PALMER84ONE
Husqvarna
AA Class
Very nice bike for sure. The new Beta 250/300 2T's electric/kick look sweet too. Is the weight right on that? The Beta 300 comes in at 223 dry.
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Hi everyone,
As you all know, Coffee (Dean) passed away a couple of years ago. I am Dean's ex-wife's husband and happen to have spent my career in tech. Over the years, I occasionally helped Dean with various tech issues.
When he passed, I worked with his kids to gather the necessary credentials to keep this site running. Since then (and for however long they worked with Coffee), Woodschick and Dirtdame have been maintaining the site and covering the costs. Without their hard work and financial support, CafeHusky would have been lost.
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been working to migrate the site to a free cloud compute instance so that Woodschick and Dirtdame no longer have to fund it. At the same time, I’ve updated the site to a current version of XenForo (the discussion software it runs on). The previous version was outdated and no longer supported.
Unfortunately, the new software version doesn’t support importing the old site’s styles, so for now, you’ll see the XenForo default style. This may change over time.
Coffee didn’t document the work he did on the site, so I’ve been digging through the old setup to understand how everything was running. There may still be things I’ve missed. One known issue is that email functionality is not yet working on the new site, but I hope to resolve this over time.
Thanks for your patience and support!
Got a New Bike - Gas Gas 300
- Thread starter Phoenix
- Start date
Husqvarna
! I sold my 2010 GG to a friend that "HAD" to have it after a test ride. My next bike will also be a GG. Oh... BTW wait till you get a chance to really open it up; very fast smooth bikes. Enjoy 
.
Norman Foley
Husqvarna
Pro Class
Your were absolutely correct! Husaberg is probably for sale!
Phoenix
Husqvarna
AA Class
OK, I am going to revise my disparaging comments about the weight of the Gas Gas. I didn't get to ride it as much as I hoped this weekend, but I did put a couple of miles on it. I started on the Gas Gas and rode it until we got to some tight, technical stuff. Then I demanded my husband swap with me so I could have my familiar TXC 250 (which I was going to be racing anyway, so probably should be practicing the track on it). Holy cow, after getting off of that Gas Gas straight onto the TXC 250, the TXC felt like a heavy, spongy turd! lol. I am absolutely positive that the Gas Gas is probably 15 pounds heavier than the TXC at a standstill, but the Gas Gas feels about 15 pounds lighter when moving. Going from instant power to the bottom-endless TXC was kind of shocking. However, I instantly rode better on my Husky, though it felt like it took more effort to turn and definitely more gear shifting (goes without saying). I'll keep the updates coming as I get some real seat time on it, but for now I think I will grow to like the bike. My race results on my TXC 250 were second place and $75 more Husky bucks.
fletchman45
Husqvarna
Pro Class
Congrats on your Husky bucks! I realize that the bike may feel lighter when in motion, but fact is fact and when stuck or at the end of a long day in tech terms the lighter is typically better. Granted I think my 1991 260 Husky was a porker but felt pretty good! Making up my mind soon. Will be a 12 Devil bike (Gas Gas) or a 13 dated WR 250OK, I am going to revise my disparaging comments about the weight of the Gas Gas. I didn't get to ride it as much as I hoped this weekend, but I did put a couple of miles on it. I started on the Gas Gas and rode it until we got to some tight, technical stuff. Then I demanded my husband swap with me so I could have my familiar TXC 250 (which I was going to be racing anyway, so probably should be practicing the track on it). Holy cow, after getting off of that Gas Gas straight onto the TXC 250, the TXC felt like a heavy, spongy turd! lol. I am absolutely positive that the Gas Gas is probably 15 pounds heavier than the TXC at a standstill, but the Gas Gas feels about 15 pounds lighter when moving. Going from instant power to the bottom-endless TXC was kind of shocking. However, I instantly rode better on my Husky, though it felt like it took more effort to turn and definitely more gear shifting (goes without saying). I'll keep the updates coming as I get some real seat time on it, but for now I think I will grow to like the bike. My race results on my TXC 250 were second place and $75 more Husky bucks.
Nice! Do you have any experience with the Husky 2t's? I'm currently on a 2008 Gas Gas 250 and actually have been contemplating going the opposite way and trying a new WR250. Interested to see if you have any comments on the handling characteristics of the GG vs. the Husky's.
TemecuCoastie
Husqvarna
Pro Class
Man Gas Gas are good looking bikes!
fletchman45
Husqvarna
Pro Class
You should have known.
