New GG owner! Huge thanks to County Cycle!

[shang]

Hello everyone!

I've been lurking around for a while now but I just received my new-to-me bike and figured its time to say hello.

I've been riding KX450's for years now and feel totally at home on them. Living in Ogden Utah I have Little Sahara, and Saint Anthony Sand dunes within three hours of me. This has always led me to riding a 450 and making the compromise on the trails. But my heart is in the single track growing up riding trails in Washington state.

Well I ride more trails now than dunes, and the trails we ride seem to keep getting harder but the bike isn't getting any easier. The last trip to Moab a few months back had me so worn out from riding the big MX bike that I decided it was time for a change. So it was time for a real enduro. While we were out on the trail we ran into a group of guys and a few of them were riding GasGas 300's. I watched them mountain goat up the trail and figured that would probably be my next bike.

I found that Paul from County Cycle was selling a 2013 demo for and incredible price so I picked it up. He was extremely patient working with me really took care of me.

Anyway, enough with the long winded story. Here's some pics...

[iamovru]

Congrats! You will love it.

[Rick]

Welcome aboard! Enjoy that new steed!

[liv2day]

That's awesome man, congrats!

When you have some time, post up your first ride impressions and definitely include some pics when you do so

[nknudsen]

Congrats! Someday....

[shang]

Originally Posted by liv2day

That's awesome man, congrats!

When you have some time, post up your first ride impressions and definitely include some pics when you do so

Well I got out on the bike for the first time on Saturday. Sorry I didn't take any pics.

The trail was steep gnarly rocky tree rooted cliff edge single track. So basically, typical Utah type trail riding. The bike handled really well. So well in fact that I had a difficult time holding a straight line for a while. The 07 KX450 I came off of was kind of a tank. It would rather just plow through stuff than go around. Most of the time this was okay but it can get pretty tiring. The Gas Gas responded really well. It climbs like a mountain goat! No matter how steep and rocky the climb was it just tractored up it. Never once did I stall it. It was so predictable. Easy to wheelie up onto and over obstacles.

I'd say I was riding faster than my typical trail pace within 1/2 hour of being on the bike. I rode for about four hours and when I was done I still felt fairly fresh. I could have ridden all day no problem.

The most important thing though is that I had a stupid grin on my face most of the time. In a nut shell, the bike is just really playful and fun!

Now I just need to get used to the lack of engine braking! I blew off the trail a few times because of that.....

[liv2day]

Originally Posted by shang

Now I just need to get used to the lack of engine braking! I blew off the trail a few times because of that.....

LOL - there's definitely some adaptation that has to occur on the braking front. The cool thing is that when you get accustomed to it, you'll jump back on a 4T and wonder why the heck the thing is slowing you down when you roll off After being on 2Ts a while now, it's hard for me to maintain any type of pace on a 4T - prefer the free-wheel feeling of my 200

Awesome that you like the bike; I feel the same about my 200

[siaknijustin]

Originally Posted by shang

The trail was steep gnarly rocky tree rooted cliff edge single track. So basically, typical Utah type trail riding. The bike handled really well.

You'll find that these machines handle our singletrack exceptionally well.
FWIW, you'll find that they do quite well in the Desert as well. Congrats on the purchase!