Question about 07 seat

REVERUP · #1 02-27-2007, 10:28 PM

Question for any of you guys with 07's.
Since they redesigned the seat and made the rear fender side panels a one piece unit. can you pick up the rear of the bike by gripping the air box inlets of the newly shaped seat without ripping the seat off the bike,and destroying the seat fastener. I have never seen the new design yet in person. Is it strong? I have always stuck my hand in the inlets on my 04 and 06 to lift the rear end over and always thought it was a good sturdy hand hold and a great design for an off-road bike. Thanks, Roscoe

wise old man · #2 02-28-2007, 03:05 AM

Roscoe you can lift the bike from the seat but I wouldn't advise it if the bike was stuck in mud. I normally lift the bike by reaching under the gaurd because as you point out the seat is only held by a single bolt and the edge does pivot on it when you lift. I have also replaced the single screw with a quick half turn duez? clip, now the air filter can be replaced real quick. And as for the hard arse foam they used in the seat that's a whole nother story. Andrew.

GMP · #3 02-28-2007, 08:10 AM

Roscoe,

I had a detailed look at a new '07 and a new '05 leftover with an '07 tail. Thats the one downside of the new tail on the '07. You can lift it from behind the seat/edge of fender which is the end of the subframe. Not as comfortable a grip as the handle holes on the older bikes though. The entire tail appears much stronger, and I'm told makes the bike feel more rigid in the back. It sits a few mm lower which is good for me. If you put the '07 parts on your '06, it would feel exactly like the '07. You can also keep the '06 airboot/filter seat with the '07 airbox, use pre '07 filters, and do away with the quick change filter thing. Now, I never personally used the new quick change, but the guys in shop that have think it sucks and went this way. Maybe just a preferance thing, but it does seem a bit overkill compared to a single wing bolt. I like the harder foam, I replaced my '03 deat with hard foam. Better than the soft foam breaking down and feeling the seat base.

Nick · #4 02-28-2007, 06:31 PM

There is a handhold under the seat but its in to far and the tendency is to lift by the seat. Even when you get ahold of the handhold it your hand lifts the edge of the seat.

peterr · #5 03-01-2007, 12:51 AM

my son has the 06 i have the 07 gas gas ec300 the new system is much better you grip the bike where the platsic tail section covers the frame on the rear guard it even has finger locaters on it and the new rear tail section does an excellent job of stopping mud, as there is no frame to see what so ever. you can lift the bike so easy .

REVERUP · #6 03-01-2007, 06:46 PM

Thanks for the replies guys, just kind of looking toward the 2008 model year for when I replace the 06.
So now I understand, you now grab the bike by the one piece rear fender side panel combo and the new sub frame runs along the side of the rear fender. Instead of actually putting your fingers in the air box inlets as we all had done with the previous design.

Sounds like they need to redesign the new quick air filter release system to make it more user friendly.Hopefully enough complain about it so GasGas changes that design for 08.

I also like hard seat foam. I don't sit much and when I do occasionally sit down I usually do it fast and pretty hard and certainly don't want to feel the base of the seat.

Later, Roscoe

eff · #7 03-13-2007, 08:24 AM

It looks like the new seat has a bracket underneath it for lifting, rather than grabbing the fender. See the 250 in the lower right-hand corner.

Yes, that is Kevin Schwantz.

REVERUP · #8 03-13-2007, 07:48 PM

Ha, Ha! At first I thought you were messing with me when I saw the trials bike!

Thanks eff, now I really get the picture! looks as if it could be a bit far in as Nick suggested, resulting in still lifting on the side of the seat. Sounds like so far some are O.k. with the design and some feel it needs some improvement, mostly in that aspect and the quick change filter system.

One of the things about the new tail section I like is.....the rear fender no longer needs that extra aluminum hoop to keep the fender from flopping around into your rear tire etc...
I must say I am anti one piece rear fender side panels though. If you break one you replace all and I'm sure the replacement cost is far more.

I also noticed in the background of the picture Mr. Fred Hoess representing the Enduro line.