Phoenix
Husqvarna
AA Class
Unfortunately, no. There are very few peeps in Oklahoma with Huskies. I really wanted to try a Husky 125/144 before I bought this Gas Gas, but there are none to be found nearby. I read all kinds of good things about them on this site, though. I'm hoping that they update the chassis on the Husky 2 strokes in 2013 and bring the seat height closer to earth so that I can get one in the future (assuming I end up liking this 2 stroke thing).
fletchman45
Husqvarna
Pro Class
Yes there is no reason for the seat to be so tall!!! No real advantage they should work on it. I see Gas Gas lowered the 13 over the 12. Hope the 2-stroke works for you. I simply can not ride a 4-stroke fast and dislike them very much. But we are all different.
thumperrider1
Husqvarna
A Class
I had a 2012 GG 300. The 48mm Zokes are some of the best forks I've ever had. Period. First set ever that didn't need a revalve. Sweet looking bike!
Phoenix
Husqvarna
AA Class
Well I know you have all been waiting on pins and needles for a real ride report, so here it is as I got two solid days of riding on the Gasser.
We started on Friday night by setting the sag. We had tried once before, but didn't have the proper tools to get the job done at the track. Here is a gripe...the preload adjustor on this Ohlins shock is made of plastic. :/ I made a quick jog around the garage and saw that both of our Huskies and the KTM have aluminum adjusters. Needless, to say, the ring looks like crap now, but the sag is set at 107.5, which actually let the bike sink a little under my weight. All clickers were still in the middle. We also slid the forks up to the second line and robbed the 110/100 rear tire off the KTM. The height is now a non-issue as it is about the same as my TXC 250.
The first day of riding was at nearby Crosstimbers Riding Area (site of a National Enduro next year). The location has lots of red dirt, roots, ruts (a little torn up from the last enduro there) and plenty of sand. We started on the easy loop, which is open to ATVs so is very wide. I was very slow at first, but the sag adjustment had made the bike much more comfortable to me and I was already riding less "squidly" than at race practice the week before. We got to the part of the trail that we call the grass track. It is pretty wide open with lots of turns and whoops and sand. We went through it once and I felt like the suspension was too bouncy. Made some adjustments and went back around the grass track again. Handling seemed much more stable and the suspension actually performed really well. The forks are very good at absorbing impacts and do not seem to get disturbed by roots and rocks. Unfortunately, I'm really not very good at describing what I'm feeling with the suspension, so its still going to take a lot of work. After the grass track, we did part of the blue trail, which is fairly tight and single track. My improvements from the grass track disappeared and I was once again riding like a squid. My "coach" Barry told me to just stick it in third gear and try to ride it that way. Turns out that was the magic ticket! After that, my riding just got better and better. By the end of the day, I think I was nearly riding to my level on the TXC. This was quite shocking to me, as I figured it would be a much greater learning curve. It turns out that the way I was riding my TXC (on and off the throttle, constant clutching) actually lends itself well to riding a two stroke. I'm still riding the Gasser in "rainy" mode, but the power is very easy to modulate with throttle and clutch work.
Weight
I did have to pick the bike up a couple of times over the weekend due to stupid tipovers and found that it really isn't an issue. The instant-on electric start more than makes up for the minor extra effort required to pick up the bike. Somebody stronger than me probably wouldn't even notice. I do plan on trying to shave some weight off with a Shorai battery and removing some extras like the headlight and taillight.
Brakes
The brakes on this bike are pretty decent but not great. They are Nissin. Our Huskies have left me with very high expectations for the front brake, so I'm probably going to have to try to improve the front brake on this Gas Gas. Heck, maybe I'll try the MC from the Husky on the Gas Gas. That little switch worked for my KTM. The rear brake is excellent and the pedal is just the perfect length and distance from the case cover for me to get to it easily and accurately.
Ergonomics
Here is an area that I am having some trouble, though I think it can all be easily resolved. I LOVE the shape of the bike. For some reason, this bike is really easy to grip with your legs and steer with your body. I feel like I really flow with the bike. In fact, the ergonomics feel almost exactly the same as my TXC 250, which I think helps with my comfort level. I added some Fastway F3 pegs right away and that also helps with the grip. Those pegs are a must-have for any bike I own now. The part that I am having problems with is with the handlebar area. My hands (mostly my throttle hand) is cramping really badly and my fingers are falling asleep. Its bad enough to the point that I actually have to stop every so often and shake my hands out. I think this is all just a matter of setup as I never had this problem on my Husky. I'm going to take the risers and CR Hi bars off the Husky and try those. I'm wondering of the throttle is also rotated differently. I feel like I'm putting a lot of pressure on the pad of my hand under my thumb. Anyway, I think this can all be worked out, and is just a setup problem.
