Chilly's review on the '14 300

[Mick]

Link

[AZRickD]

Interesting pull-quote:

I was the first of the our group up the hill. As it turned out, it didn?t really feel like much of a challenge. But reaching the top I realized no one else made it up. Sensing an opportunity to make myself look good, I flipped on my GoPro, rode back to the bottom and climbed the hill again as the other riders pushed their way up. I know how to capitalize on an advantage!

But that isn?t really the story. We went back to the truck, swapped bikes and headed back to the hill climb. My next attempt was on the Sherco 300 2t. Two tries later I realized I just wasn?t going to get back up that hill. Next I tried a Husaberg TE250, again no dice. Now it?s starting to look like it wasn?t really me that was looking so good, rather the Gas Gas.

[Vindicator]

Although a lot of factors can contribute to what Chilly experienced I have to say my bike makes it all seem easy... I constantly surprise myself in each ride ...

[Jakobi]

Note for myself to read..

[celler]

Clay,

Did you take the testers on Loop 3 of CMRA? My favorite loop for sure. Has some of everything. True eastern off road.

[Jetster220]

I would concur that I feel faster and more confident on my '12 GG than I ever have on any of my previous bikes, and feel like I can go even faster, it just simply doesnt ever feel like Im actually trying.

[Simmo737]

whatever they did to the new frame, linkage and suspension (on the 2013 at least) has made the bike grip, specially in the soft map, usually you get good drive from pds on katobergs , but when ive ridden them up hills back to back (a 2013 kato 500 with rekluse) covered with goolies or greasy clay or rock ledges, the gasser wins, the only other bike with the same level of grip has been a 2010 yz450f which seem to have a similar linkage and long swingarm (but its a complete handful everywhere else).

I still stand by my initial impressions compared to the old frame, grip and stability with a minor loss of low speed trials type performance that i can easily live without, I love my 2013 and its bone stock except for springs/rad braces and suzuki needle.

[Jakobi]

I rode my 2013 250R in the sunshine mode, modded head, 50T sprocket (rear axle pulled forward in swingarm), in the sloppiest conditions over the weekend. Suspension was stock, both in valving and springs. The bike felt quite good and as others were saying, I never felt like I was riding fast but I was keeping my normal pace easily and passing on strange/rough lines. Got home after using a mates tyre pressure guage and was running 15/16psi where I'd typically run 12/13 at the most. Amazed me how well the bike was still hooking up at the pressures it was, in the crap conditions. I was a bit upset though, knowing how much more traction I must have been missing out on.

[Clay]

Originally Posted by celler

Clay,

Did you take the testers on Loop 3 of CMRA? My favorite loop for sure. Has some of everything. True eastern off road.

I broke my collar bone about 3 weeks ago at a race in GA and couldn't ride. I asked Derek Bratcher to lead them and he took them on a loop that included part of three and loop four plus some other stuff thrown in. Apparently it was nasty! It had snowed earlier in the weeks and was still on the ground when we got there on Friday. The snow was thawing and it was pretty messy. Someone asked Chilly if he was out of his element and he replied that on Monday (four days earlier) he was in Baja! Baja on Monday and CMRA on Friday was about as far apart as you can get in the offroad world!

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Clay

Baja on Monday and CMRA on Friday was about as far apart as you can get in the offroad world!

It certainly is! I grew up in PA, tell ya I am loosing my snot slick rock/root riding ability living out here in the desert. I have to change my riding style when we go to Colorado.

Though I am moving to Idaho this summer...looks like it is going to be a great mix of woods and desert riding up there.