Trail,adventure,mx, enduro!!!!????

[far queue]

I hear there is now a 400cc 4 stroke Pampera - I don't know if a lightweight 250 semi trials bike concept would transfer to a big 4 stroke,kinda defeats the whole idea.Anyone know anything more about them?

Here you go ...
http://www.gasgasmotos.es/web/eng/pa.../06pamp400.htm
http://www.gasgasaustralia.com.au/ne...s=308200650120

[Motu]

No weight figure....and a 920mm seat height is a fair bit more than a 250 Pampera too.I think the original Pampera is more fit for purpose.

[Wolf]

The XT250 is a small, lightweight and nimble bike and far better trail riders than I deem it to be great off road.

I find it great on the road as well. It's not too hard to keep in line on long straights and it has the manoeuvrability when you hit the winding bits or are trapped in a town.

It will make and maintain the legal limit or a little over (some mad buggers in the States crank it out to 75mph on the Freeways) forever and three days past (but if you're doing long stretches on tarmac with your arse on the seat I'd advise getting it re-upholstered).

The seat's not an issue on the trail because you'll be standing on your pegs most the way anyhow.

As to "Adventure" - as has been said: it depends on your definition. For me, the ability to handle pretty much any "road" (including the glorified (and not-so-glorified) goat-tracks that pass for roads in our fair land) so you can tour wherever the mood takes you is "Adventure Riding" - sling the pack and tent on the back, put some cash and your access card in your wallet and hit the road, any road, even if it is more dirt than anything else.

For me, the lightness and size of the XT is ideal. It's not a rocket, but I have no desire to speed (no point in touring if you don't take time to see the scenery), it is reliable (practically bulletproof engine) and goes anywhere you point it.

Like SDU, I'm a Hobbit - more so than her because my toes are hairier (at least, I hope they are) - and my weight runs up and down between 75 and 80 kilos so I don't have a lot of weight to throw a bike around.

[Fryin Finn]

I hear there is now a 400cc 4 stroke Pampera - I don't know if a lightweight 250 semi trials bike concept would transfer to a big 4 stroke,kinda defeats the whole idea.Anyone know anything more about them?

The Pampera 400 trail bike is not a trials based machine but is based upon the latest 450 enduro 4 stroke with a resleeved engine and buget suspension. Closer to a DRZ400 than anything but with sharper steering and engine yet to prove itself as capable as the Suzuki.
Well that's me, mr smarty pants - know everything about anything. What I don't know, isn't worth worrying about.

[Motu]

Which begs the question of why call it a Pampera when it is so far away from what the 250 Pampera was designed as?

[Ghost Lemur]

Which begs the question of why call it a Pampera when it is so far away from what the 250 Pampera was designed as?

Same reason Hollywood keeps making remakes that have nothing in common with the originals.

Cashing in on a name.

[bl4de]

Thanks for the info. Nice looking bike , shame your not closer.

[Wolf]

Same reason Hollywood keeps making remakes that have nothing in common with the originals.

Cashing in on a name.

I suppose that's an improvement on making no changes at all except for an incremental number change in the name...

[Ruralman]

Have heard that the EC300 has absolutely stunning chassis/suspension setup. Soaks up bumps, holds a line, and steers like magic. This has come from multiple people who've test ridden the thing on really tricky trail rides back-to-back with their own bike.

All you have heard about it is true - it is an absolute stunner of a trail bike. During my testing I tried riding along a steep face and then turning uphill and gently powering away - I wanted to see at what revs it would actually stall!! I had to get down to around 14-1600. Anything higher than that and it simply gently powered its way up.
I would love one of these but the new price will be around $13.5K and I don't think the other half will wear that after what I've spent on other bikes over the last 2 years. There will still be a few arond at the current price so if you're in the market for one get it now.
Fuel consumption worked out at 9.5km/litre for a mix of slow farm running and mucking about on steep stuff through to some hard out blasting over more open stuff and the gravel road.

[Ruralman]

Thanks for the info. Nice looking bike , shame your not closer.

So you've had all this advice - did you buy anything?? or settle on something you want to buy??

[merv]

Well you did say trail, adventure, mx, enduro.

Of the bikes in our garage the WR250F comes closest to that as it is light and fast and road registered. Guys take big bikes on adventure rides, I don't because I'm a short arse like Motu and just love the WR on those. It can tackle any terrain and still do over 160km/hr on the road like Motu's DT will. I happily cruise it at around 120 - 130 on the road. The WR is close to the YZ mx bike but has a wider ratio gearbox so you could mx it with it just being slightly different than a YZ250F.

The issue with the modern hi-spec four strokes is maintenance and engine longevity. For that reason we also have the XR250L which isn't as fast or light - will do about 130 - 140 and is about 25 kgs heavier. I use that for general back road and gravel road rides of larger distances to save the wear and tear on my WR.

Mrs merv has a DR650SE which does what the XR250L does with a bigger bias to road riding including two up when she wants me to take her on it, and then she has an XT250 for doing again the same stuff as my XR250L but with a dirt bias as it is lighter with a much wider gear ratio spread. She doesn't bother with the harder out trail riding that I do on the WR so we don't compare it to that.

If you've read my comments on many threads don't buy a DR or DRZ250 they do not have an engine or carburettor set up that is conducive to making them a good trail bike - everyone I know that has owned one bitches about the sticky throttle slide and jerky ride you get on them with too much drive line lash and I also didn't like how close the gear ratios are. Stay clear, the XR250L is a far superior machine - just as fast and much smoother with far better torque delivery to maintain traction on slippery surfaces.