Fit and finish? Must have improved quite a bit.... Two friends who are serious racers switched from GasGas to Husky this year. A factor was, how impressed they were with how my '09 WR125 was put together compared to their 300EC's.... no wood screws holding the bodywork on! They got the full view, as I had the new bike stripped to the frame when setting it up new. That, along with lower price and Husky Bucks and they were sold.
Thanks for your input gem. I have two Husky's now and got my son the 2010 TC 250 a few months back. I love the Husky's but I just want to try the Gas Gas 300 at this point. If I was looking at a 4 -stroke It would be a Husky no question; 2011 TC 250 or 2011 TXC 250. I waited to see if the 2011 WR 250/300's got a revised frame etc. when it didn't happen I looked at the GAS Gas. I hope it works as good as the 10's and 11's look but if not I'll be ready for the revised WR's in 2012.
I'm waiting for the revised Husky 2 strokes before I make my next bike purchase. Its not that I am unhappy with my current WR in fact like others I think it is the best deal in off road currently. The problem for me is there is no reason to change. The current WR line up doesn't give me anything I don't already have and doesn't do anything different or better.
True enough - all of it. But it's not just my opinion. Talk to anyone that knows anything about the business side of the whole deal and you'd find almost total agreement that it's BMW's money (Husky Bucks and blow out prices) that sell 250 and 300 WRs. The newer bikes like the WR125/150 and X-Light 250s may well sell themselves, but the 250 and 300 WRs are outdated. Want a Husky dealer's impression - call Scotty R and see how many 250/300s he's ordered for 2011. Then ask him why he's all excited about the 2010 and 2011 Gassers One of the reasons I started with GasGas in 2010 is because of how impressed I was with the fit and finish of the bikes, and things like buttery smooth hydraulic clutch actuation and a kickstarter that's actually in a place you can use it. The ergonomics also make sense in the woods. Are they for everyone - no. Are they much better than previous bikes which did have wood screws - yes. You may also recall that the wood screws were found on KTMs for a long time, and that Husky tank inserts spun more frequently than a top-40 single, but I digress. Take an objective look at things - the 250/300 WRs haven't kept up with the development of the rest of the Husky line-up, and waving the flag doesn't change that. There are better bikes in that category, and the GasGas 250 and 300 are amongst them.
What is so inferior about them? Is it because the motor is so awesome and ahead of it's that it's taken 20 years for some brands to get close, and others still trying to get there? The steel frame? Watch it, GASGAS and KTM have them, too. None TC forks? What's on a GASGAS? Didn't KTM put none TC's on there offroad bikes because they were suppose to be better for offroad? Styling? I get complements on what a sharp bike I have all the time. ???? Also on my holeshots and how I make gnarly hill climbs look so easy as I motor around the other stranded riders.
Ridden a very nicely outfitted and upgraded GG300 MANY times back to back with many other bikes. They are all good and do things differently, better sometime, worse sometimes. IMHO KTM300, GG300 and WR250/300 all stack up pretty close. Just different. Ken, the owner of pictured GG300 sold a real nice 07 WR250 to get it. Liked the GG a lot but had a lot of issues with it and worked on it WAY more than the husky. Hated some of the cheap things about it like the goofy screw holding the seat on. The woods screws, the smashed flat and drilled out low quality subframe etc. Had a lot of running and electrical issues with it. It was not a bad bike and he liked it but would often say he should have never sold the WR250. Then recently he sold it and bought a decked out KTM250. He likes it more than the GG but still says he should have grabbed that WR250 Tasky is giving away. Basically in his opnion after owning a 07 WR250, 08 GG300 and 08 KTM250 that the WR250/300 is every bit as good as the others, takes a lot less work to own and setup and is bullet proof. The one down side for him is height as he has shorter legs. The bottom line is the WR is far from dead and competes just fine with the GG/KTM equivalents. To say husky only sells WR's cuz they are inexpensive is not truthful IMHO. They stack up just fine and are an incredible deal to boot.
