~~WBikes
2 0 0 4 Gas Gas New-M odel Lineup
With more, impro v e d
models to (hoose f ro m ,
Gas Ga s is o n the ri s e again
S T OR Y AN D PH OT OS BY M A RK K AR IYA
(?! hou g h co m p a n y offi cia ls wo n ' t
1. come
right o ut and admit it , on e
m ust sus pe ct th at Gas Gas has b ig
plans - plans that co uld see the Spa nish manufa ctur er em ulat ing the su c cess c u rrentl y enjo y ed by Au strian
riva l KTM, th ou gh how Gas Gas gets
there will likely be via a sli ghtly different path .
Both are noted primaril y for th eir
exc ell ent dirt bikes , but Gas Gas first
20
NOVEMB ER 1 9 . 2003'
c
u
e
est ablis hed it self by becomin g domi nant in the observe d trials ni ch e - an
ar ea ig nored by KTM . F or the p ast
few ye ars , o f c o u rse, Ga s Ga s ha s
br o ad ened its lin e to in clud e end uro
an d m ot o cross ma ch in es - KTM's
spec ialt y - and tho ugh it hasn' t m ad e
major inroads as far as m ar k et sha re
is co ncerned, th e Sp ani sh machi nes
hav e g rad ually c arved o ut a following
and eve n ac hieve d some m easure of
success in th e wa y of Enduro World
Champ ion sh ips (i.e .: Finn i sh racer
I e
n
e
""
s:
Shared NeJJDe§§
All of th e EC (enduro) and MC (motocross) m odels receive the following up date s:
• New 45mm Marzocch i Shiver inverted forks (though the MC250 get s a 50mm version)
• New top triple cl am p with two handlebar -mounting positions
• Larg er-dia meter front axle
• New fuel tank pos itioned lower in the perim eter frame
• New seat with improv ed rid er posi ti oning
• New Ohlins shoc k with separate high - and low -speed compression -damping adjusters
• New rear fender
'
• New rear-brak e rot or with better heat resistance
• New brake pads wi th uprated high-te mperature performance
• Mor e pos itive feel from th e front brake
• FMF exhaust system s standard (Q-series spark arrest or/ silencers on the ECs)
