Little Help

[Wbdisco]

Guys I?m looking to get a new to me bike after a 10 year hiatus from riding. I keep coming back to the GasGas and Rieju bikes while researching and hunting for a bike. I believe I?ve boiled it down to getting one but my obvious concern is age. The pickings are slim down in Tennessee, I?ve missed a few deals during my search but there are still a few around and I?m sure more will come up.

I guess my biggest concern is age, I am excited to find one but most are in the 2011 range and very few are 2018s. I will be just trail riding, I?ll be 43 this year and don?t expect to be a full on weekend warrior every weekend because my job won?t allow it. So for the dozen times a year I realistically will probably ride, do you think I will miss the newer technology? In particular I?m really eyeballing a well taken care of 2011 ec 250, I?m sure it will serve me well, but for how long? For some reason I still can?t 100% get over that it?s essentially 12 years old. Thanks for the help guys

[Zman]

Any dirtbike you buy will need work and a rebuild sooner or later. I would not hesitate to get an older bike that has been well maintained. Check this forum for year specific details and potential issues to watch for with the years you are checking out. The Spainish GG with KYB forks are very nice bikes for sure but IMO there have been no game changers in this technology in a long time. Find a bike that comes as close as possible to suits your needs and you can always make changed to suit your size weight and riding style.

Our riding group has nine GG bikes from 1998 to 2004 and they are all stone ax reliable. When you have problems, there are lot of new parts available through dealers, this forum's classified section as well as Ebay. Additionally there are many cross over parts as options to replace GG oem parts.

[Anders]

I have a 2015. I like it very much, it has done 400 hours now. My greatest concern isn't age as such, but availability of chassis parts. When searching the web for parts, I find far more for the up to 11 bikes than the 12-17 bikes. From 18 on there seem to be no problems at all. Even for the 11 and older there is a good spares situation.

So my advice to you would be to buy the 11 model if it is well maintained. The 11 is the best of that era of GG bikes in many people's mind. (That era being anything prior to 2012).

Many GG bikes has ended up with a KYB fork, typical off a Yamaha.
I have the OEM Marzocchi on mine, it works well after some tweaking.

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[SS109]

I have no worries about getting parts for my '11 EC250R. Just bought a bunch of parts here fairly recently including plastics, graphics, all levers, air filter, full gasket and seal kits, sprocket, etc., etc. Literally, no real issues getting the parts I needed/wanted.

I'll add, after having ridden plenty of newer KTM family, Beta, Yamaha, Honda, Sherco, '18-'20 GasGas, and Kawasaki bikes I don't feel my bike gives up anything to them except maybe some weight and that isn't much. All of them were really good bikes for the most part. I really like the '18-'20 Gasser/Rieju chassis bikes but the older small framed ('11 and older) Gassers just feel better to me probably because I'm a shorter rider. I also love my suspension, which is the Marzocchi PFP48 forks and Ohlins 888 shock, and prefer it over even the Yamaha KYB's most drool over.

So, if you find a bike that's well taken care of, and at a fair price, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase it.

[Wbdisco]

Well I?m coming from the KDX world, so a great bike in its own right, but dated as far as suspension. Honestly I?m just excited to have estart. I really feel like after 2010 or so there is only so much you can do for suspension, and that all the new technology is engine based, such as tpi or smart carbs, etc. I like the simplicity of the Gassers, I still want to be able to tune and work on the bike. I?m a shorter rider so the early GasGas seems like it will fit the bill that way. I guess I just want the reliability of the KDX bikes with a newer suspension and ergonomics. I?m on the hard hunt for a GasGas, have one in particular that I really want. Hopefully it will work out, and y?all will be the first to know.

[(F5)]

Probably a lot of us came from the KDX world.

I run an old 07. It has been super reliable but I have changed a bunch of parts such as master cylinder etc so it doesn't feel baggy like an old dirtbike often does. Sadly e start was not till much later. I like the smaller size of the older bikes.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Wbdisco

...
Honestly I?m just excited to have estart.
...

I don't think you should be too excited about the 2011 version of the estart.

[Wbdisco]

I?ve heard it ain?t the best, but no estart on an off camber hill sucks for a short man.

[SS109]

Originally Posted by Wbdisco

Well I?m coming from the KDX world, so a great bike in its own right, but dated as far as suspension. Honestly I?m just excited to have estart. I really feel like after 2010 or so there is only so much you can do for suspension, and that all the new technology is engine based, such as tpi or smart carbs, etc. I like the simplicity of the Gassers, I still want to be able to tune and work on the bike. I?m a shorter rider so the early GasGas seems like it will fit the bill that way. I guess I just want the reliability of the KDX bikes with a newer suspension and ergonomics. I?m on the hard hunt for a GasGas, have one in particular that I really want. Hopefully it will work out, and y?all will be the first to know.

Originally Posted by (F5)

Probably a lot of us came from the KDX world.

Yep. I know I came from the KDX world and I'm still in it. I'm an admin over at KDXrider.net and will never give up my KDX. First was my '90 KDX and then I bought my first Gasser an '05 EC250. It was stolen so I returned to the KDX world but this time on a '98 KDX220. Still planning on building a KDX/KX hybrid here with it soon. Then my buddy decided to sell his '11 EC250R so I bought it in a heartbeat! To me KDX's and Gassers are very similar in feel and hence why I took to the Gassers so easily.

If you like the simplicity and size of the KDX you will like the '11 and older Gassers. Try to get an '10 or '11 so swapping on an e-start is easier if someone hasn't already added it. The weight is almost identical ready to ride but you get better stock suspension and more power than the KDX.

Originally Posted by Anders

I don't think you should be too excited about the 2011 version of the estart.

I've read this for many years but I swapped the early style used e-start from a '13 onto my '11 and have had zero issues so far. It starts from dead cold super quick and I literally haven't kick started my bike even once since installing it. The key, IMO, is to get the starter gear alignment correct, install a good battery, and I think you won't have any real issues with it.

[Wbdisco]

Funny about KDXrider.net. I spent a lot of time there back in the day. Those guys helped me with my KX fork swap on my last KDX. I?ve still got bushing diagrams for triple clamps and CAD drawings for axles.