Well, I've had it...

[RoadRash]

Hi Everyone-

This is my first post over here, and I'm glad I found the place. Sorry my first post is a novel. I haven't been riding very long (not counting the Honda z50 I had when I was 4). The first bike I bought was a 2003 CRF450...lol...how's that for a beginner bike! What an idiot I was. I spent the first year of my riding career laying on my back. Anyway, the suspension was actually great, it just couldn't climb without stalling/looping out, and generally was horrible in single track, which I found I liked. What I liked was that it felt really planted, I could weight the rear of the bike open it wide open, and it would go through anything. But the more I rode and got into technical terrain, the more the stalling/looping out issue came to play...then I did my first enduro, and knew she had to go.

So, I moved to an 05 KTM 300 EXC. Much better motor for the technical terrain, but the suspension sucked...$1000 later, suspension was still horrible, and I got tired of being tossed off going through stuff 3/4 speed I was going through on the 450. So, within a few short months, I dumped it, and bought a 525 exc. That thing was a rolling couch, and really is a great bike, unless you want to ride technical trails for more than a few hours....and then after you drag it over your first log, wow...

So, 2006, I picked up a 250xcw. Motor I like better than the 525 or 300 because it's softer off the bottom, so I didn't get as much unwanted wheel spin when it got really technical, but keeping it in the power through faster sections was difficult. Guys on bigger 4 strokes and the 300 pulled away coming out of the turns. And, after almost 2k in suspension work, still not as good as the old crf450.

I hopped on my buddies ktm 300 xc recently, still a little too abrupt off bottom, suspension is still horrible, but I like the way it pulls hard out of turns (didn't like that it wouldn't rev out as far as the 250 though), and the tighter tranny seemed like I was always in the right gear, but on fast transfer sections, I want another gear....or wait, maybe just electric start is all I need, I get confused sometimes....Anyway, not to bash KTMs, they've made decent bikes, but I am tired of being held back because the suspension scares the heck out of me. I have no confidence in it. On the honda there where so many areas I could just open it up and rail through, that on every KTM I've owned since, I have to slow down. It seems that unless I try moving to 5k in works suspension, I'm just wasting my time continuing to buy them.

Anyway, I've been looking at GG for the last couple of years. And as soon as I see an 08 300, it's mine. If the suspension is as good as everyone keeps telling me, I might have finally found the perfect bike. Let me get this straight, the power is a little softer off the bottom compared to the KTM 300, just as strong in the middle, but revs out farther like my current 250, Light weight, 6 speed tranny, link in the rear, nice solid planted bike, that actually turns, and is the rumor true that it's green sticker in CA?. Someone pinch me...

Am I missing something? Just reading some of the posts around here, it seems like a no-brainer to me.

So, I went to the GG website, I click on models, and all I get are the trials bikes. Is there a different site I should visit? I noticed a mention in a thread here about 2 different models, one with a lighter flywheel weight than the other. I want to read up as much as possible to make sure I get what fits me best. Find out about suspension upgrades, etc...I'll be reading through this forum for the next couple of days to get more info, but if anyone can point me in the right direction on model differences, and suspension upgrades I'd appreciate it.

Again, I apologize my first post is so long. I'm just really excited. I have been considering going with a yz250, and turning it into a woods bike...anything, I just cant ride KTM suspension any longer. And when I heard we would get electric start, but not a 6 speed tranny, that was the deal breaker. I can't wait any longer for them to get the basics straight.

[Bearman]

ok, go to www.gasgas.es

click english (i think the page is deafault in spanish) in the black bar at the top of the page so you can read the info. the page will then reload.

then click enduro on the left hand side and it will take you to the 2 stroke enduro bikes. the models are listed across the top and to look at a different year model if you want to, that's in a drop down box higher up on the right hand side.

the 2008 EC300 will come up automatically once you click Enduro on the homescreen.

Hope ive helped

[RoadRash]

Thanks, that did help. He original www.gasgas.com webpage I went to was all trials bikes. The website still doesn't mention suspension. Is getting ohlins all around an upgrade from the facotry, or is it not needed?

[Boomhauer]

The Ohlins is not needed. The Sachs shock is very good and several people here can help you dial the suspension in if you buy a GasGas.

The power delivery on the GG is smoother than the KTM's in my opinion.

