Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

reb o und adjusters are in the right leg. Ou t b a ck, a PXC s h ock handles th e bump absorption duties, and the linkage is clai med to provide a so ft rid e over smaller h it s tha t g e ts p ro gressively stiffer as the bumps get larger. " Hy d ra ulic disc brakes do the st op ping both fron t and rear , and though they loo k pitifully small in comparison to the larger d iscs that grace other types of mo torcycles, they do their job well. White plastic fenders co mple te the m achine. The lon g rear fe n d er a n d se a t/ ta n k cover a re white, while the front fender, headlight and front d isc guard are red. The seat is non-existent. Instead, a piece of black grip tape graces the saddle area . In stock condition, the bike comes covered with a variety of logos, ranging from Pennzoil lubricants, to Hewlet t Packard computers, to Fortu na toba cco. Ap pa ren tly, as part of the tea m 's s ponsorship d ea ls, Gas Gas agreed to affix eac h of the co mpany's logos to each production machine. And don't try to rem ove them! The entire fender and tank cover are coated with clear paint. Enough technical garble already what's the bike like to ride? Starting the beast is a bit tough at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's no problem. While so me might opt to find top--dead--eenter first, I found that a healthy stab at the leve r was " that was needed. Balancing all on the lever and bouncing up and d own should be avoided - in addition to being ineffective, it can also strain the lever itself. Once fired up , the engine requires little warm-up time and the fun can begin. The engine revs slower than that of the JT25, ye t much qu icker than we had exp ect ed. After clicking th e bike in to ge a r, it quickly becomes apparent that this is one powerful machine. Unlik e a big-bore MXer, though, the power deli very is relatively smooth and easy to control. The additional 90cc of the 35 allows yo u to chug through a section in a lower gea r than on the 25 - many sections can be at tacked in third and fou rth gear. In comparison to the 25, the 35 can be ridden in a higher gear with much less clutch work. Th is may be a bonus for b eg in n in g r iders who h a ve a hard . enough time worrying abo ut balance, let alone slipping the cl utc h . Lofting the fr o n t end up and o ve r o bstacles required only a blip of the throttle, and the suspension does an admirab le job of soaking u p most anything th ro w n it s way. A motocrosser at heart, I was tempt ed to see how the Paioli forks and PXC shock absorbed harder hits . A series of "ed ges provided a wide variety of dropl offs, and the Gas Gas soaked up all bu t the tallest of drops withou t a whimper. " Blasting back up the cliffs was also a breeze, thanks to the grunt of ihe motor. Letting off the throt tle ha lfway up a ledge to avoid catching air off an imbedded rock was scary at first, but we found that the motor comes back on the pipe in a h u rr y, and can continue to carry you up and over with ease. The brakes are deceivingly s tro ng, and do an excellent job of bringing things to a halt. One finger is all that's needed to completely lock up the front wheel and kick the rear end around. The exhaust pipe gets "quite hot, and if you're not careful while having a seat, it will bum right through your leath ers in no time. Gas Gas owners will quickly learn to sit bowlegged between sectio ns. While leaning far forward - or in my case, when crashing - it is poss ible for your right hand to depress the hom button. No problem, really, but I try not to attract attention to myself when taking a spill. Be su re not to tighten your brake and clutch perches too tight - th ey're expensive parts to replace if yo u sn ap them off in a fall. Though it is a ttractive, the white fenders are easily hammered - especially in the midsection. Our boots rubbed the white plastic and turned it a lovely shade of black. But still, even w ith a dirtied midsection, the Gas Gas is amongst the best-looking bikes we've ever seen. At $5195, the JT35 is right in the ball park with other hig h-qu a li ty tri al s m ach in es, even thou gh you ge t 90cc mo re for you r money. As a matter of (Right) The allnew case-Induct ed 327cc engine has a broa d powerband. A new bananashaped swlngarm provided extra clearance. (Below) Everything In the rider' s con trol area Is comfortable and easy to operate. The hydrauli c clutch has good feel. (Below) The Paloll right -sideup fork Is quite plush, and th e smalli sh disc brake has a considerable amount of power. fact, the JT25 and JT35 carr y the exact same price ta g. Wanna give observ ed trials a spin? Gas Gas USA can be contac ted at 7801 Eastsid e Drive, Kansas City, MO 64152, 816/741-7615. a While Cycle News believes theforegoing test reliable, it is the opinion of the reoietoers only and should not be relied upon in determining the per[ormance or safety of the oehiclets). The reader shouldmakehis or her own investigation.. Gas Gas Contact JT35 Specifications Ust Price Displacement Engine type Bore x stroke Carburetion ignition $5195 327.7rx Uquid-cooled single-eylindertwo-stroke : . . ••.. . . .83.4 x 6Omm ' Transmission speeds Starting system Fuel capacity Wheelbase 26mm Dell'Grlo Bectroni c 6 Kick 1.17 gal. 52.8 in. Seat height . .• • • • • .• • . • . . • .. .. 28.4 in. Front lire Rear lire Front wheel travel Rearwheel travel Front brake Reerbrake Final drive ClalmecI dry weight'; 2.75 x 21 .4.00 x 18 6.8 in. 6.8 in. Disc E»sc Chain 173.8 1bS.

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