Suspension
With the exception of the plastic preload adjuster, the suspension components on this bike seem to be top notch. After two days of trying to dial it in, though, I still do not feel like it is quite right. At about 145 pounds, I'm probably lighter than the bike was designed for from the factory. I feel like I spring off of everything and whoops are truly a pain. I might need to seek the help of a professional to get this thing dialed in for me. As it is, the bike is totally ridable, though, and the suspension feels pretty similar to the Kayaba/Sachs setup on the Husky.
Engine/Power
It really only took about 15 miles of riding to get comfortable with the power delivery of this bike. It certainly has the capability to be a holy-cow-this-bike-will-rip-your-arms-off kind of bike, but in reality is is compliant enough that you can ride it however you want. On day 2, we went to a different riding area with lots of rocks, logs and elevation changes (some of those changes with rocks in them. lol). We spent most of the day here on the ATV trail (which is still harder than anything we did the day before at Draper) but did do our favorite section of the Red (single track) trail. This section has tons of hill climbs and descents, embedded rocks, logs to cross, etc. I was simply stunned at how easy it is to ride this bike up hills. Holy cow...if you screw up a hill on this bike, it certainly won't be the bike's fault. It will chug-a-lug up just about anything in second gear and your odds are even better in first. This section of trail gave me a really good opportunity to evaluate the bike as it will fit me because this is the type of riding we do 90% of the time. I was very impressed. The 300's power delivery was perfect for the tight stuff and allowed me to easily flow through the trails. 3rd gear was sometimes a bit too high for some of the really tight stuff, but second was really manageable too when picking through trees and rocks. This bike has a lot of manners (granted its still in "rainy" mode, has a FMF Q muffler and I'm generally not an "on the pipe rider), but I feel like there is a lot of power in this engine to entertain a rider more aggressive than myself. Another thing that impressed me about this bike was that it was nearly impossible to stall. I made a few errors that would have flamed out or bogged out my 250, but with a blip of the throttle the Gas Gas was back to life. In fact, you really have to be careful to hold the "off" button long enough to get the bike to actually turn off as it just does not want to die. This is all coming from someone that had a Rekluse in her last two bikes. While I will probably get a Rekluse in the future, one could EASILY ride this bike without it even in some tough stuff.
Gripes
Other than a few design details, I really don't have any. I don't like that the battery is attached to the seat. I don't like that you can't remove the taillight plastic under the tail without exposing a hole to the airbox. The seat is kind of hard. There really is nothing that is a deal breaker.
Bottom Line
I'm a Husqvarna fanatic. It truly hurt my feelings to buy this bike and not a Husky (Ok, maybe I'm a little over sentimental), but honestly Husky had nothing to offer me in this area. I'm short and really wanted a bike that would not have to be physically lowered and I really wanted e-start even though I know it can be easily kicked. Anything like this helps when you are short. All that being said, I think I definitely made the right choice. I have struggled with my TXC 250 for about two years, replacing numerous parts (exhaust cam, starter, ring gear, worm gear shaft, sprag clutch, etc. etc.), dealing with flameouts, stalls, off-idle stumble and being pushed off the starting line because my bike wouldn't start. The last two days of having a bike that starts instantly and runs without a hiccup have been such a sigh of relief and I think it will restore some confidence to my riding. I am definitely loving this 2 stroke thing and think it fits my riding style perfectly. Thanks to everyone for your nice comments and I'll keep you updated about how I fare in races next season. If anybody has any suggestions as to what to adjust to cure my springy suspension issue, please let me know!
Lauren
We started on Friday night by setting the sag. We had tried once before, but didn't have the proper tools to get the job done at the track. Here is a gripe...the preload adjustor on this Ohlins shock is made of plastic. :/ I made a quick jog around the garage and saw that both of our Huskies and the KTM have aluminum adjusters. Needless, to say, the ring looks like crap now, but the sag is set at 107.5, which actually let the bike sink a little under my weight. All clickers were still in the middle. We also slid the forks up to the second line and robbed the 110/100 rear tire off the KTM. The height is now a non-issue as it is about the same as my TXC 250.
