Bike test - Gas Gas Enduro
By TMX Archives on 16th Nov 05
What are red, yellow and blue and rip all over? The '06 enduro Gassers of course...
The Gas Gas range of enduro machines was one of the surprise packages of 2005 for me. I didn't really know what to expect from the bikes before I rode them but when I did I found that they were a great all-round bike for every level of enduro and trail rider out there.
For the '06 launch - held in the sunny north - I drove for four hours with a high level of excitement as I anticipated getting my hands on the two-stroke Gassers. The high level of excitement was on two counts - A) the prospect of riding the bikes excited me and B) the fact that Mr Lawless and the Sutt Dawg were going to be there always brings a smile to my cheeky Oirish chops. This is because Sutton loves taking a challenging shot and he will take it at all costs even if it brings injury to me, Sean or himself!
As always John 'Big Mac for brekkie' Shirt Jnr was there bang on time to get the launch up and running. No, really, he was. Honestly.
Anyway...the '06 range once again consists of the 125, 200, 250 and 300 models with the colours for '06 being yellow for the 125 and 200, red for the 250 and blue for the 300 models. The brightly coloured plastics perfectly compliment the new black deltabox frame and in my opinion they look mega.
As well as being a good looking package it's a race ready one too! The factory aim to put the bike together so you - the potential user - won't have to buy any extras for your new bike. That's why they've fitted V-Force reed blocks and dual map ignitions as standard. The point is that they want you to buy it then go and race it. Simple.
125cc two-strokes are a blast - that's a fact and the Gas Gas 125 is definitely a fun bike to ride. The motor on the tiddler has to be ridden pretty hard to get the best from it. This is the case with most 125 motors although the '06 125 engine felt like it had to be revved more than its predecessor to find the power.
This probably has something to do with the new EU2 catalysed exhaust system - the system seems a little restrictive. This problem could be fixed with a little time spent re-jetting. When riding the 125 hard, the carburation is less of a problem but when you get into the tighter, technical going the motor has a tendency to die at the wrong time which could get you into a bit of trouble.
This small problem is easily sorted though and the bike was straight out of the crate so I'm sure Shirty and the boys will have any small jetting issues sorted before the puppy hits the high streets.
The light feeling to the tiddler is a great thing. It inspires confidence to find the best from the motor. I'm a little on the large side for the 125 (no ***t Sherlock - Sutty) but the suspension dealt with most things I threw at it on the day, although - as with all next year's Gassers - the forks have come with a slightly too soft feel to them.
To wrap up on the 125, I have to say that with a little bit of work to find the best from the engine the '06 125 Gasser will certainly be at the top of the 125cc two-stroke enduro tree.
The 200 Gasser is a favourite of mine as it gives that little extra power without a great increase in the overall weight of the bike. In short, the 200 has the best of both worlds. I personally really like 200cc off-road bikes and the Gas Gas is right up there on the list of 200cc off-road bikes that I love.
The bike just loved to be abused - the more stick you give the 200 Gasser the more it likes it. This thing took me everywhere I wanted to go with ease and in fact it asked me to do some crazy things. That's right - it asked me (you seriously need to lay off the cough syrup dude - Sutty)! The 200 caused me a lot of pain as when my confidence increases so does Sutty's thirst for me to crash while he has camera in hand!
Fun and games were had on this weapon as it felt fun to ride. As with the rest of the range the handlebars are new and they feel spot on. The clamps are adjustable to four different positions for personal tweaking and that folks is a good thing.
As with the 125 there's a small feeling of the motor being slightly restricted at times - although the extra horse power helps to overcome any major difficulties. The 200 Gasser is a blast. Great fun to ride for the masses.
The 250 model is one I was looking forward to riding the most to see if it was improved on the current bike. I was a little disappointed with the '05 model as it made a strange kind of power.
As with all the other Gassers the comfort zone is easily found when you first sit on the bike. A little personal adjustment on the bars and levers and you're away. On my first upshift through the gearbox I noticed something strange. Even with my size 11s I was only just able to reach the shifter. The shifter has been made longer for '06 but the one on the two-fiddy seemed like the extra long variety. Once rolling I didn't really notice the shifter as you kind of make a mental note where it is and every shift after that was made positively and with ease. The clutch and gearbox on all the Gassers works incredibly well - something you'd expect from a trials bike manufacturer.
One really interesting new addition to the bike is the switchable ignition. This switch allows you to change the ignition curve while riding. The ignition map changes to a more mellow curve for slippery going to help you find traction. The change was pretty noticeable as the test venue was real slippery in places. It was good to test this particular part of the bike in the perfect conditions to actually feel the difference it made.
The 250 chassis, again, gives the 'Gas Gas feeling'. I've come to the conclusion that all Gassers feel low up front and high in the rear. This works great for finding front wheel traction in certain situations but sometimes makes it a little difficult to find grip at the back. I personally think that for myself I would have to find a slightly better balance transfer between the front fork and rear shock by running a harder fork setting and slightly softer shock setting.
