Bike Test

For 2021 GASGAS is jumping into the motocross game with a full lineup of bikes, including the MC 250F. Yes, it is clearly based on the KTM/Husqvarna 250 four-stroke motocross platform but there are a few differences aimed at giving the bike a little different ride character and a lower price point. Sharing its motor, frame, and overall layout with the orange and white bikes, the GASGAS MC 250F deviates with its own suspension settings that are designed to have a more "broad appeal." It also has a forged triple clamp (instead of cnc'd), no map switch, no traction control, no launch control, its...

We know most comments about the 2021 GASGAS MC 450F will say, “It’s a red KTM!!!” Go ahead, get it out of your system. Good? Ok, now we can tell you that there are a handful of differences between the GASGAS motocross machines and the orange and white bikes that give the red MXer’s their own flavor. While the motor and frame are shared between all three brands, the GASGAS has its own suspension settings and a forged triple clamp. It also has a straight header (without a resonance chamber) and does not come with a map switch (though one can be added). The swing arm is shared with the Husqvarna...

Before you start typing “It’s a red KTM!!!” take a breath, and read the next few sentences. Yes, the MC 125 is very similar to the KTM 125 SX, but there are some parts that are unique to the GASGAS that do give the bike it’s own flavor on the track, and are also aimed at saving you a few bucks at the dealership. The forged triple clamp and “mellower” suspension settings offer more comfort for the average motocross rider. Plus, the swing arm is from the Husqvarna, and the subframe is the aluminum KTM piece. Performance wise, the engine and frame are shared with the orange bike and feel the same...

Every time I ride a 350, I’m transported back to my philosophy class at CSUF learning about Aristotle. Hang with me, I’ll make it quick. One of Aristotle’s main principles is the Golden Mean, which, in short, taking the two extremes of any situation and following the path right between them. With modern four-stroke motocross bikes that can be illustrated by the 250 on one end and the 450 on the other. What is the best course of action? For the average rider, I could easily argue that would be the 350. For 2021, the Husqvarna FC 350 got the common ‘trickle down’ treatment with all of the...

For 2021, Yamaha focused its laser beam of innovation on the 2021 YZ250F and left the YZ450F alone, which is fair since it was fully redesigned just last year. To recap the changes from 2019 to 2020, "The new 449cc, liquid-cooled, four-stroke, electric start engine features an all-new compact cylinder head with redesigned combustion chamber shape, steeper valve angles and more aggressive cam profiles. The reward-slanted cylinder houses a higher compression piston with low friction rings attached to a longer connecting rod. The transmission has been refined to provide smoother shifting, and a...

This year a minor-change year for the Kawasaki KX450 ( click here for the First Look) with a clutch redesign, a new piston, and Renthal Fatbars coming stock. We headed out to Cahuilla Creek MX for Ping to spin some laps and share what he thinks of the 2021 Kawasaki KX450

Straight up, the 2020 Husqvarna TE 150i surprised the hell out of me. After riding all the 450 and 250 moto bikes for the shootouts and other tests, I have been calibrated for those hard-hitting four-strokes designed for the track. And when I hopped on this small two-stroke tuned for off-road, my initial impression wasn’t very good. Yet over the course of testing this bike in some super gnarly terrain, I’ve turned a complete 180. The TE 150i is one of the most fun and capable off-road bikes I’ve ever ridden and the following will explain why. Features There are a couple things that make the...

Motocrossers can be impatient, sometimes. We complain when we see bikes unchanged, and want new bikes every year. But, for 2020, Yamaha has left us no room to complain about the YZ450F lacking changes. While it isn't a new-from-the-ground-up bike, from the brakes to the triple camps to suspension and the motor, there isn’t an area on this machine that wasn’t massaged by the Yamaha R&D department. 2020 Changes: Motor Overall, Yamaha went to work making the cylinder head, and everything in it, smaller, lighter, and more compact, not unlike what KTM and Husqvarna did a couple years back to their...