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/128629
2001 Europea n Dirt Bikes It might n ot be the most pop u lar d isplacemen t , but J eff Fred ette proved long ago wit h K awa saki' s K DX that 200 c c is a good com p rom ise between a 125 and a 2 50, and Sh an e Watts reinforced that fa ct on h is KTM 200 when he won this year's GNCC opener. Any takers for a Gas Ga s 2001 This is the Spanish company 's endurospecific EC model, and it f e atures an ig n i t ion -c u rve modification, a multispark CDI unit and a redesign e d shift lever. The entire Gas Gas line includes the f ollowing im p r ovem ents: New D.I.D U-type ri m s ; slimmer side panels; newly designed quick-change air f i lters; new rubber intake tubes for fi e air tiOxes; O_1-gallon larger fuel tanks; and new graphics with better adhesion. In addition, all off-road models w ill boast a new-generation p iggyback Ohlins shock and forged aluminum triple clamps. The EC models come with an Inverted Marzocchi fork, while the XC models have an inv e rted WP fork. ill hile th e USA thumps it s chest a t t h e l ong - aw a ited [p r o d u c t i on of an A m er ic an -bu ilt dirt b i k e w ith an Am ert c an -bu i lt motor (see th e Cannondale test elsew here in t hi s issu e) , th e European cottage in dustry qu ietly goes a bo u t it s busin ess of co ns is te n t ly c ranki ng o u t tri c k offro ad ers year in and year 0 \lt. Small er t h an th e J a p an ese an d l ess - h y p ed th an th e Amer ican , these com p ani es are to be t ak en serio us ly non eth eless ( European ma nufacturers do mi n at ed thi s y ear's W or l d Cha mRi o ns h ip Enndu ro Ser ies) . He re 's a lo o k at a few offeri ng s fro m Ita l y , Sp a in an d eN Au stria. (Abo ve) Th is 300EC looks nearly id entic al t o t he Gas Gas 200, especially since the se photos are i n black and white; the 200 i s yellow, the 250 (n ot p ictured) i s red, and the 300 is b lue. The 250 and 300 get the same updates as the 200, along with new j etti ng specs, a redesigned countershaft, a s m aller crankshaft bearing on the right s ide of the engine, a roller bearing on the ignition side, and a newly designed count';r-weight on the right side of the crank to facilitate low-end torque. Gas Gas w ill also be offering several new models in 2001 , including 125cc MX and XC models and - what we're most int erest e d i n - 2 50 and 400cc four-strokes (scheduled for release in September) . (Ri ght) Tho ugh VOR is bom f rom Vertemattl, the two compan ies are n ow separate, and both make off-road thumpers that b ristle w ith trickery. The 2001 VORs now feature an all-new 46mm Pa ioli-Kayaba inverted fork and shorter-travel Ohlins rear shock w ith revised linkage. The motocrossspecific MX models are available in 503cc (pictured) and 400Cc packages, and also get a new handlebar and a 20mm-Iower seat. The graphics and front fender have also been updated. Prices on the entire VOR lin e have ·6i'i·~;';;",J,,_1 n dropped, with this bike now retailing for $ 6999 (the MX400 sells for $200 le ss). 40 S EPTEMBER 6 , 2000' cue I e DeVIlS