Opinion of Changes to US GG line for 2012

[AcadianaRacing]

Newbie here but I definitely like "XC" over EC and the red/white/black color scheme should stay.
XC: have mx front number plate without light, no e-start, no spark arrestor / just a shorty silencer, not quite such the wide ratio transmission...keep suspension as-is...maybe a little stiffer
EC: have everything above
scratch the "six days" version

Not that I'd personally be interested but any plans to offer a motocross version bike?

[MJC]

Originally Posted by REVERUP

I agree. I truly would rather continue to pit and pack fuel on long rides than sacrifice performance and have a bulky width at the tank. That's exactly why I never bought one of the aftermarket tanks available. I would be happy with a liter more that would get my range up and probably not add to much girth or hight to the tank.

One of the issues with the perimeter frame is there is only so much room down low. After that it has to be added up and out top of the frame making it taller and wider. look at the ec 250F the tank is taller cause that 4 stroke motor is taller in the chassis along with a hot header pipe needing space for safety.

Roscoe

From a racers standpoint,(mine), a 3.0 gal tank is a must have item. Having raced H/S for the last 15 years that 30 seconds it takes to refilled the smaller stock tank can easily be the difference between 1st and 3rd in the series that I race. I don't think I won or lost a race by more than 2 min the entire year. Not having to buy an aftermarket fuel tank up front would be a significant savings to myself and fellow racers.

[REVERUP]

I'm also a racer and agree time for pitting can cost you in a HS. For me it usually doesn't, as I need a goggle swap sometime during the race, so a splash of fuel and back out.
There is no doubt in my mind that adding another liter would be plenty for me to complete any 2.5 hour HS I race here in Washington including the ones in the open. I finish some of the more technical ones on the stock tank without a stop. My bike is jetted well and gets very good mileage even at race pace.

Roscoe

[Clay]

Originally Posted by AcadianaRacing

Newbie here but I definitely like "XC" over EC and the red/white/black color scheme should stay.
XC: have mx front number plate without light, no e-start, no spark arrestor / just a shorty silencer, not quite such the wide ratio transmission...keep suspension as-is...maybe a little stiffer
EC: have everything above
scratch the "six days" version

Not that I'd personally be interested but any plans to offer a motocross version bike?

Lucas,
The Race version (if I get my wishes) would come with a headlight but have a number plate in the crate for riders who wanted to take the light off. The 6D version would go away here.
No plans for an MX bike (Hallejuah!)

You guys should go to Lucas' website. he has posted a very cool GG video he just did. www.acadianaracing.com
Clay

[JRH250XC]

Originally Posted by ScottyR

It is great to have an importer who listens to customers but it is up to customers to put their money where their mouth is and BUY the motorcycles.

Right now the GG Factory caters to its biggest clientelle, the EU buyer. Enduros in Europe have gas stops every 40-50kms max and generally the trails are wider open and faster so the same setups that work good in Italian Enduros probably arent that good in New Jersey. As already mentioned Europeans are generally smaller people than chubby North Americans so the spring rates and valving are just guesstimates.

It has only been in the last couple of years that KTM has made changes to the NA spec bikes from the EU spec bikes and this is only after NA gets 40% of KTMs bike sales.

Hopefully the GG factory can make some subtle changes to the bikes for the NA buyer but they are a smaller company and just dont have the infastructure to make huge changes overnight especially for a market that is only selling 500 units per year.

We, the buyer, need to get behind the importer and the brand as a whole and start buying bikes. When we start buying bikes and get the numbers up so NA becomes GGs biggest market, then we can start whining and demanding that the factory changes the units to our liking.

Rant over.

Well said Scott.

[Fred1956]

Originally Posted by Clay

You guys should go to Lucas' website. he has posted a very cool GG video he just did. www.acadianaracing.com
Clay

+1 Lucas has a great website and the GG video is awesome, I also want to thank him for posting the 'Almosta Race' info on his website. An all around good guy to have in the sport. Hijack over...

