Ride Report ? - want another one or not 11 300

[BrentMartell]

There are several and all are pretty good. Is there a need or not for a new report? Don't really want to put one out there if no one cares.

[Krieg]

Originally Posted by BrentMartell

There are several and all are pretty good. Is there a need or not for a new report? Don't really want to put one out there if no one cares.

Please, post a report. All bikes are different.

[john01]

Yes post your impressions you may help someone decide if the GasGas may be right for them. Everybody has their own way of writing how something feels to them, plus I like reading what others feel, think, and have to say about products.

[gg3]

Ride reports are great,get to it!
Don't make it a sales pitch though,point out the nasty & niggly bits too.
Don't use too many big words,there are alot of Aussies on this site.

[wence]

Huh?
Can you put bigger spaces between the letters please?????

[bchatt]

Ha ha! Good on ya gg3. Never miss a chance!

[BrentMartell]

Well I have had a couple of Australian Sheppard?s and German Sheppard?s. Those Aussie's were pretty smart dogs but they tend to need a lot of attention. : )

Perhaps it would be easier to give you a little back ground on me and my style, preferences, and ability. I am 41, 170 lbs, and compete in the A class in most off road venue's. I am not a motocrosser. My biggest accomplishment is going to Portugal in 2009 to ride on the US ISDE team. I was also 2nd overall in a local desert racing series in 2008 and missed 1st overall by 1 point. Trying it again this year but staying in the top 5 is proving to be a challenge. So I prefer enduro formats but am forced to race the desert locally if I want to race at all without huge travel expenses.

I have ridden KTM's since 2003. I had a 200, and currently have a 06 125 and 05 300 KTM. Both bikes have worked over suspensions and engines. The 125 has the full race tech goodies. Awesome suspension.

I have two races on the 2011 300 GG and 5 play rides. I would say I have about 500 miles and roughly 20 hours on this bike now. My race pace has been between 35-38 mph and play rides is around 25-26.

Bike set up: fastway FIT hand guards and stabilizer, forks set down in clamps to top of tube, 30 mm static sag, 108 rider sag. Fastway foot pegs. Clarke 3.2 tank. Hyde skid/pipe guard. Scorpion radiator guards. Stock shock and fork springs. 178 main, n2zw #2, 40 pj, 6.5 slide. Ohlins shock, Zoke forks.

Before I even started the bike I pulled the swing arm, linkage, and triple clamps to ensure proper grease. Grease was OK but really needed to be removed and packed with a premium quality water proof grease. Spokes were loose as well.

Motor, transmission, chassis: initial ride left me giggling about the way the motor, transmission, and chassis felt. The engine power is so smooth, free reving, and easy to control. It felt like it had as much if not more power than my moded KTM but the power band was much wider and this GG motor can handle high rpm like a 250. The transmission is also a bonus over the semi-wide ratio on my KTM. Perfect, no gaps, precise. The clutch is OK, but I like my KTM clutch better. Brakes are good up front, mediocre in the back. The bonus and what I was looking for is precise and capable cornering, agility, and flickability. This bike is much more lively than my KTM 300. I have ridden a 09 KTM 300 (08-11 XCW's are the same) back to back with the GG. The GG turns better and is easier for me to throw around than the KTM. The q stealth silencer blew 81 db at sound test and I can tell you it is the quietest bike I have ever ridden. Awesome.

Suspension: The shock was kicking and the forks were super harsh. I was hoping it would be better once the break in period was over. I put 100 miles on it and raced it in a 100 mile desert race. We are still working on suspension set up but for me it is requiring valve, shim, and spring work. Personally I believe that anyone who is outside the standard set up is going to have to do this. I am however a little frustrated at the fact that the KTM's I have ridden were very very close to being set up well for me. My buddies 09 is very good in stock form and suspension can make or break a riders impression of a bike. Marzocchi, shame on you for producing a low quality set up for a great bike.

Con: KTM's are the world standard in my opinion for an incredible off road bike. They are easy to work on, set up well, innovative, and well thought out. Gas Gas grabbed a bunch of ideas, bolts, and other fasteners and threw a bike together with some nice parts. Having mixed fasteners such as allen heads, torque heads, metric hex heads all over the bike is retarded. They also put rivet nuts in the sub frame for the rear fender but no where else. For example, the silencer uses bolts and nuts and there are no access holes to get to the bolt head. STUPID. I inserted rivet nuts in the sub frame and bored holes in the number plate so I can use a ratchet to access the bolt and no nuts are falling in the dirt etc. The left-side side panel is now modified to access the air box because changing an air filter with the battery in the way is horrible. Likewise the sub frame attachment points are bolts and nuts and should be threaded frame points or rivet nuts. I will change this eventually. The shock top bolt is a pain to access as the air intake boot is in the way. They should have put this on the right side of the bike where it is easy to inspect and access. It is the simple things I tell you, like putting in transmission oil from the left side of the bike through a tiny access hole. I think I will try and machine the clutch cover to accept a standard oil fill plug. 2.5 gallon tank for an enduro bike in the USA is too small in my opinion. Suspension as mentioned above. Front brake cable guide is a joke.

E-start, works 50% of the time. I have tried all sorts of things to fix it. Have not found the cure yet. For dead engine starts I use the estart and kick start at the same time.


Pro: The polysport plastic fit and finish as well as the graphics are very nice. The handle bar bend is nice. Jetting this bike is ridiculously easy and I love that. Simply loosen the clamps and rotate the carb to remove the slide, rotate it back the other way and get right to the bottom. Motor, tranny, handling as already mentioned. 4 way positioning of bars. Coating on lower fork tubes. The shock can be removed through the sub frame if you are careful and patient. I will say even with less than stellar suspension the bike tracks straight and does not bounce out of line unless you do something really nutty. 2 position mapping switch, similar to KTM is nice. Like the e start idea. Mechanically I feel confident in this bike and have had very little metal stuck to the oil drain plug.

Overall, I really like this bike and riding it is natural and easy to me. Others have taken it for a spin and they have the same initial feelings as I do. It is a great bike, has a few things to sort out, with the potential to be an awesome bike.

[john01]

Ummm next time just start typing your ride reports please. No need to ask should you anymore. That was an excellent ride report and a pleasure to read, thanks.

[REVERUP]

Nice report.Thanks for taking the time. I enjoy reading all the point of views of the new owners.

I am posting my first ride impression of my set up XC 300E.

Roscoe

[gg3]

top job.Thanks.