Gas Gas JTX 300 or not?

[RobinSpain]

Hi guys, I'm English and living in Spain, after being here over 15 years I've finally got myself a Spanish trials bike, a 1997 JTX 300 Gas Gas, I think??? but the vin is VTRGG329711960076, which kinda makes me think it's a JTR? it was a bargain with very little use, but I'm beginning to wonder if I've done the right thing though, the tyres are date stamped year 2000, it didn't help being told it was a different year and model to start with, so my research went out the window, then told it was a JTX but with JTR in the vin? and they all look pretty much the same, well to me they do anyway, I'm still having trouble confirming the actual capacity and model reference because I can't find any information on a jtx "300cc" of that year, so.....anyone with ANY information on the model I would be so so greatful, i.e. if I can get a workshop manual, best place for spares, Anything really, I'm really looking forward to riding it around my small terraced plot of land.

Thanks in advance 

[tshock250]

Picture?

[RobinSpain]

[tshock250]

Has had the frame and a few things painted but almost certainly a 97 JTX 320. If the plastics actually are silver not painted over. Has the correct silencer, frame guards & engine colour for the JTX.

Edited November 10, 2020 by tshock250

[RobinSpain]

Thanks for your reply and trouble, that's what has been throwing me, the  model reference being 320, I'm a little more confident of ordering parts now, they seem a little bit hard to track down and expensive but I've come across a place in Holand that seem to know there stuff,  thanks again 

[feetupsbetter]

I would concur that it’s a 97 JTX. I had the 250 (there was also a 270) and it looks the same except for the silencer which I believe was bigger on the 320. Other than that I can see the frames been painted, it would have been chrome, but generally looks very original & tidy. As for the vin number, if remember correctly, it goes V (vin) TR (trials) GG (gas gas) 32 (320cc) 97 (1997 model year) then the rest is manufacture date & number which would make sense that 11/96 was a manufacture date for a 97 model bike.

No doubt someone will be along soon to confirm or contradict.

Good luck with it. I believe some parts are quite hard to get hold of now, (I struggled to get plastics 10 years ago !) but there’s lots of breakers out there.

[RobinSpain]

Wow thanks, you seem very knowledgeable, it's all quite logical  regarding the vin when you explain it like that, yeah I was told it was a 95 300 contact, I had it from a dealer in Roqueta de mar Almeria, Spain, I think it must have been a trade in because I got it for 600€, needs new tyres, chain, sprockets, airbox lid, air filter, the light switch knob is busted off, I have a friend with a 3D printer who's a computer programmer ?I'm hoping he can make me one , fork seals and a full service, like EVERYTHING!, so not much really, only thing is I've ridden it around my terraced property and it seems massive, I will see how I get on with it, I'm sure I won't lose on it if I sell and get something smaller.

thanks for the info, it's much appreciated 

[feetupsbetter]

I stand corrected, 

had a trawl just on TC & found this :-

 

[feetupsbetter]

So I got the letters bit wrong but the numbers right. It was from memory after finding the details on gas gas USA site I think. There used to be lots of good info there from the legendary Jim Snell, not sure if it’s still available.
Sounds like you need mainly service parts which I think you’ll be able to source readily. It’s the ‘unique to model’ parts which become rare like plastics & the more serious engine parts, casings etc. I was surprised to find the electronic clock on the tank still worked on mine. I’d have thought the only thing which might prove tricky to find is the air box lid, but if that is the case there’s always secondhand or maybe your 3D printer mate or some other cobble together fix as a last resort.

Good luck & enjoy, if the gardens too small find some other practice venue. The bike is physically the same size as any modern bike but a few kg heavier, just get out & ride it & have fun.

[RobinSpain]

Thanks again, I've already found a new air box lid, I hope it comes with the seal, but probably not.

the JT in JTX are the initials of some guy who developed it, apparently, it's unbelievable how much irrelevant crap you have to wade through to find just the right parts for the right year,

I have over 8000 meters of mainly terraced land and a friend with farm land that can't be farmed in places, lots of gullys from flash floods it's also all dirt roads around me. It's a very very long time since I have been on a proper trials bike, Yamaha TY125 (tiny)definitely before 1980, I did have a striped down modified DT175 that I absolutely loved and used every week, unfortunately they built houses on the farm I used to play on so I got rid.

oh, another thing, I'm considering having to forks re chromed, I used a place in England over the summer, they said three weeks and the took 7, I don't mind 7 but please people if it's going to be 7 for gods sake say so, they were for a customer, I'm going to have a chat with a Spanish mechanic I know and see if I can get them done in Spain, by the way I'm semi retired and work over the summer in England as a motorbike machanic in a small town, so I'm used to working on crap. Thanks muchly, it's been interesting and informative chatting with you. Rob