2012 300 plastics & seat

mblazer11 · #1 04-17-2012, 10:16 PM

I now have 200 miles on my new 2012 300 and these are my updated thoughts.

The plastics & graphics look amazing BUT the mounting & 2 piece design are terrible! I have broken off all 4 pegs that push into the rubber grommet mounts in the radiator and the clips that hook the top & bottom plastics together. The problem is if you are hanging on with your legs the plastics will flex and pull out of the rubber leaving them flopping around. In a race situation it's not feasible to push them back in even on the trail its a challenge. If you fall over on the radiator there is a real good chance you will just break off the peg all together. Take a look at the "desktop" pictures on the gas gas site the picture showing the guy spraying gravel on the hill turn both pegs are out of the radiators.

I have resorted to drilling though some of the plastic flanges and zip tying them to the radiators (this is behind and not really visible to someone just admiring this beauty).

I have worn though the provided "thin" frame stickers and have put on the provided "thick" frame stickers I think they will hold up much better.

The seat is Very hard also takes a little while to get used to the funny angle and bump from plastics to seat where your knees are. in comparison to a 6 year old CRF450

these are my only real complaints. Other then that this bike is a dream!

GMP · #2 04-17-2012, 10:55 PM

I never liked that plastic mount idea either, and it appears that my first impression was correct from experiences so far. I will mod and bolt the shrouds on top and bottom to the rad frames before I ride the bike.

Elvis74 · #3 04-18-2012, 02:36 AM

Thanks for the report This stremgthen my opinion NOT to change my 2011 to a 2012 model.

nato · #4 04-18-2012, 05:45 AM

I have the ec 300 12 model and only have 300 km on it but from jumping off the '10 300 i found the seat to be firmer but not a big deal and i ride single track and snotty hills mainly and the shrouds have not popped yet though when i fitted the radiator braces i ziptied the bottom clip. I too can see the thin sticker wearing through but i have not owned a bike that when i go to sell it it has not worn paint off the frame or in my '10's case the stickers off the front of the side plate. In my opinion i am way more comfy on the new bike and would certainly prefer it over the '10.

Clay · #5 04-18-2012, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mblazer11

I now have 200 miles on my new 2012 300 and these are my updated thoughts.

The plastics & graphics look amazing BUT the mounting & 2 piece design are terrible! I have broken off all 4 pegs that push into the rubber grommet mounts in the radiator and the clips that hook the top & bottom plastics together. The problem is if you are hanging on with your legs the plastics will flex and pull out of the rubber leaving them flopping around. In a race situation it's not feasible to push them back in even on the trail its a challenge. If you fall over on the radiator there is a real good chance you will just break off the peg all together. Take a look at the "desktop" pictures on the gas gas site the picture showing the guy spraying gravel on the hill turn both pegs are out of the radiators.

I have resorted to drilling though some of the plastic flanges and zip tying them to the radiators (this is behind and not really visible to someone just admiring this beauty).

I have worn though the provided "thin" frame stickers and have put on the provided "thick" frame stickers I think they will hold up much better.

The seat is Very hard also takes a little while to get used to the funny angle and bump from plastics to seat where your knees are. in comparison to a 6 year old CRF450

these are my only real complaints. Other then that this bike is a dream!

Just curious about something......why do most ride reports seem to focus on the negatives rather than the positives? Not a criticism of you Blazer, just simply curious. Do you guys realize the influence you have over a bike you all claim to love? This report, as an example, influenced Elvis not to buy a 2012. I don't disagree with anything that Blazer said but, to me, the bike is absolutely incredible and the few negatives listed would never keep me from riding one. I raced Sunday and a guy fell in front of me and blocked the trail. I busted through the undergrowth to get around him and pulled the right shroud out. I was able to pop it back in on the next straight away. However, I have decided to drill a hole in the pegs and put a long, thin cotter pin through the hole. I think this will solve the problem. If not, Blazer's idea of a zip tie will work, too.
Even if this did not solve the problem, I would rather live with this issue than have a bike that won't turn. In addition, the fork and shock are excellent. The ergos on the new frame are better. The bike has more ground clearance and the pegs don't hit the junk in the trail anymore. The bike is easier to work on. I have been reading this forum for two years now and 99.9% of the things that guys complained about have been corrected but guys still use words like "terrible" to describe small details on the bike.
I recently overheard someone telling a KTM dealer....."All you have to do to make the XC's turn is put a 20mm offset triple clamp on it and buy the linkage rods that WMR makes and that will fix it". One of my best friends bought a demo 250XC from a KTM RSM and then called me wanting to know if I had any 20mm offset triple clamps in my leftover KTM parts because he couldn't get the bike to turn!!!??? We don't even sell different offset clamps for a GG!
Sometimes forums make me shake my head!

