GAS GAS TWO VS. FOUR. Chris Power Alick Saunders Photography

Transcription

1 Chris Power Alick Saunders Photography 32 MARCH 2015

2 It is the question we get asked most: two-stroke or four-stroke? That s why we tested the Gas Gas EC 300 and Gas Gas EC 300 F, back to back, to see just how best to answer that question. 33

3 time, it s Gas Gas s turn to re-write the pages of motorcycle capacity history with their EC300F, a 300cc four-stroke enduro machine. But is the 300cc in thumper trim just as good as pre-mixed three-hundreds? It was clear, very early on, there was only going to be one way to find out. But just to keep things interesting, we also managed to score an EC 300 two-stroke from Gas Gas, turning a lovely day into something even more of a joy to be a part of. If you remember the Factory Racing EC 300 we tested back in issue 108, this bike is the same, but without all the fruit. But the electric leg is still there. Both of the Spanish marque s 300cc machines are very similar: sharing the same frame, basic body work, suspension and wheels. Obviously, the engines are different, but with the 300 F, the team have gone and out-sourced what they believed to be one of the better 250F engines on the market, as of yesterday. I say yesterday because it is Yamaha s old WR250F engine they are using as their base, not to be mistaken with the new reverse cylinder engine. Yes, that age-old question. And we might as well start with full disclosure, too: there is no real correct answer to that question. It s simply a matter of preference, personal usability and choice. But instead of throwing together two bikes from the same class, this time, we thought we d put a modern twist on the tricky question by examining two bikes of the same capacity, but of different combustion rates. The three-hundy has always been a favourite in the two-stroke market, but with the revival of the 300cc four-stroke, courtesy of Gas Gas, things just got a whole lot more complicated NO SHORT ANSWER Whether you like it or not, fourstrokes are here to stay. But, on the other hand, two-strokes aren t going anywhere, either. Variety is the spice of life and when it comes to dirt bikes, the more variety there is, the harder it becomes to make a choice on which bike you want. But I ll tell you, that s a choice I m willing to deal with. For 2015, more manufacturers than ever are creating dirt bikes and giving us more choice than your average punter thinks he needs, but actually does. But if we dig a little deeper, you will actually find that this wide variety of choice we are blinded with isn t so wide and as varied as you might have first thought. The plain and simple fact is that manufacturer models are heavily influenced by what s going on in the racing world. What wins on Sunday, sells on Monday couldn t be any more true with the aligning of the 250F and 450F dirt slingers, almost completely across the board. In bare bones terms, you are effectively buying the same bike, just in whatever colour matches your boots. KTM were the first to buck that trend by making many models that run free, outside of the class constraints, and with Yamaha now looking like the first Japanese manufacturer to start doing the same, the normal model range might be a thing of the past. But this 34 MARCH 2015

4 This is probably more 2013 spec and, yes, it is carburetted. Sure, that particular Yamaha, five-valve engine isn t going to win any drag races, but it has been one of the more reliable engines on the planet, which might be one of the reasons Gas Gas decided to go that way. But what Yamaha never thought about was strapping an Athena barrel kit to the gearbox, turning the once stalwart of the class into something quite unique: a 300cc enduro bike. The last 300cc four-stroke we tested came from Husqvarna, when owned by BMW, with their TE 310 that was actually 304cc and that engine was a favourite of many. But that is sadly no more. The ease of use, smooth power delivery and ability to ride without getting tired was something I was hoping to find again. On the two-stroke, Gas Gas have had their own version for a fair while, so it s safe to say they have a very good handling on how one should work. It s neat and compact, doesn t seem to vibrate too much and delivers a strong power curve right from idle. One of the best features on this 300 is the mapping switch actually does make a difference. When flicked to wet, the engine tapers off unusually quick for a 300cc bike, obviously trying to assist you with decreasing wheel spin in slippery situations. But flick it to dry and the engine winds out much further, giving you more top speed and a more responsive top end feel through the throttle. Never have I used a mapping switch on a bike that I could genuinely feel was working previous Gas Gas models included but this time it is very noticeable and I d say worth its weight in mud. Another cool feature is now the power valve is fully adjustable, for those coming from, well, you know where The EC 300 F is a different kettle of fish all together. Where the 300 is quick-revving from idle, the 300 F requires a little more revs to find its sweet spot. Oh, it will chug along with the best of them and has plenty of torque to follow the kids round or slowly navigate steep hills, but if you want the meat of the power you want to show the throttle who s boss. There is noticeably more power than a 250F through the whole range, and it s got better low down grunt, too. But it s also really good to wind out to the limiter, as the extra fifty cc really does come into play. It had more than enough power at hand but that power didn t ever begin to tug at your arms. RUNNIN GEAR The Gas Gas three-hundies come with an FMF exhaust pipe that really felt like it belonged to each of the models and wasn t just a selling point. Both were jetted well and showed that the carb isn t quite dead yet. Mated to both engines are steel tube frames and a set of Marzocchi front forks and a Reiger rear shock. Sitting on one, then the other, I didn t notice all that much difference between the two. Although, to me, the 2T felt a little lighter when leaning the bike over. In riding trim, the weight differences were negligible. Navigating tricky, slow terrain and having fun in the quarry was probably the domain of the twostroke. The light bike and two-stroke motor making log hopping and full lock turns a breeze. The 300 F could do everything, too, but, you could tell it wasn t as good at it as the two-stroke, which had more explosive power for quick bursts. You needed more revs to do the same thing on the four-stroke. But pump up the volume a little more and the 300 F really starts to shine. Then, that heavier feeling is swapped out for a more planted ride, while the lightness of the 300 starts to make the bike a little more flighty over the choppy terrain. The two-stroke will deflect off a rock quite a bit more than the four-stroke, which seems to use its extra weight to plough through. But the 300 will tip into the corner quicker than the F; and, if you get it right, it will be like the bike is on rails. The 300 F takes a little more coaxing, but I found was more guaranteed to come out the other end the way you want it to, not the way it wants to. The planted feeling allowed me to push the 300 F harder round the test track and I found it gave me more confidence than its counterpart ever could. Don t get me wrong, I like two strokes a lot; and when it comes to fun, they rate right at the top. 36 MARCH 2015

