diligaf Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 I interested for any opinions regarding why a 250 is a better bike than a 280 or 300. I will have to decide soon on a 2010 and have just come off a 280. Many riders are saying buy a 250 I have ridden both but havent lived with either so am interested in debate on the strengths of the diff bikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benbeta23 Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 A lot of people prefer 250's rather than 280's & 300's because the power isn't really aggresive & snappy from the bottom end, i used to own a 2009 300 pro & it was a bit of an animal to control, but when i had a go on a 250 i didn't like it to be honest, it felt like it didn't have enough stick for my likeing, but now got an evo 290 which is just perfect. Cheers, Ben. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubby Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 I'm sure I've heard or read somewhere that this year the way the bikes are set up means that the 280 does really fill the gap in performance between the 250 and 300. The 300 is the full on pro bike now so the hardest to handle. My previous bike was a 300 and I spent most of the time trying to slow it down. With the '09 250 I've now got I kind of feel that it needs something a bit extra from time to time, so when it comes to changing again I'll give the 280 a test before making the decision. Would be nice to have a bit of extra poke, but not at the expense of ripping my arms off!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikespace Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Always loved the 300, despite only ever having had a 280. Ridden a mates 300 in a couple of events and don't understand what people are saying. I reckon maybe a novice clubman would have the sort of arm ripping off problems, but you ride well enough to know that easing off the throttle tends to stop that sort of thing :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalley250 Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Ive ridden 250 280 and own a 300. The 280 in my opinion is very aggresive and snappy with the 300 having smoother delivery and more bottom end . The 250 is just smooth and will suite clubman to inters. I think a 300 could be used by clubman but would wear the rider down more than a 250. The 280 i would place as an inter expert bike. I bought my bike second hand having rang GasGas uk and forgot chaps name but he said the 300 would be ok for me and i ride novice/inter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tricky dicky Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 I have had gassers for the last 5 years and I have had all of them apart from a 125 and 200, I ve had a 300,280, 250 and even a 225. Nobody who rides the novice route needs anything more than a 250. BUT the 250 is quicker off the bottom end than a 280 or a 300! I am an expert rider and ride to a decent standard and the 300 is far too much for me. A very good mate of mine who is a multi national winner has softened his 300 off considerably with head spacers and allsorts and that is very nice to ride but a lot of trouble to go to when a 250 or a 280 would do the same job. The 280 and 300's are definitely a handful for the majority of riders. The main thing with a 280 or 300 is to make sure you have a flywheel weight on or you are wasting your time completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikespace Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Yeah - might be right there Tricky. I have to say I'm in the minority as an expert rider weighing in at over 18 stone, but Cubby knows my riding style (if you can call it style). I feel like I could do with a 500 sometimes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
husky Posted December 16, 2009 Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 I have had a 300 raga,290 sherco and currently ride 08 250 gas gas.Its easier to ride than the previous bikes,it grips better and have never thought it lacks power,but I'm an aging intermediate rider so I don't do sections that have big steps with no run up.If my son rides it at hard expert stuff when we gp practicing it still goes up but he says its harder work than the 300 raga he used to ride or the paxau sherco he has now.So I think the answer to your question on the best bike depends on how good you are and where you ride Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasgasmi Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Your millage may vary...... I have an 07 300 and I love it but I have been on big bore bikes for a while (98 320 and 01 321). I am a senior rider an I don't find the 300 a handful at all. My wife and my son both have 280s and both like them. My wife has ridden the 300 and if she could start it she'd be on one, likes the engine but too hard for her to kick. She is waiting for an 09 250 that we have coming, again it's about ease of starting for the most part. I think the 250 will have enough power for her (she rides INT class in MOTA). I'm sure I could ride one but I like the snap off the bottom that the 300 offers. I find that proper jetting and dropping one tooth on the front sprocket makes any of these bikes great. Best advice is try em out if you get a chance before you buy. All trials bikes now adays seem to me to be good to ride, just gotta find the one that fits YOU. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manx2day Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 I have an 07 300 and couldn't be more happy with it! I haven't got a flywheel weight and modified in anyway, apart from the 11 tooth front sprocket. It's so nice on the power, extremely tractable on the bottom end and when you need or want more power it's there! I had a 250 before that and liked it but just needed that extra poke. I'm definately not an expert rider, a competent clubman i'd say. i've heard the same about the 280's, very snappy, like an on/off switch. If i'm honest i haven't ridden one but, if i had the choice of a 250 or a 300, it'd be a 300. Although, the latest review of the 2010 GG's in TMX a few weeks ago suggested that the 280's have been improved and much easier to control and ride in sections. Would like to have a go on one but i think i'll be sticking to a 300. Cubby, that bike was only pulling your arms off because it was a factory Colley bike!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ham2 Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 (edited) I'm a below, joe-average clubman rider:- I do like the 250... a lot..it's a tad underpowered for my weight but not my ability??!! If that makes sense. The 280 is just mad (the pro's Pro), too much for me....yet I have ridden a 280 with a 10? (errr 1 less than standard?) tooth front sprocket and that killed (performance-wise) the bike all together...horrible. The only 300 I rode was a (silver plastics) 2004? model which was quite numb in it's power delivery, what you'd call a 'rock-spitter'. I have heard that the newer 300s aren't like that now. But to answer the first line of your original question: Because ....I bet the 250 is easier to sell on Edited December 18, 2009 by HAM2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diligaf Posted January 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 Im going to update this post to help those searching the forum for answers. This is what ive found through riding the relevant bikes. In summary Gas Gas 300, really too much bike, you feel rushed and forced on the bike really a good/expert riders bike. If you buy one it needs work to ride, gearing, base gaskets, flywheel weights ect. Gas Gas 250 very nice bike, the 250's need a lot rider input body english to get over biggish obstacles, will help most riders because of its mild manners but needs to be ridden to get performance on more difficult terrain. IMO the best 250. Beta 250 also good bike but as a 250 feel it needs a bit more oomf. The 250,s are revier and feel less planted than the bigger bikes dispite no real weight diff. More forgiving in a way but not necessarity easier depends on your skills and riding style and terrain. Lastly the Beta Evo 2010 290 the best of the lot IMO. The bike is very easy to ride planted and controlled but with a very mild motor that has enough pop if you need it. Also you dont need to do any work on it stock. This bike my choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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