Does Husky sell many WR 250's? I'm sure the WR 250's that have sold are because of the rock solid competitive reputation and the lower price tag helps. Why is that 2008 WR 250 for $3500 still for sale at Tasky's?
Have the 2010 Gas Gas's improved over the 2008's? I can see the frames are different but what else. I don't mean to hj this thead or start a brand slam just want the opinions from fellow members. My TXC should sell tonight then it's get a new bike TIME, Yee Haw! Thanks.
No, they never imported or advertised them much. Kind of the forgotten bike especially when the new generations of 4 strokes appeared. With KTM dominating the 2st off road classes it never really got looked at like other great bikes like the GG, TM, etc. Even within the husky crowd i am always surprised how many have not tried a WR250. Everyone always overlooks the best deal in an off road 2st for some reason.
Other than the frame I do not think there are major changes. The old frame seemed fine, the new one looks pretty. Nothing wrong with these bikes. If it turns your crank get one IMHO there are three major reasons to pick the GG over the much less expensive WR. Seat height is a good bit lower, you like bigger flywheel feel to the motor (smooth and semi slow reving) and ride SUPER tight stuff.
Hmm I like the lower seat, don't know about a bigger FW I haven't ridden a 250/300 2-stroke with one, I don't really like super tight stuff I am not that good LOL. Crap just when I thought I had things figured out. Thanks K now jump back over to your site and answer my tire question LOL!
Not trying to talk you out of it, good bikes for sure. Just letting you know my opinion having ridden them all and the differences. Hard to go wrong with any bikes these days, so much goodness to choose from. Personally i would NEVER give 1-2K more for the GG/KTM as that $$ towards the WR250 would make it fantastic / complete. LTR suspension, damper, skid plate, FMF muffler, hand guards and rad guards.
Thanks K and I appreciate your input. Me and the KTM's don't feel good together so they aren't an option. I am ready to order the tires if you have them in stock.
John, I'm with you on not liking the super tight woods ... good thing the EC250 does. It's also happy on the more open, flowing sections, or churning through the bogs like it was called on to do at yesterday's race ... after a big holeshot They aren't as comfortable at speed as some bikes, but they weren't designed for the desert either. I can tell you on a back to back comparison that they are not as nervous as a the 2010 TC250 at transfer section speed. That could be attributed to ride height, or suspension tuning, but its just what I noticed. The frame was the big ticket item that was new in 2010, along with revised plastics (shape, attachment method). They come stock with an FMF SA, machined triple clamps, coated fork legs, brush deflectors, a glide plate, Nissin brakes, Keihin carb, gripper seat cover etc... things that you might want to add to a WR for the price differential. They are also wired for brake lights and street legality, if that floats the boat. Things like clutch actuation didn't change because it didn't need to - this is one of the best feeling clutches ever (and that's coming off a long line of Yamahas, Hondas, and KTMs). Pull is about on-par with the 2010 TC250 that you're familiar with, and actuation is like magic. As far as maintenance, in two enduros (one of which was the Jack Pine, the other of which was mostly underwater), three 3 hr hare scrambles (3 for 3 in the dead engine holeshots) and about 20 hours of mixed trail riding I've had to change the trans oil, clean the air filter, and replace the graphics my knee braces wiped out. Oh, I had to wash it too.
I think this is a big factor. I am constantly amazed by the guys that look at my Husky like they have never seen one before. I actually had a guy ask me when they started making them. Tell them they've been winning World Enduro on them for years and you get :rant:I think they screwed up putting GK on a 250F in the GNCC series. It makes people think that's all they have are four strokes, or that it's way better than the WR's. If he wanted to race the 250F, then he should have raced the XC2 class and got someone else to ride the WR300 in the XC1 class. All they have proven is that GK just doesn't have what it takes to win a GNCC in the XC1 class. Be it on a Suzuki or a Husky of any size. I don't think he even had good enough results to win a race in the XC2 class. :rant:
I beleive the 4t's are what Husky does best. The 250f is super smooth, light, handling and traction is amazing. The 310 version should be sweet. This bike gets the overall in the wec, so it can be raced xc1...