[Clay]

On Wednesday and Thursday of this week we met with the new export manager, Jordi Verdauger. He's a great guy and we had some really good conversations. He took tons of notes about the US bike mentioned earlier in this thread. To refresh your memory, it would be a sort of combined Six Day and Race model with the 48mm Marzocchi fork. He said that he would take this info back to the factory and discuss with the appropriate departments and get back to us. Chuck and I have plans to go over there in early May to confirm the exact specs of this model and other models for the US.
We also discussed other issues mentioned in this thread like fuel tank and fasteners. He said the fastener thing was already being discussd and that they would look into the fuel tank thing (and other items that we brought up from this thread).
Just so you know, we took Jordi to a restaurant on Wednesday in Senoia, GA called the "Redneck Gourmet" and to a bbq place on Thursday for lunch. On Wednesday night we drank more than one beer with him. During the meeting there was 4 GA Stuckeys and Chuck from TX. I almost felt sorry for him!

Clay

[john01]

LOL Clay I hope they keep sending bikes over here!!! By chance did you give him this info in writing?

[Winterfreak]

So what was the outcome of the meeting and specs for the USA bikes.

Wish I would have seen this thread last winter.


My 2 cents, obviously to late.


EC 125, 200, 250 and 300 (Std No Electric Start)

Priced $500 less than KTM 300 XCW.

45mm Zokes

Dealers would order 5 or 6 electric kits and GG USA would advertise a EC Electric bike for $300 dealer isntalled option. $200 for the stater and $100 for the dealer to install it. This would reduce the number of models and offer electric on any bike as well as less dealer inventory for leftovers for the smaller dealer who is taking on the brand.


XCR 125, 200, 250, and 300 (Race Models) ($1000 over EC premium)

* Option to add Electric Start for $300 (Dealer Installed)
* Plastic Number Plate In Bag For Headlight Delete
* Heavier Flywheel Weight in Owners Manual Bag
* 48mm Zokes, Ohlins Rear
* Skid Plate
* Radiator Guards
* Renthal Bars Twin Wall Bars
* Race CDI
* Different Decals
* Special Rear Sprocket
* Suspension Specs provided by USA for Enduro/Hare Scramble set-up.
Weight start for USA 195lbs - 215lbs with Gear as a starting point. Give
these specs for the front forks and rear shock and have GG build it for the
USA. We weigh more than our tea-cup sized Europeans, set the bikes up
for the U.S. market.

This gives you two lines. Trail/hobby racer and Race for dealers to sell. As special models come out they would fall in one of the other catagory.

Parts/Accessory Catalog could offer a larger fuel tank that is supplied by Acerebis or IMS or Clark. GG USA would negotiate the manufacturing of the tank and have it be $15 less than aftermarket catalogs so this drives sales to the GG dealer and recoup costs of design by GG USA.

Also MAVTV has great coverage on the National Enduros. It wouldnt hurt to put a cool Enduro/Family ad campaign together that flashes between racing and family riding lets say in the mountains of Colorado and fast race action. Show male teen on a 125 XCR Race and a female teen on the EC 125cc, mom on a 200 EC with Electric (Actually pushing the start buttion), and Dad on a 300 XCR Race riding through the mountains of Colorado and flashes of Pro racing from Erzberg, the National Enduro Series. A few few podiums raising the trophy. Slogan " Gas Gas, the choice of champions and families all over the world".

Run the ad on the GNCC tv spots as well as the MAVTV Enduro Spots. Also getting all the models of bikes into magazine hands for reviews and Youtube video action.


Good Luck.

[Platoon]

The plan needs to be to grow the Gas Gas brand. There is a fear from buyers that the brand is too obscure and difficult to source parts. People buy what they are comfortable with. "orange" for the most areas is easier. The bike lineup needs to attract new riders with a base bike that is good enough to keep them coming back for the next one and the other bikes need to be upgraded for existing customers in the sport/hobby.