VOLUME 59 ISSUE 49 DECEMBER 6, 2022 P73
Suspension is what
ultimately holds the GasGas
back. All our riders noted
that the softer settings on
this bike were comfortable
but, in turn, made it feel too
playful. The squishy setup
is sometimes a good thing,
especially for our riders
who favored the vet track
instead of the main track.
The GasGas seemed to eat
up the choppy acceleration
bumps with ease but felt
too soft when pushed on
the main track by our more-
aggressive testers. The
faster guys kept playing
with air pressure in the fork
to get that perfect setting.
In the end, they couldn't
charge the track on the
GasGas like they could on
the other five bikes.
The GasGas maintains
that Austrian quality that
we've come to like within
the KTM Group's brand of
bikes. Brembo brakes, a
hydraulic clutch, and the
steel frame were all areas
of praise. The frame alone is
an advantage on the faster,
more wide-open tracks as it
holds traction in flat turns
noticeably better than its
aluminum competitors.
We can look past the
cast triple clamps and "un-
branded" bars as they don't
interrupt the comfortable
and neutral cockpit on the
GasGas. But when ranked
against the other five bikes
in the class, the GasGas
falls just a hair short. Less
aggressive riders will likely
favor this bike, and saving
$800 compared to the
KTM is a strong plus for
the GasGas. Putting those
savings towards add-
ons like the map switch,
handlebars, and an exhaust
would bump this bike up a
notch.