Again, Blazer, please don't take offense at my rant. It just seems to me that lately, for some reason, this forum is focusing on late delivery and small issues and we're forgetting that Gas Gas has finally stepped up and made a world class motorcycle.

Jakobi · #6 04-18-2012, 08:14 AM

Maybe you're reading into it more than I am Clay, but I wouldn't call that a negative review, or even focusing on the negative. Its just someones honest opinion about a single aspect of the bike. You can't argue with the fact that even the sales media that GG has on their official site shows the very thing he's pointing out. It is a terrible design for a shroud. Reading on he says thats the only complaint about the bike and that the rest is a dream. I read that as pretty positive overall and more as a general warning to anyone who's looking to own one to secure the shrouds before breaking the tabs off. Not as a warning to boycott the brand.

I do agree with what you have said that its pointing out the list of negatives, without really any postives. Maybe the list of good things was too long

Yourself and Nato only have good things to say, thumperrider and wence are in love with theirs too. I don't think there's any disputing that these are an awesome bike, and if this little list of complaints is all we can come up with, then we're really onto a good thing.

Clay · #7 04-18-2012, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakobi

Maybe you're reading into it more than I am Clay, but I wouldn't call that a negative review, or even focusing on the negative. Its just someones honest opinion about a single aspect of the bike. You can't argue with the fact that even the sales media that GG has on their official site shows the very thing he's pointing out. It is a terrible design for a shroud. Reading on he says thats the only complaint about the bike and that the rest is a dream. I read that as pretty positive overall and more as a general warning to anyone who's looking to own one to secure the shrouds before breaking the tabs off. Not as a warning to boycott the brand.

I do agree with what you have said that its pointing out the list of negatives, without really any postives. Maybe the list of good things was too long

Yourself and Nato only have good things to say, thumperrider and wence are in love with theirs too. I don't think there's any disputing that these are an awesome bike, and if this little list of complaints is all we can come up with, then we're really onto a good thing.

Jakobi,
Thanks for setting me straight. I appreciate your opinion.
Clay

Jakobi · #8 04-18-2012, 08:48 AM

Not setting anyone straight here.. Just putting my measley 2c worth in.. I enjoy reading the pro's and the con's.. If potential buyers come and only get to read how great these bikes are they'll think we're up to something Fishy!

As a whole we're damn lucky to have you participating on the forum at the level that you do.

As to the original question, I guess people like to identify the short comings so that discussion can be made on how to resolve the weaknesses and keep making the product better each and every year.

myrcrocks · #9 04-18-2012, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clay

This report, as an example, influenced Elvis not to buy a 2012.

I think anyone serious about buying a new bike would not be put off by one rider's review of the radiator shrouds and seat...

GMP · #10 04-18-2012, 09:35 AM

This is not a big deal and not uncommon either, and should not truely deter anyone from buying a bike. If it does, perhaps they were looking for a reason in the first place. The older bikes had pop in mounts on the top and they popped out too, most bikes do in fact. Look at Husky plastic and how that comes apart. The bikes are great but they are designed by humans for production in numbers and will have minor quirks. These quirks can be addressed as needed. I get paid to find and fix problems so its my nature to critique stuff, but the focus is always on a positive outcome not a bitch session. To me this is just a minor setup detail, no more, like adding a brake snake if you ride in a lot of brush. I'll mod it and share the info.