This would be a personal change and I'm sure that Gas Gas owners would have some degree of difficulty adapting to my set-up. To sum up the 250 Gasser I'd say it makes great power especially with the curve switched to the 'rain' setting. The bike and chassis feel comfortable and ready to rock and roll.
Last year's favourite bike for me was the 300 and the new version was sat on the paddock stand looking good to take the honours for a second year running. With the same tweaking as the other bikes in the range I was off and running.
Generally I like bigger bikes and the 300 Gasser doesn't fail to impress with its smooth and very ample power delivery. This thing is a tractor and brings a big smile to my chops as it's easily ridden right through the range - tickover to over-rev. Absolutely anyone could ride - and really enjoy - this bike as the power delivery really is that smooth.
The 300 does nothing frightening which makes it a very easy bike to ride. The bike feels slightly heavier which I enjoy as it makes the shock sit a little lower and gives a slightly more balanced feeling on the chassis. This makes for a great package as you can get the best from it in all situations and conditions.
All-in-all the 300 remains the favourite for me with the 200 a very close second as it's the most fun to chuck around. The daddy of the range takes the honours as it is a complete package and quietly goes about its business...
specifications
EC125
Capacity: 124cc
Bore and stroke: 54mm x 54.5mm
Transmission: Six-speed
Carburettor: Keihin PWK
Front suspension: Marzocchi 45mm (295mm travel)
Rear suspension: Ohlins (310mm travel)
Front brake: 260mm disc
Rear brake: 220mm disc
Wheelbase: 1476mm
Seat height: 940mm
Weight: 96kg
EC200
Capacity: 199.4cc
Bore and stroke: 62.5mm x 65mm
Transmission: Six-speed
Carburettor: Keihin PWK
Front suspension: Marzocchi 45mm (295mm travel)
Rear suspension: Ohlins (310mm travel)
Front brake: 260mm disc
Rear brake: 220mm disc
Wheelbase: 1476mm
Seat height: 940mm
Weight: 101kg
EC250
Capacity: 249.3cc
Bore and stroke: 66.4mm x 72mm
Transmission: Six-speed
Carburettor: Keihin PWK
Front suspension: Marzocchi 45mm (295mm travel)
Rear suspension: Ohlins (310mm travel)
Front brake: 260mm disc
Rear brake: 220mm disc
Wheelbase: 1476mm
Seat height: 940mm
Weight: 102kg
EC300
Capacity: 249.3cc
Bore and stroke: 72mm x 72mm
Transmission: Six-speed
Carburettor: Keihin PWK
Front suspension: Marzocchi 45mm (295mm travel)
Rear suspension: Ohlins (310mm travel)
Front brake: 260mm disc
Rear brake: 220mm disc
Wheelbase: 1476mm
Seat height: 940mm
Weight: 103kg
For the '06 launch - held in the sunny north - I drove for four hours with a high level of excitement as I anticipated getting my hands on the two-stroke Gassers. The high level of excitement was on two counts - A) the prospect of riding the bikes excited me and B) the fact that Mr Lawless and the Sutt Dawg were going to be there always brings a smile to my cheeky Oirish chops. This is because Sutton loves taking a challenging shot and he will take it at all costs even if it brings injury to me, Sean or himself!
As always John 'Big Mac for brekkie' Shirt Jnr was there bang on time to get the launch up and running. No, really, he was. Honestly.
Anyway...the '06 range once again consists of the 125, 200, 250 and 300 models with the colours for '06 being yellow for the 125 and 200, red for the 250 and blue for the 300 models. The brightly coloured plastics perfectly compliment the new black deltabox frame and in my opinion they look mega.
As well as being a good looking package it's a race ready one too! The factory aim to put the bike together so you - the potential user - won't have to buy any extras for your new bike. That's why they've fitted V-Force reed blocks and dual map ignitions as standard. The point is that they want you to buy it then go and race it. Simple.
125cc two-strokes are a blast - that's a fact and the Gas Gas 125 is definitely a fun bike to ride. The motor on the tiddler has to be ridden pretty hard to get the best from it. This is the case with most 125 motors although the '06 125 engine felt like it had to be revved more than its predecessor to find the power.
This probably has something to do with the new EU2 catalysed exhaust system - the system seems a little restrictive. This problem could be fixed with a little time spent re-jetting. When riding the 125 hard, the carburation is less of a problem but when you get into the tighter, technical going the motor has a tendency to die at the wrong time which could get you into a bit of trouble.
This small problem is easily sorted though and the bike was straight out of the crate so I'm sure Shirty and the boys will have any small jetting issues sorted before the puppy hits the high streets.
The light feeling to the tiddler is a great thing. It inspires confidence to find the best from the motor. I'm a little on the large side for the 125 (no ***t Sherlock - Sutty) but the suspension dealt with most things I threw at it on the day, although - as with all next year's Gassers - the forks have come with a slightly too soft feel to them.
To wrap up on the 125, I have to say that with a little bit of work to find the best from the engine the '06 125 Gasser will certainly be at the top of the 125cc two-stroke enduro tree.
