night and day here, just that you can use a handfull to clear objects when you're nearly on them.
With the WR you need to be looking further ahead and lofting sooner.
Or jumping off and clearing the object before the bike catches up.
Cornring and agility comparisons won't mean much to anyone else as I stand up and use peg weighting to do things with the bikes.
The whole 'sitting on the tank with a roost trail behind you' type cornering is as alien to me as the truth is to a polititician.
I can say though that the gg250f is very like the 300 2t in that you don't 'know it's there'.
You just think about where you want to go and the bike is there waiting when you get there.
You really don't notice the extra weight when on the move either.
The bike feels planted and solid.
Like all bikes, bench pressing it can get tiresome.
Although I have ordered a shipment of raw talent, so that should eliviate that concern.
On a similer note, I was suprised to find that the bike runs as well, if not smoother, whilst inverted.
And for quite awhile as well. (it was a long walk back up the hill)
Her susspenders are as you'd expect very good.
The front mazochies (invented spelling) and rear sach are fimer than the WR's kyb's.
The rears of the 300 and the new bike feel the same (as you'd expect).
The fronts are very different.
The sach on the 300 were just brooms with the hair cut off,
the mazy's on the new bike are lush.
Her quirks? None...
only joking, there's loads.
The gg copy of the trail tech unit on the bars may as well be a piece of toast for all it's contributions.
(that'll need looking at, or smearing with jam)
There is no kill switch, you use the ign switch. (if you can find it)
I think a nice big red button on the bar will make me feel better.
The lights don't work.. unless the enging is running.
The lights don't work.. if they are turned on. (err, what!)
If you want to use them, turn them off.
But only when the enging is running.
Got that?
Look it's simple:
Turn the enginge on..
Reach down and turn the map switch off..
Watch in amazement as the lights come on.
You have to love Gassers. lol.
So, first ride summery..
She could well be the perfect combination ~ for me ~
Everyone has different preferences, but I would have to say, for a beginer that wants to grow and progress without a steep lerning curve the gg 250f has all the right characteristics to make it a fun introduction in to the off road world.
(Obviously I have to add the proviso, that being a gasser it will inspire and infuriate in equal measure!
Here's a couple of better pics of her.