5 2015 GAS GAS EC 300 PRICE: $13, ENGINE Type: 299.3cc liquid-cooled two-stroke Bore x Stroke: 72 x 72mm Transmission: six-speed gearbox with foot control RUNNING GEAR Front Suspension: Marzocchi 48mm chrome-plated stanchion tube with black diamond-likecoating (DLC), pressurized and patented cartridge, naturally anodized aluminum drop-out with 305mm of travel Rear Suspension: Reiger Mono shock, compression regulation at low speed with 298mm of travel Front Brake: Galfer wave 260mm disc with two-piston Nissin caliper Rear Brake: Galfer wave 220mm disc, one-piston Nissin caliper Front Tyre: 1.6 x 21 - Metzeler Six Days Extreme 90/90-21 Rear Tyre: 2.15 x 18 - Metzeler Six Days Extreme 140/ GAS GAS EC 300 AT A GLANCE FMF can comes stock A stylish, yet somewhat C ontinental look The Reiger shock replaces the Sachs unit Its legs are Italian and work well DIMENSIONS Length: 2200mm Width: 830mm Height: 1260mm Seat Height: 950mm Wheelbase: 1475mm Ground Clearance: 325mm Fuel Capacity: 9.5L Wet Weight: 102kg Galfer wave discs, front and back, give ample stopping power A linkage! 300 cubes of premix power! It may look like a P latnium, but this is an OEM pipe 38 MARCH 2015

6 But, in racing trim, the four-stroke takes the win. Its smooth power and planted ride make it easier to ride faster. On the suspension side of things, the Marzocchi forks being combined with the Reiger was working well. I do find the Marzocchi forks are rather noisy when in action, tending to make a kind of sound like you are really using them to the full. But get past that and they perform very well. Back when the Marzocchi forks came out on the old Huskies, I always had issues with them. They would blow through the stroke, be very unpredictable, and just weren t a nice ride. These versions have a feeling like you are connected to the dirt quite well. The Reiger is a new brand to motorcycles anyway and are somewhat unknown in the dirt bike world. It s a huge upgrade from the Sachs units that used to grace Gas Gas models and compliments the front end. Both the EC 300 and EC 300 F run the same units, but the 300 F seems to work better in the hard, washy, choppy conditions we were testing in at Pirini. I m not too sure the difference in valving between the models, but the F soaked up the bumps better and gave a far smoother ride. The spring weights will be quite different, sure. But the 300 felt very harsh, as if it was sitting too low in the stroke to start with for my 95kg weight. On the other hand, the 300 F was more accommodating on the acceleration bumps and tended to get more forward drive. It s the first time I ve really ridden with the Reiger and I think it s a winner. A little spring change for my weight and it could probably suit most terrain. CAN WE HAVE AN ANSWER? But the big decision still looms: which one? Like we said at the start, there is no correct answer and it will be different for each person. In a perfect world, I would have both. After all, 300cc in two-stroke trim is your ultimate Erzberg weapon. It has an electric start, is pretty light, has plenty of power, needs very little maintenance and is easy to ride. It ticks all the right boxes for twostroke fans. When it comes to the four-stroke, the 300 is not so low maintenance, with all the valves, cam chain and the like. But it is also damn easy to ride. In my opinion it s easier to ride faster and it also has a better lugging capability than the 300. Who really needs 450ccs of thumper? Certainly not me. This bike is nearly everything you love about a 250F but with more power, so it s not as tiring or arm pulling like a 450. Heck, even the current popular 350 still has too much boogie for most mere mortals. With that, it really is amazing just how much 50ccs can totally change a motorcycle, isn t it? I ve always said that when I retire, I m retiring on a two-stroke. But, until then, I ll take the four-stroke all day. But, hey, that s just me and this is one choice where you really can t go wrong GAS GAS EC 300 F PRICE: $13, More planted feel than the 2T at speed especially when the going gets rough The five-valuve endinge is reliable and more than apt for its job FMF can, just like its 2T brother ENGINE Type: 290cc liquid-cooled singlecylinder five-valve four-stroke Bore x Stroke: 72 x 72mm Transmission: five-speed gearbox with foot control RUNNING GEAR Front Suspension: Marzocchi 48mm chrome-plated stanchion tube with black diamond-likecoating (DLC), pressurized and patented cartridge, naturally anodized aluminum drop-out with 305mm of travel Rear Suspension: Reiger Mono shock, compression regulation at low speed with 298mm of travel Front Brake: Galfer wave 260mm disc with two-piston Nissin caliper Rear Brake: Galfer wave 220mm disc, one-piston Nissin caliper Front Tyre: 1.6 x 21 - Metzeler Six Days Extreme 90/90-21 Rear Tyre: 2.15 x 18 - Metzeler Six Days Extreme 140/80-18 Shares the same frame as the 2T An enduro bike with a linkage? Yes! DIMENSIONS Length: 2200mm Width: 830mm Height: 1260mm Seat Height: 950mm Wheelbase: 1475mm Ground Clearance: 325mm Fuel Capacity: 8.2L Wet Weight: 108kg 39