[RoadRash]

Thanks for the reply. As long as I can buy an 08 (seems there distributor problems going on from what I read in one of the posts), it's the bike I'm buying next. Once the KTM 08 buying frenzy has calmed down, I'll be selling the 250 xcw, and if it gets timed right, the 08 GG should be available somewhere. A friend of mine picked his up from a lawnmower shop somewhere in Nevada...if I remember right. I'll have to start checking around.

Anyway, thanks for the info.

[skid jackson]

I have a drz 400 it was like your crf in that it was glued to the ground and would swallow rock gardens without a hick up. I beleive you'll never get anyhting like except in a bigbore 4t. wanted something lighter so I tried a tried a ktm 200. That didn't work!!! Got an 06 300. The flywheels are DE which means Dealer Edition and is a lighter weight flywheel that goes in american bikes. The rest of the world gets the true EC, normal Heavier flywheel. You can ad weight to the de flywheel or replace it with a true EC flywheel if you want. I found my stock de to be a little peaky. Note that most real 2t guys would fall off thier chairs laughing at that but I came off of an drz that had electric motor power delivery characteristics. If been experimenting wiht huge rear sprockets so that might explain some of the peakyness. Slowly working my way back to stock sprockets!!! get the ltr jet kit and power valve cover. pv cover made the bike easier to ride. I'm slowly getting it dialed, I'm starting to look forward to rock gardens again!! The 300 still feels like a big bike to me though. If I were going to do it again I think I'd go 200. I ride a lot of tight technical stuff. mostly 1st and 2nd gear.

[RoadRash]

I'm just hoping decent suspension alone will help out. I'm a big guy, so I always end up putting in new springs/valving. My CRF was really planted...but, it was also raked out a bit more than a woods bike, which adds to higher speed stability. But what I really liked about the crf was I really could look out across a nasty stretch of trail, and keep my eyes way out in front, and just open the bike up. With my KTMs, I'm fighting a lot of the small stuff I shouldn't have to, and keeping my head down too much, which slows me down. Even the big 525 is like that, but with it's higher weight, not as bad. The crf was really predictable, I knew what it was gonna do. My KTMs are not...The crf didn't turn well though, I think because it was raked out so much, it was meant for squaring off your corners type of riding, and really pushed the front in tighter trails.

Anyway, I've got an open mind, and no brand loyalty. I ride what works. I like light weight bikes because I sometimes have to drag them sideways up a hill the last few feet, over/under a log, etc....When actually riding, weight doesn't bother me. Unless I go to a 4st MXer (which are just too much bike for the woods in my opinion), my only choice is a 2st. I like my bike to be a little soft just off bottom, so that I can clutch it if needed to control wheelspin with less arm pump than a bike that comes on strong down low....but I like a strong mid, and I love it when they scream up top. If we are racing in doubletrack through switch backs, squaring off corners, I need something more than my current 250...it's just a little too weak, and I end up between gears a lot (which could be the wide ratio exc tranny), but I will often drop 2 gears coming into a turn so that I'm way up on the pipe on the exit, but screaming it like that still slows down the turn a bit because you immediately shift within a short distance of the exit. That's why I'm going 300, I want a stronger mid range bike with more torque.

Most of my riding is 2-3 gear...If the suspension is working for me I can usually keep the speeds up enough to not have to drop into first. But sometimes I do get into some open sections and will pin it in top gear..The 5 speed exc tranny hold me back because it tops out at around 70, and the same section when on the 6 speed 525 I'm running in the high 80's..I also am considering some desert races this year. And I like a one bike do it all...whether I'm chugging up nasty single track in the mud/roots/rock, or ripping through a dry lake bed at 85....but I need suspension that works for me, and the PDS/WP stuff has been a real bummer, and I'm not going to buy an 08 KTM just to be disapointed again.

A friend of mine has an 06 GG300, I'm gonna try and sneak a ride on it as soon as he gets it back together.

[Nick]

Dont know where you live but if you are ever in Elko Nv you can ride my FSR450 and i'll get one of my customers 300 for you to try also, and were not a lawn mower shop here. Also have a 450 with a rekluse you can ride.

[gasser]

If you live near middle Tennessee we can get together and you can try my 2007 EC250. - Ken

[Berkyboy]

Same thing if your up here in Minnesota.

We've got a stock '07 300EC and a 300MC with a Rekluse clutch.