VOLUME ISSUE MARCH , P107
our expert said he could "ride this
bike all day long."
The GasGas motor is another
strong suit as it features that famil-
iar Austrian engineering. It doesn't
come with a map switch, so riders
only have one pre-programmed
map in the bike (you can buy an
aftermarket switch and load maps
into it). The engine is smooth,
less racey than the KTM but on
par with the buttery roll-on of the
Husqvarna. It offers that long
spread between gears and shows
its racer DNA by revving noticeably
high, like the KTM and Husky.
At 236 pounds with a full fuel
tank, the GasGas is still four
pounds lighter than any other bike
in this test. You can feel that on
the track as it floats lightly over
jumps and seems to carry speed
easily into corners. While also
being the lightest Austrian bike
on the wallet, the GasGas still
comes with Brembo brakes and a
Brembo hydraulic clutch system,
arguably the best in the game.
The GasGas is a straightfor
-
ward machine. No, it doesn't
come with all the bells and
whistles, but it doesn't really need
them. The fact that it's so easy to
ride made us look past that this
time around. If you don't need
traction control, quickshifter,
name-brand bars, machined triple
clamps and black wheels, then
the MC 450F is right up your alley.
Our crew concluded that we'd
rather have a more well-rounded
bike with less tech than a bike
that lacks in a critical area but
offers more whiz-bangs. Say what
you will, but the GasGas rose into
the top three with its no-nonsense
trim and friendly character.
