Back on the Gas

[Fryin Finn]

Last Sunday I rode my Gas Gas EC250 for the first time in over a year. I had the engine rebuilt as I estimated it had done over 230 hours. The cylinder was in perfect nick but the piston looked like it could have done with a couple of ring changes during its time. As a precaution I also had the main bearings and conrod replaced. I also had aftermarket reeds installed.
Now the thing rips - I could hardly keep the front wheel down. It definitely had more guts than the KTM 250 I rode at the KTM ride day the other week. And dare I say, it felt stronger than my mates GG300 I rode at the tussock buster. Poor old KLX is going to get relegated to some dusty corner of the garage for a few weeks.
I also had my forks revalved by Craig Wilke and stiffened my shock to match - now the handling is well sorted.
Unfortunately I accidently sprayed WD40 on my brake discs which made the riding experience less than satisfactory until they cleaned up.

[F5 Dave]

Good to hear Finn. I too rode my GG for the first time in 15 months on Sunday, was great to be back now the body is pretty much sorted.

But then I rode a 300. Hmm, may have to allocate some money around.

I suspect the reeds have changed the jetting requirements on your bike. I rode Ross's 250 & it was much cleaner than I remember yours that while got up & boogies eventually was pretty blubbery before. Actually Steve's 300 was jetted very nicely (at least for this altitude, Taupo is pretty high up).

[Pornstar]

I say chaps, wouldnt half mind sortin a ride with your fine selfs.

[oldskool]

I had the engine rebuilt as I estimated it had done over 230 hours. The cylinder was in perfect nick but the piston looked like it could have done with a couple of ring changes during its time. As a precaution I also had the main bearings and conrod replaced.

Out of interest where did you get the work done, and if you don't mind saying, what did it cost you?

[kezzafish]

yeah nice one finn. Me and pornstar did the rangiest piston swap in the world on my 300exc yesterday, can't wait for it to blow it up on Sunday.

Any of you fellas keen to come for a jaunt up some of the knarlier tracks in Karapoti on Sunday?

Need more friends we do... Pornstar's a bit strange, he scares everyone away

[motor_mayhem]

Might be because your's and Pornstar's riding skills far exceed the likes of myself who can barely keep up?

What should I do tomorrow? trail ride in Masterton? Long Gully? Karapoti? Any Beach?

At the moment I am going with beach if it's fine as none of my other mates have bikes at the moment but I can take the boss lady and she can go for a swim

[Fryin Finn]

Motorad rebuilt the engine for a tad under $1700 - but that included a bottom end rebuild too. I rode the Masterton ride yesterday. Great fun on the GG but the track was probably more suited to the KLX. Good to see you back up and running Dave - The GG is still a bit blubbery so I might invest in one of those jetting kits but it does seem to pull into the powerband much better than days of old. Even the gearbox seems to work better but still hits neutral when you don't want it to every now and then.
Kezza and the boys - I do all the local charity rides and help with running the Totara park and Moonshine trail rides coming up so I'll see you there.

[F5 Dave]

That's odd re the neutral, never heard of it in GGs before. Is it in the normal place or a false neutral? If normal place one could modify the shift star (polish off sharp edges of ledge) & check that it doesn't hang up on the follower. Can't remember exact layout (too many bikes) but could look in the manual. Usually just to pop the cover off gives enough access.

[oldskool]

Motorad rebuilt the engine for a tad under $1700 - but that included a bottom end rebuild too. I rode the Masterton ride yesterday. Great fun on the GG but the track was probably more suited to the KLX. Good to see you back up and running Dave - The GG is still a bit blubbery so I might invest in one of those jetting kits but it does seem to pull into the powerband much better than days of old. Even the gearbox seems to work better but still hits neutral when you don't want it to every now and then.
Kezza and the boys - I do all the local charity rides and help with running the Totara park and Moonshine trail rides coming up so I'll see you there.

$1700 sounds quite reasonable to me. I'll keep that in mind for later reference.
I sometimes, that reads not always, hit neutral too but I'm still getting used to the bike and it's when I flick it up into second too fast. Could just be my boot, but I'm learning to slow down my gear change on the bigger motor and it goes into 2nd quite positively then.

[Fryin Finn]

That's odd re the neutral, never heard of it in GGs before. Is it in the normal place or a false neutral? If normal place one could modify the shift star (polish off sharp edges of ledge) & check that it doesn't hang up on the follower. Can't remember exact layout (too many bikes) but could look in the manual. Usually just to pop the cover off gives enough access.

It's done it since I first bought the bike. My old WR was the same you just have to not rush 1st to 2nd gear changes. The KLX is perfick. After a year off the GG I have to get used to it's idiosyncrasy's again.

[Pornstar]

Kezza and the boys - I do all the local charity rides and help with running the Totara park and Moonshine trail rides coming up so I'll see you there.

So no to a Karapoti mission then?

[Pornstar]

Its due to Kezza's gingerness isn't it, honestly you can barely notice it when you're riding..... in front of him..... on a dusty trail.... with dirty goggles. really.

[Fryin Finn]

Its due to Kezza's gingerness isn't it, honestly you can barely notice it when you're riding..... in front of him..... on a dusty trail.... with dirty goggles. really.

I'm a bit ginger myself (what hair I have left) - No it's just that I have too many rides and bikes to clean so I only do Karapoti once or twice a year - and anyway I'm scared

[F5 Dave]

Yeah Karapoti is ok once & a while but it is mainly transport sections, clay roads that are surprisingly slippery & hard to stop on when johnny dickhead on his quad comes sliding around the corner + rocks that kill tyres. Then there are the 5% of nice trails & then the 5 % of hidden pissy hard deathtrap deadend your going to die here trails that aren't suitable for trailbikes but are ok for Trialsbikes if it wasn't such a long ride to get there.

meh, - organised rides are usually worth the $30 & 1.5hr drive.

[kezzafish]

Karapoti's pretty good if your into the "your going to die here" type stuff... and so close if you live in the hutt or wgtn city... Each to their own i guess... I get pretty bored with the farmy type trail rides at this time of year. They get better as winter comes around tho so will maybe catch some of ya's then. And the totara park KMMC stuff is worth doing so will hopefully catch you at one of those finn.

On a more topic based note my bike seems to be waaay gruntier down low with the new piston too Finn.