Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

1994 Gas Gas JT25 ST By Donn Maeda n 1994, [ordi Tarres cap tured his sixth World Championshi p Trials Series title. Though a few of , the younger, up-and-coming riders we re expected to give Tarres a real ru n for his mon ey, the Spaniard p u ll ed out th e s to ps a n d flat-out spanked the competition - clinching the champ ion sh ip before the season was even over. Thou gh Tarres' first four titles came aboard Beta motorcycles, h is most recent pair have been won aboa rd Gas Gas machinery. A small, 30-erilployee op era tion, the Gas Gas facto ry cranks ou t [ordi Tarres replicas, 10 at a time. Natu rally, one wo uld assume that the bike that Tarres himself rides is m uch different than the production u nits, complete with works parts and special suspension . But according to Gas Gas' Andreu Codina, Tarres' machine is a prod uction unit that has been modified to suit his personal preferences. At the heart of the JT25 is a 237cc two-stroke, liquid-cooled engine. The entire engine is hand made and assembled in the factory by a single employee who specializes in motor work. Power from the crankcase-induction engine is transferred to a six-speed transmission via a hydraulic clutch. The cylinder, and engine ca ses, are powder-co a ted a b righ t red color, while the clu tch and wa ter-pump covers are polishe d to a m irror-like finish. If nothing else, the motor is a real eye-catcher. The exhaust pipe is chro med, while the odd-sha ped silencer is polished to match the engine. A 26mm DeI'Lorto carbu retor mixes th e fu el and ai r before it rea ch es the cylinder. Cradling th e engin e is a polished steel perimeter frame. A new subframe design and a longer one-piece alloy swingarm highlight the chassis changes, while an aluminium skid plate protects the delicate engine cases . . The biggest news about th e JT25 is the conventional Paioli forks. While the trend in trials - and in motocross and road race for that matter - is the rigid, upside-down design, Gas Gas ignored likE ..loRdi's the ske p tics and returned to the tried and true conven tionals. Perhaps the biggest benefit is a considerable weight savings over comparable upside-down units. A Boge shock handles the bump absorption ou t back. H ydraulic disc b ra kes grace both ends of the machine, as do Michelin trials tires. Domino controls and a pair of Re n th al-s tyle aluminum handlebars make up the rider's control panel. The Gas Gas JT25 is imported into the U.S. by Dale Malasek of Gas Gas U.S.A., and boasts a price tag of $5195. e very time that I test a trials motorcycle, I make a big deal about not be in g a tria ls ride r. " I' m a motocrosser," I say, "Give me a break!" I wonder, how many times can I ride a trials bike before making myself ineligible for the "non-trials rider" classifi catio n? Okay, okay, I guess I'll make the commitmen t. I'm a beginning trials rider, how's that? After all, I have won the Press class at several events, with my biggest claim to fame being a second-overall finish at the Laugh-In Trophy Trial aboard my wife's now-famous Honda XR100. Anyway, I was able to throw a leg over a Gas Gas JT25 at the 24th Annual Trial des Nations in Andorra. How's that for an ideal test location? There will be no backyard rock climbing for this test, thank you. Though I d id n ' t dare think abo ut attempting any of the event's sections, I found that several parts of the loop were challenging enough, and provided an adequate test bed. And besides, if I had tried to sneak into the sections, the event promoters could have sold tickets for the "Silly American Journalist Circus Sideshow." Having taken delivery of a brand-new machine, I was left with the responsibility of completing the final assembly steps. (Don't worry, such things are taken care of for U.S. customers by importer Dale Malasek.) After ins talling the footpegs, rejetting the carburetor and double-checking the tightness of critical nuts and bolts, I was ready to go . One thing I noticed while working on the bike was how easily most tasks a re accomplished. The tank shroud and fuel cell are easily removed, requiring the twist of only a single dzus fastener. Once the fuel cell is removed , easy access to the spa rk plug, rad iator and carburetor can be had. Trick. On the loop, I was impressed by the bike's peppy power delivery. I expected a slow-re vving, boring powerband, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the "new s ty le" of tr ials ridi ng requires a much healthier burst of power. Becauseof the powerband, however, good clutch and throttle control are essentia l. Beginning riders (yes, that includes me in a sense, but not in this case) may have a problem (Bel ow left) The Gas Gas JT25 Is a work of art. From the polished frame to the bright red engine, everything about the motorcycle catches the eye. (Below) The case-reed-Inductlon engine has a peppy powerband that favors more advanced riders. ~ 0\ 0\ ...... -.D N l-< Q) .g ..... U o 30

• Cover