The 200 Gasser is a favourite of mine as it gives that little extra power without a great increase in the overall weight of the bike. In short, the 200 has the best of both worlds. I personally really like 200cc off-road bikes and the Gas Gas is right up there on the list of 200cc off-road bikes that I love.
The bike just loved to be abused - the more stick you give the 200 Gasser the more it likes it. This thing took me everywhere I wanted to go with ease and in fact it asked me to do some crazy things. That's right - it asked me (you seriously need to lay off the cough syrup dude - Sutty)! The 200 caused me a lot of pain as when my confidence increases so does Sutty's thirst for me to crash while he has camera in hand!
Fun and games were had on this weapon as it felt fun to ride. As with the rest of the range the handlebars are new and they feel spot on. The clamps are adjustable to four different positions for personal tweaking and that folks is a good thing.
As with the 125 there's a small feeling of the motor being slightly restricted at times - although the extra horse power helps to overcome any major difficulties. The 200 Gasser is a blast. Great fun to ride for the masses.
The 250 model is one I was looking forward to riding the most to see if it was improved on the current bike. I was a little disappointed with the '05 model as it made a strange kind of power.
As with all the other Gassers the comfort zone is easily found when you first sit on the bike. A little personal adjustment on the bars and levers and you're away. On my first upshift through the gearbox I noticed something strange. Even with my size 11s I was only just able to reach the shifter. The shifter has been made longer for '06 but the one on the two-fiddy seemed like the extra long variety. Once rolling I didn't really notice the shifter as you kind of make a mental note where it is and every shift after that was made positively and with ease. The clutch and gearbox on all the Gassers works incredibly well - something you'd expect from a trials bike manufacturer.
One really interesting new addition to the bike is the switchable ignition. This switch allows you to change the ignition curve while riding. The ignition map changes to a more mellow curve for slippery going to help you find traction. The change was pretty noticeable as the test venue was real slippery in places. It was good to test this particular part of the bike in the perfect conditions to actually feel the difference it made.
The 250 chassis, again, gives the 'Gas Gas feeling'. I've come to the conclusion that all Gassers feel low up front and high in the rear. This works great for finding front wheel traction in certain situations but sometimes makes it a little difficult to find grip at the back. I personally think that for myself I would have to find a slightly better balance transfer between the front fork and rear shock by running a harder fork setting and slightly softer shock setting.
This would be a personal change and I'm sure that Gas Gas owners would have some degree of difficulty adapting to my set-up. To sum up the 250 Gasser I'd say it makes great power especially with the curve switched to the 'rain' setting. The bike and chassis feel comfortable and ready to rock and roll.
Last year's favourite bike for me was the 300 and the new version was sat on the paddock stand looking good to take the honours for a second year running. With the same tweaking as the other bikes in the range I was off and running.
Generally I like bigger bikes and the 300 Gasser doesn't fail to impress with its smooth and very ample power delivery. This thing is a tractor and brings a big smile to my chops as it's easily ridden right through the range - tickover to over-rev. Absolutely anyone could ride - and really enjoy - this bike as the power delivery really is that smooth.
The 300 does nothing frightening which makes it a very easy bike to ride. The bike feels slightly heavier which I enjoy as it makes the shock sit a little lower and gives a slightly more balanced feeling on the chassis. This makes for a great package as you can get the best from it in all situations and conditions.
All-in-all the 300 remains the favourite for me with the 200 a very close second as it's the most fun to chuck around. The daddy of the range takes the honours as it is a complete package and quietly goes about its business...
specifications
EC125
Capacity: 124cc
Bore and stroke: 54mm x 54.5mm
Transmission: Six-speed
Carburettor: Keihin PWK
Front suspension: Marzocchi 45mm (295mm travel)
Rear suspension: Ohlins (310mm travel)
Front brake: 260mm disc
Rear brake: 220mm disc
Wheelbase: 1476mm
Seat height: 940mm
Weight: 96kg
EC200
Capacity: 199.4cc
Bore and stroke: 62.5mm x 65mm
Transmission: Six-speed
Carburettor: Keihin PWK
Front suspension: Marzocchi 45mm (295mm travel)
Rear suspension: Ohlins (310mm travel)
Front brake: 260mm disc
Rear brake: 220mm disc
Wheelbase: 1476mm
Seat height: 940mm
Weight: 101kg
EC250
Capacity: 249.3cc
Bore and stroke: 66.4mm x 72mm
Transmission: Six-speed
Carburettor: Keihin PWK
Front suspension: Marzocchi 45mm (295mm travel)
Rear suspension: Ohlins (310mm travel)
Front brake: 260mm disc
Rear brake: 220mm disc
Wheelbase: 1476mm
Seat height: 940mm
Weight: 102kg
EC300
Capacity: 249.3cc
Bore and stroke: 72mm x 72mm
Transmission: Six-speed
Carburettor: Keihin PWK
Front suspension: Marzocchi 45mm (295mm travel)
Rear suspension: Ohlins (310mm travel)
Front brake: 260mm disc
Rear brake: 220mm disc
Wheelbase: 1476mm
Seat height: 940mm
Weight: 103kg
Words by Geoff Walker Photos by Sutty
16 November 2005