The first day of riding was at nearby Crosstimbers Riding Area (site of a National Enduro next year). The location has lots of red dirt, roots, ruts (a little torn up from the last enduro there) and plenty of sand. We started on the easy loop, which is open to ATVs so is very wide. I was very slow at first, but the sag adjustment had made the bike much more comfortable to me and I was already riding less "squidly" than at race practice the week before. We got to the part of the trail that we call the grass track. It is pretty wide open with lots of turns and whoops and sand. We went through it once and I felt like the suspension was too bouncy. Made some adjustments and went back around the grass track again. Handling seemed much more stable and the suspension actually performed really well. The forks are very good at absorbing impacts and do not seem to get disturbed by roots and rocks. Unfortunately, I'm really not very good at describing what I'm feeling with the suspension, so its still going to take a lot of work. After the grass track, we did part of the blue trail, which is fairly tight and single track. My improvements from the grass track disappeared and I was once again riding like a squid. My "coach" Barry told me to just stick it in third gear and try to ride it that way. Turns out that was the magic ticket! After that, my riding just got better and better. By the end of the day, I think I was nearly riding to my level on the TXC. This was quite shocking to me, as I figured it would be a much greater learning curve. It turns out that the way I was riding my TXC (on and off the throttle, constant clutching) actually lends itself well to riding a two stroke. I'm still riding the Gasser in "rainy" mode, but the power is very easy to modulate with throttle and clutch work.
Weight
I did have to pick the bike up a couple of times over the weekend due to stupid tipovers and found that it really isn't an issue. The instant-on electric start more than makes up for the minor extra effort required to pick up the bike. Somebody stronger than me probably wouldn't even notice. I do plan on trying to shave some weight off with a Shorai battery and removing some extras like the headlight and taillight.
Brakes
The brakes on this bike are pretty decent but not great. They are Nissin. Our Huskies have left me with very high expectations for the front brake, so I'm probably going to have to try to improve the front brake on this Gas Gas. Heck, maybe I'll try the MC from the Husky on the Gas Gas. That little switch worked for my KTM. The rear brake is excellent and the pedal is just the perfect length and distance from the case cover for me to get to it easily and accurately.
Ergonomics
Here is an area that I am having some trouble, though I think it can all be easily resolved. I LOVE the shape of the bike. For some reason, this bike is really easy to grip with your legs and steer with your body. I feel like I really flow with the bike. In fact, the ergonomics feel almost exactly the same as my TXC 250, which I think helps with my comfort level. I added some Fastway F3 pegs right away and that also helps with the grip. Those pegs are a must-have for any bike I own now. The part that I am having problems with is with the handlebar area. My hands (mostly my throttle hand) is cramping really badly and my fingers are falling asleep. Its bad enough to the point that I actually have to stop every so often and shake my hands out. I think this is all just a matter of setup as I never had this problem on my Husky. I'm going to take the risers and CR Hi bars off the Husky and try those. I'm wondering of the throttle is also rotated differently. I feel like I'm putting a lot of pressure on the pad of my hand under my thumb. Anyway, I think this can all be worked out, and is just a setup problem.
Suspension
With the exception of the plastic preload adjuster, the suspension components on this bike seem to be top notch. After two days of trying to dial it in, though, I still do not feel like it is quite right. At about 145 pounds, I'm probably lighter than the bike was designed for from the factory. I feel like I spring off of everything and whoops are truly a pain. I might need to seek the help of a professional to get this thing dialed in for me. As it is, the bike is totally ridable, though, and the suspension feels pretty similar to the Kayaba/Sachs setup on the Husky.
Engine/Power
It really only took about 15 miles of riding to get comfortable with the power delivery of this bike. It certainly has the capability to be a holy-cow-this-bike-will-rip-your-arms-off kind of bike, but in reality is is compliant enough that you can ride it however you want. On day 2, we went to a different riding area with lots of rocks, logs and elevation changes (some of those changes with rocks in them. lol). We spent most of the day here on the ATV trail (which is still harder than anything we did the day before at Draper) but did do our favorite section of the Red (single track) trail. This section has tons of hill climbs and descents, embedded rocks, logs to cross, etc. I was simply stunned at how easy it is to ride this bike up hills. Holy cow...if you screw up a hill on this bike, it certainly won't be the bike's fault. It will chug-a-lug up just about anything in second gear and your odds are even better in first. This section of trail gave me a really good opportunity to evaluate the bike as it will fit me because this is the type of riding we do 90% of the time. I was very impressed. The 300's power delivery was perfect for the tight stuff and allowed me to easily flow through the trails. 3rd gear was sometimes a bit too high for some of the really tight stuff, but second was really manageable too when picking through trees and rocks. This bike has a lot of manners (granted its still in "rainy" mode, has a FMF Q muffler and I'm generally not an "on the pipe rider), but I feel like there is a lot of power in this engine to entertain a rider more aggressive than myself. Another thing that impressed me about this bike was that it was nearly impossible to stall. I made a few errors that would have flamed out or bogged out my 250, but with a blip of the throttle the Gas Gas was back to life. In fact, you really have to be careful to hold the "off" button long enough to get the bike to actually turn off as it just does not want to die. This is all coming from someone that had a Rekluse in her last two bikes. While I will probably get a Rekluse in the future, one could EASILY ride this bike without it even in some tough stuff.
