SHOOTOUT I 2023 300 cc 2-STROKE OFF-ROAD SHOOTOUT
P92
>
"I just could not get comfortable
with the Husqvarna; it is crazy to me
that just taller bars made the bike feel
so much different than the KTM and
GasGas."
>
"I felt the most comfortable
and capable on [the GasGas and
Beta]. For me it came down to
the motor, chassis and suspension
characteristics of these bikes."
>
"The KTM felt the plushest, and I
liked the levers, suspension, gas tank
width and foot positioning. I correlate
this bike feel to a race setup, which is
what I'm most comfortable on."
>
"Having been on TPI bikes for the
past several years, I was stunned at
how clean and precise the Beta's carb
was tuned. Throttle response was
almost as immediate as the TPI bikes,
but with a chunkier, torquey feeling,
albeit with a slightly heavier flywheel
effect."
>
"The Beta's chassis has a very
stable, planted, yet somehow flickable
feel to it. It was the most confidence
inspiring bike for me while riding
our fast, short off-road loop with a
mixture of tight rocky singletrack,
narrow, rocky sand wash and dry,
rutted corners."
>
"The GasGas is the most playful of
the Austrian bikes."
>
"The Sherco has loads of torque
down low. Great for tight trail
situations and technical riding."
>
"The first quality I noticed on the
Sherco was the power feel, especially
in first gear. Unlike the Austrian
bikes, first gear was very useable
when riding technical features, which
translated to overall bike comfort."
>
"With the Beta, I noticed too much
engine vibration for my liking. Like
the Sherco, though, Beta's low-end
power felt great. It makes me think
that both these bikes are built for
endurocross."
>
"The KTM has the best all-around
stock suspension for trail riding."
>
"The Husky makes smooth power,
making it easy to ride all day."
>
"The GasGas's motor is electric
like, smooth bottom end that quickly
spins up on demand. Very easy-to-use
power."
O
ur two-day test included
a campout, and many
things were said around the
campfire that night, supposedly
off the record. No such thing!
Here are some random quotes
from our test riders:
OFF
THE
RECORD
