Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126311
~ 1T0p left) Test rider Jeff.Nelson stands the GS250 on its tail after encountering an Eastern enduro-type log.(~enter)The handling on the Sachs is superb. sandwash or rocks.lTop ri ght) To split the cases. remove the magnesium side covers. The cases are separated horizontally. . .-...ri~ing "zero" the course -. Bilu x headlight with hig h and low !nl beams and a brake activated rea r stop bm.ligh t. A useless horn is located at the • 0 top of the double loop cradle frame .,W just below the turning head . The hem :> does not work well but it is all lega l. I The silencer is very quiet and does not -,rJJ incorporate a spark a rrester. Getting ready for an enduro. we Td ecided to put th e Marzocchis at th e m 45° mounting angle, and on th e J number three of five spring sett ings. ~(fi' With four mounting positions on th e ai swingarm . th ree on the frame and five L01 different spring tensions the rider is .i ~ bou nd to find his Cadillac ride for any ei •terrain. Riding in the enduro was the £I' best ride in a long time. Alt hough the GS250 is equi pped with a chromemoly ,,. frame , the machine weighs in at 255 pounds which could become a chore I on the side of a hill . W ith the 2.6 gallon metal gas tank , the 35 mile loops wer e no problem. Pulling into all the checks. the VDO ~ resettable speedometer was right on e the money . to the 10th. Through some to ugher portions of the event , the 10 inches of ground clearance proved to J be advantages in ma ny of the rock '( " steps. T he plastic skid plate needs to nb be packed away . We melted ours .. I where the header pipe made contact. noi. The brakes . housed by conical hubs, 'on work su per well . A combination of th e ry good brakes a nd t he nine inches of fro nt fork travel helped out on so me disasterous rocky downhills. Miles into the event . a sligh t banging was noticed. The kickstarter did not want to stay in its folded-in position. It constantly swayed in and out, in and out. A big rubberband might solve th is leg-lashing problem . After the enduro , with an excelle n t score tallied, we realized th at there was not one situation that we wer e not in the appropriate gear. With th e seven -speed gear box , th e machin e is never lost for th e correct gear. On th e flat portions of the event , th ere was always another gear to rel y on. The bike is a flat-out , high speed mover just waiting for the roughest terrain. Even in the slowest and rockiest sections, the three mph first gear was perfect . When it came to uphills. th e GS250 scaled everything in its way. The bike weaved its way up between other disabled bikes and bodies in an easy second gear with a litt le slip of the clutch. From a dead stop in some Vsha ped gullies, first gear was used to spin the 4 .00 x 18 Metzeler to cr est th e hills. To take the GS250 Sa chs/ Hercules seven -speed home with you , th e suggested reta il price is $1230 . Compared to a Yamaha IT250, there is about a $300 savings. Bu t compare the number of Yamaha establishments versus Sachs/Hercules locations. This is a m ain factor to keep in mind when purchasing any motorcycle. 1n concl usion, for th e budget price , outst anding a nd pro ven f eatures a nd th e ISDT rel iability th e GS250 sevenspeed is sure to zero th e co urse. • Specifications Model GS-250 Ust price• . .• . ..... . ... .... . . .. ••... . . __ .... • . •. . .. .. . . . .. .. $1230 Engine . , . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . • . . . Single cylinder. two-stroke. air-cooled Displacement .. .. • . ... . • • . .. . . . • . . • . ... • .. .. . . . . . .. • .. . .... 245cc Bore/stroke. . . .. . . • . . . . . . . . . .••. : • . . .• . • . . .• ... . . . . . • . . n x61mm Compression ratio . ..... .. ... . . • . .. • .. • . . . . .. .. •. •. • . . . . . . • , 11.5:1 Carburetor ..... .. • • . . . . . .. .. . . . . .. • • .... . . .. . . ... . . . . . 36mm Bing l ubrication . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . • . . • • . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . • .• Premix Fuel ta nk . . .. . .. ... . ....... . ••.... . . . . •. . • ...... . . . 2.6 gallons Starter system ' .' _. . •.•• . • . Primary kick Transmission . . . . . ... . . . .. • ..... .. ..•. ..• .. 7-speed. constant mesh Gear ratios 1.13.172.12.183.) 1.64 4.) 1.29 5.11.11 6.) 0.996 7.) 0.834 Frame .. . . . . .. . .. ..• . ... . ... Double loop frame. chrome-moly tubing Suspension Front fork .. .... • Ceriani telescopic fork !leading axle) 225mm travel Rear swingarm Marzocchi gas reservoir shock absorbers. 5-position adjustable. 105mm shock travel Brakes: Front.......• . ... ... . .• ..•. Internal expanding (conical hubs) • Rear . ..•. . .... . •..... •.. . .' Internal expanding (conical hubs) _•. _ __. • •. . . . • •.•.... _. Akront shoulderless Rims TIres : Front..... ..... ... . .. •.... . . • • •• _3.00-21 Metze\er MX-Enduro Rear..... . .. . . .... . . . .• . . .. . . ..•. 4.00-18 Metzeler MX-Enduro Ground clearance 10 inches 125 cml .4 Ignition Motoplat COl CV/breakerless with lighting coil Clutch . ... . .. •.. .. ... ..........• .•• . .•• . . • ..•.• . Wet. multiple disc lights: Headlamp 35135 W -Bilux Taillight .. . . .. . ...••.. .•. . . _.•... . . . . 21/5 W (with stop light) Speedometer .... .. .. . .... ...• . .. .... _VDO speedometer/odometer , (resettBble both ways by tenths) Wheelbase 55.5 inches 11.400mm) Seat height. .. . ... ...... . . . . . . . •. . . • . ... .. . . . . . . 35 inches (900mml Width (Handlebar) ' 33.2 inches 1830mm) Dry weight _ _. . . ... .. ....... .. . . . • 255 Ibs. Co lo r _. _.. Red tank and sid e covers . 29