Gripes
Other than a few design details, I really don't have any. I don't like that the battery is attached to the seat. I don't like that you can't remove the taillight plastic under the tail without exposing a hole to the airbox. The seat is kind of hard. There really is nothing that is a deal breaker.
Bottom Line
I'm a Husqvarna fanatic. It truly hurt my feelings to buy this bike and not a Husky (Ok, maybe I'm a little over sentimental), but honestly Husky had nothing to offer me in this area. I'm short and really wanted a bike that would not have to be physically lowered and I really wanted e-start even though I know it can be easily kicked. Anything like this helps when you are short. All that being said, I think I definitely made the right choice. I have struggled with my TXC 250 for about two years, replacing numerous parts (exhaust cam, starter, ring gear, worm gear shaft, sprag clutch, etc. etc.), dealing with flameouts, stalls, off-idle stumble and being pushed off the starting line because my bike wouldn't start. The last two days of having a bike that starts instantly and runs without a hiccup have been such a sigh of relief and I think it will restore some confidence to my riding. I am definitely loving this 2 stroke thing and think it fits my riding style perfectly. Thanks to everyone for your nice comments and I'll keep you updated about how I fare in races next season. If anybody has any suggestions as to what to adjust to cure my springy suspension issue, please let me know!
Lauren
fletchman45
Husqvarna
Pro Class
YES!! The 2-stroke RULES!!! Tried my boring 06 TC and 09TE andthey did not work for me**************************************** I also question with my riding style. Overrev wait to shift a gear low and on the rear brake at the same time if even a Husky 4-stroke engine could live. Hope you like your Gasser. On one of my Gasser's I was getting sick of the hard throttle pull so I pulled the spring out of the carb. If my mins serves me correctly holy cow that thing was long. I do not reccomend this, but I shortened the spring and it still worked great and had less throttle pull. How funny I thought. No arm pump on my clutch side but until I did that mod i had arm pump on my throttle hand!!! Just picked up a 11 Gassser 6-day and now contemplating a 2013 Husky wr 250 or lening towards a 2012 Gasser!!
Great ride report. GG is most likely my next bike too. On your suspension you may need lighter springs. I'd give Steve Beane a call his site is afterhourscycles.com in MI and see what he thinks if Lankydoug's suggestion doesn't solve your issue. Enjoy and thanks for the ride report.
Once you've drunk the 300 GasGas elixir it will be hard to go back to anything else I've had three 300s and a pair of 250s (one of which I rode with a customer this week) and I am definitely digging the smooth-smooth power of the bigger bike. Funny you should mention the numb throttle hand - I get that as well. I love the dual-density ProGrips on my 2012 demo but may try some of the Rally grips to see if the issue goes away.
You'll love what the Shorai does for the bike (drop about 4 pounds that's what!) and you add cold-cranking amps to boot. I used to scoff at e-satrters but have fallen in love recently just because of the stop-and-go I do trail-riding with customers. Our site is afterhourscycle.com if you're looking for GasGas info, although we do suspension on everything from Pentons to Huskys to Hondas too.
Welcome aboard, and enjoy the bike. Just don't be too upset if you lend your bike out for a test-ride on the trail and you spend the rest of the day trying to get it back.
I've had three 300s and a pair of 250s (one of which I rode with a customer this week) and I am definitely digging the smooth-smooth power of the bigger bike. Funny you should mention the numb throttle hand - I get that as well. I love the dual-density ProGrips on my 2012 demo but may try some of the Rally grips to see if the issue goes away.You'll love what the Shorai does for the bike (drop about 4 pounds that's what!) and you add cold-cranking amps to boot. I used to scoff at e-satrters but have fallen in love recently just because of the stop-and-go I do trail-riding with customers. Our site is afterhourscycle.com if you're looking for GasGas info, although we do suspension on everything from Pentons to Huskys to Hondas too.
Welcome aboard, and enjoy the bike. Just don't be too upset if you lend your bike out for a test-ride on the trail and you spend the rest of the day trying to get it back.