Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1528606
November 2024 35 Thankfully, there are good Six Day historians out there who can drum up info as well, and a er a check with them, I had come up with what I expect- ed. These were extremely rare bikes and are seldom seen even in Europe. The 1994 Gas Gas was never imported to the United States as a new motorcycle for sale. There were only ten of these brought over in 1994, and that was solely for the ISDE in Tulsa. Nine of them were race machines, and one of the 125s served as a display bike. The Gas Gas wasn't even a "produc on" motorcycle in Europe, as this was the company's first year producing its own enduro ma- chine. The frames were very much like a Kawasaki KX of the period except nickel-plated. The Öhlins shock's part number actually comes up as a 1993 KX250 shock in Öhlins' system. The fenders and side panels are all KX-shaped as well. Gas Gas picked the potent Italian TM Racing engine to power the machine and adapted it to their frame. The offroad fork of choice for that era, the Marzocchi Magnum 45mm, was sourced for the front suspension. Brembo brakes and a Magura hydraulic clutch topped off the whole pack- age. It really was a premium, high-end enduro ma- chine for the me. At the end of the ISDE that year all ten of the Gas Gas bikes were put up for sale instead of shipping them back to Spain. Details on this are a bit sca ered on this part, but KRW, a dealership in Ohio, purchased most of the bunch, and three to four others were sold to other buyers. #631 was taken back to Ohio and sold out of that shop. This par cular bike spent most of its life in Indiana. It was ridden a few mes in the first few years and then stowed away some me around 2000. I knew a er seeing the condi on the bike had been preserved in and its history that I had to do a pres- erva on project on this Gas Gas, not a full resto- ra on. I think all too o en, bikes are over-restored when it's not needed, and in doing so, a lot of their history is washed away. I spent many hours hand cleaning to make sure none of the inspec on paint markings were washed away. No inspec on marks were le on the engine cases, so they were vapor blasted while I completely rebuilt the TM mill. Con- sumables were all replaced, and the clutch, brakes, etc., were gone through. Plas c in this fluorescent yellow is absolutely unobtanium, so the originals were cleaned up for reuse, and black 93 KX side panels were ordered. Shroud graphics were sourced from a shop in Spain that is doing reprints from an original set they were able to get their hands on.