Model Review

[skid]

Hello, Stateside woods rider looking to get a trials bike to play on. Looking at gassers because my dirt bike is a de 300 and I have a gas gas trials dealer about 25 minutes away. I'm looking for an easy to ride easy to take care of bike for a noob. Something in the $2000 to $2500 range. I like smoooooth power. What does gas gas have that would fit the bill. Even tho i have a 300 I like small displacement bikes and almost got an EC 200. Whats up with the 200 trials bike.

[dan]

The 200 is anything but smooth power (assumably the same for the 125 as well). In order to compensate for the smaller displacement these bikes really rev and can be quite a handful! Although they are very fun to ride, they can inspire a 'flat out attack' style of riding that may not best suit you.

If you want something smooth you're probably best looking at a softened 250 - this will normally involve fitting a flywheel weight, carb spacer and a possibly a few other mods in order to smooth out the power delivery (many of the pro models are set up for use on the dry Spanish rocks so pick up pretty quickly). Although a 2007 250 will offer relatively smooth power from stock this will be a little out of your price range. I'm not sure what the 300s are like, I think some models are quite soft in delivery, but they definitely pull like crazy, so may be a little too much power really.

Depending on how smooth you mean by smooth it might be worth considering a different make of bike, rapid power delivery is pretty much an inbuilt characteristic of Gassers and while this can be smoothed out they're always going to be quite 'poppy' engines, it's just the way the bikes are designed and the way most of us like them. From my experience non-racing model Scorpa SY250s offer very smooth power, but it could also be worth looking at 4 strokes (Scorpa or otherwise) as they should be smoother than any 2 stroke available.

Edited October 30, 2006 by dan

[125 crew !]

The 200 is anything but smooth power (assumably the same for the 125 as well). In order to compensate for the smaller displacement these bikes really rev and can be quite a handful!

I don't think this is right as i know a man who rides inters and struggled on a 250 for grip on some sections he then bought a 200 last year and finds it much easier on the grip side. but does struggle on bigger steps or hills.

Edited October 30, 2006 by 125 CREW !

[dan]

man who rides inters and struggled on a 250 for grip on some sections he then bought a 200 last year and finds it much easier on the grip side. but does struggle on bigger steps or hills.

I guess it may depend upon the year and set-up. I've only ridden one Pro 200 which is an '04 with a flywheel weight added and that thing can still pick up very quickly. It never feels like too much power, but it does feel (and sound) quite racy, so I assume without the flywheel weight it would be a bit of an animal.

Compared to an earlier (as in not 2007) 250 I imagine it would be softer as they were equally racey bikes, but I still wouldn't consider them soft in their own right. As I said, it may differ for different years and set-ups though, my experience of the little bikes is a bit limited.

[grib]

Hey Dan, is the point of your reply to let everyone know that you have a 2007 250?

[dan]

Haha! Sorry if it comes across like that... I guess I'm probably quite keen to talk about it, and it's one of the few things I feel like I can talk about competently. Didn't think I'd read like that though! I'll watch what I say from now on

[skid]

Thanks for the replies!!

[malibudon]

Skid, I know this is a Gas Gas forum, but you're describing a Montesa Cota 315R. It's a 250, but it's perfectly smooth. And, as far as "easy to take care of," nothing is more reliable and less maintenance intensive than a 315R.