f you are an off-roader and a fan of big fourstrokes, then this is a pretty exciting year for
you. After all, you have the release of the
all-new, aluminum-framed Honda CRF450X,
and the completely overhauled Yamaha
WR450F to get keyed up about. And you
already have the king of the class to roost
around on, the KTM 450 EXC, which took on
some pretty important changes, as well.
Our original plan was to take these three bikes
out to our favorite stomping grounds and see
which one really is the pick of the litter. Then a
funny thing happened - a Gas Gas showed up
on our doorstep while we were loading up to go
riding. We did not intend this to be a four-bike
shootout, since a few of the other open-class
contenders were not available to us, such as the
Husqvarna TE450, when this shootout came
together, but we could not resist including the
very trick-looking machine from Spain that
struts its stuff like an electronic fuel-injection, a
perimeter-type frame, and a hydraulic clutch
that has such a light pull that you can't help but
giggle when using it.
