Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/110132
ISDE Vet Ron Schmelzle created a practice track that brought out the best in the XC 300 motor. Ron is a bit of a sadist as he carved an off-camber goat path up and down the side of a steep slope. At one point the trail dropped steeply and then made an extremely sharp, 180 degree turn back up the side where it continued up and over several rocks. Once I cleared the apex of the downward corner, I was able to chug up the steep incline and clear the rocks at the top, before dropping back down via another sadistic sharp corner and steep ascent. Between the improved gearing and the GasGas��� ability to hold ultra low revs, the course was handled without incident. The new 13/50 gearing was a welcomed change. Whether chugging over a technical rock garden, through tight trees, or pulling out of a corner, the Gasser provides plenty of tractability and snap off the bottom. We then made a few passes up and down a rocky ravine that was littered with bowling ball sized rocks scattered between massive boulders. The GasGas tractored along flawlessly courtesy of its beefy motor that lends a heavy flywheel weight feel. Stalling was never an issue while chugging along in the basement of the PRM range, either. On the straightaways the six speed transmission shifted smoothly and is well spaced. I had very few moments where I missed a gear or found neutral and had no problem carrying an extra gear in all but the most technical conditions. The initial bottom-end snap transitions smoothly into the midrange, making acceleration over just about any type of terrain a straight forward affair. As evident in the video, acceleration is smooth but purposeful. There isn���t much in the way of a midrange hit and this is where the GasGas has many of the other manufactures beat, assuming a purposeful, smooth spread of power is your preference. With smooth power and gobs of bottom end chug-n-lug, the technical snotty terrain is still the GasGas��� specialty. The Sachs rear shock worked well in each setting we ran it through and is much more planted than previous years. I was able to attack the chopped out terrain and whoops with more confidence than in the past - credit the changes to the rear linkage, improved valving and firmer spring rates. The forks transition from the initial to mid-stroke smoothly resulting in less deflection. Bottoming resistance is sound and inspires confidence to attack the whoops or grab a little air. Again, of all the years I���ve tested the GasGas, this year���s suspension was best, which results in a more balanced, better handling bike across the board. Does this mean you won���t need a revalve for New England or PA? No, but it will handle other types of terrain more readily than past years. When the suspension is tuned and balanced, the cornering is sharp with little wallowing in the corners. The upright turning characteristics through the tight trees is still quick and made easier with an additional 6 degree radius ��� at least while turning towards the right. The 6 degree improvement in the turning radius was achieved by adding a smaller head to the triple clamp bolt on the right side. The left side still hits the frame too soon. The ergonomics are still slender and comfortable when standing or sitting. I had no issues with gear snagging anything on the motorcycle. Braking is excellent. I tend to use the brake pedal as a third foot peg and the Nissen Brakes never faded. I cannot make a claim like that in regards to most other bikes. So what about the systemic sum of the parts, the handling so to speak? Overall, this is the most complete GasGas to date. I was VIDeO 10 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com