VOLUME 58 ISSUE 1 JANUARY 5, 2021 P59
GasGas cruises right along at a more com-
fortable and controlled pace. By no means
are we saying this bike is slow! Rather, you
can instigate the engine in a way that was
liked by all of our testers. As a note, this red
ride was equipped with the $180 map switch
add-on for both days of testing and nearly all
of our riders opted for the more aggressive
map two. This is an accessory that can be
added by the dealer and plugs directly into
the bike's ECU, and we feel that this is an
option that many will step up for.
And the suspension is just the same as
the KTM, too, right? Well, not exactly. The
GasGas does come equipped with the newly
updated WP Xact components but offers dif-
ferent, softer, settings in the fork and shock.
The grueling braking bumps at Glen Helen
offered the perfect testing grounds for the
fork and this plushness was welcomed right
away by our veteran testers. For some of
our pro-level riders, it did take some getting
used to as most of them prefer a much stiffer
base setting. In the end, a few clicks stiffer
on the GasGas fork gave these guys exactly
what they were looking for while the valving
offered some much-needed comfort in the
rough stuff. In fact, those who rode this bike
late in the day applauded it for its ability to
dive bomb the downhills with minimal effort.
In the end, the GasGas was able to land
on the podium in its rookie year. A light-
weight package paired with an effortless
power delivery and supple suspension of-
fered enough differentiation when compared
head-to-head with its orange and white
cousins. It's also hard to argue a $900 price
difference when the GasGas still comes
equipped with class-leading components like
Brembo brakes, a Brembo hydraulic clutch,
and the entirety of KTM's R&D department.
