Seeing Red

Most people are aware of the Austrian orange brand’s (KTM) crusade of saving struggling motorcycle manufacturers from financial trouble in the last 26 years or so, when it first acquired the Swedish Husaberg brand and then followed up with the 2013 purchase of Husqvarna. The popularity of the KTM Group’s strategy of consolidation ranges in opinion from one end of the spectrum to the next, kind of like today’s US and Canadian politics. Some lament the end of diversity and originality between brands while others praise it for giving us more choices on specifications, configurations and colours. In 2019, another independent off-road and trials bike manufacturer was at risk of going the way of the dodo bird, when the Spanish GasGas brand, owned by the

Torrot Group, struggled with sales numbers.

With GasGas being a staple in the trials and enduro world for decades, it would be a shame for another European brand to vanish off the showroom floors. But just like what happened to Husaberg and Husqvarna we didn’t have to wait long for the Spanish brand to hit the front-page news once again, when Stefan Pierer, CEO of the KTM AG group made the 60 percent acquisition of GasGas official and public.

With the GasGas name still alive and well, the next question was: Will it retain some of the Spanish brand’s technology or just slap some red plastics onto the KTMs and call it a day? Well, the answer is yes and no. While the GasGas trials bikes remained virtually unchanged and add another bike discipline to the parent KTM Group’s arsenal, the enduro and now new motocross bike range inherited the orange KTM pedigree, same as the two blue brands did in previous acquisitions. Even though KTM, Husqvarna and now GasGas share a lot of the same parts, geometries and components, the various combinations give them unique characteristics from one another. For example, while all KTM enduro models and now GasGas have aluminum subframes, Husqvarna continues their unique carbon fibre design which evolved from their composite plastic predecessor. At the same time, while most KTM and Husqvarna racing models come with CNC-machined aluminum triple clamps, GasGas comes with forged aluminum clamps that are more economical to produce and are most often OEM equipped on KTM non-racing models, as well as apparently allowing for more flex. All these minor variations in components and geometries can translate to significantly different feel and characteristics of a motorcycle. With Husqvarna being the premium brand of the three, GasGas now fills the void on the more affordable spectrum compared to the brothers.

When launching a new brand, or maybe a rebranded brand, one of the marketing obstacles is hiring the right person to be the brand ambassador who can represent the company professionally locally, can ride the motorcycle at a high level and be able to effectively and in a friendly manner interact with industry folk and fellow riders. With many global brands/ companies investing in social media influencers to push their product, who sometimes have no idea about the product itself, it is refreshing to see that GasGas locked up the services of Shane Cuthbertson to be their brand ambassador. Cuthbertson has been at the pointy end of the Canadian off-road riding scene for close to 25 years and also successfully dabbled in international competition like the Erzberg Rodeo, Red Bull Romaniacs hard enduros and represented Canada on three occasions as a member of Canadian ISDE teams in 2005 in Slovakia, 2006 in New Zealand and 2013 in Sardinia, Italy where he finally secured his elusive first gold medal of the event. Before signing on with GasGas, the now 45-year-old Cuthbertson was a Husqvarna brand ambassador for a number of years with both his sons also sponsored by the brand. The two young Cuthbertsons, Chase and Kale, appear to be following in their father’s footsteps as top up-and-coming Albertan and Canadian off-road and motocross stars, so future is looking bright in that household. When asked why he switched his ambassadorship to the new red brand, Cuthbertson elaborates that he really enjoys helping a brand from ground up and having the ability to make a positive influence in the direction of the brand. When he was associated with Husaberg, he

The all new EX 350F handled everything that IM off-road editor Mark Dzikowski (left) and GasGas ambassador Shane Cuthbertson threw at it. Residing underneath the bright red bodywork and white GasGas logo (below left) a liquid-cooled 349.7 cc 4T single-cylinder engine (below centre) provides solid bottom-end power. The Brembo brake setup (below right) performed as expected with solid consistent feel.

made positive marketing impact on the Canadian off-road scene via the Corner Grass Husaberg Racing Team. This great marketing vehicle ended when Husqvarna absorbed the Husaberg name and morphed into the big blue and white brand we know today. At that point, the Husqvarna brand had simply just gotten too big for what Cuthbertson had in mind and his ability to make an impact. He initiated his conversations with GasGas as soon as the news of the acquisition became public which led to building a good relationship with GasGas Canada and culminated in his GasGas ambassador responsibilities becoming official in late 2020/Q1 2021.

With the 2020/2021 pandemic weird by-product in full effect, where apparently anything with two wheels is flying off the showroom floors faster than toilet paper disappeared off the shelves in March 2020, Inside Motorcycles has had trouble coming up with a test bike for our first look and ride on the “new” brand models. Luckily, Cuthbertson was more than happy to let us ride his 2021 GasGas EX 350F enduro model.

In early May, Cuthbertson and I managed to get away for an afternoon where I could swing a leg over the EX 350F of his and see for myself what the new GasGas model had to offer. Being a 350 kind of guy, I was looking forward to the comparison, as I own a KTM 350 XC-F as my personal off-road bike. To be fully transparent, the GasGas we were testing wasn’t completely stock. It came with re-valved suspension more suited for the motocross track rather than beat-to-heck rooted off-road trails that we were riding on, non-OEM tires, a Bib mousse tire insert in the rear, a Guts seat cover, AXP skidplate and an OEM Hard Parts radiator fan kit. The gearing, ECU settings and pipe were all stock.

First thing I noticed was the absence of the map and traction control switch that resides on the left side of the handlebars on the KTMs and Husqvarnas. The second most noticeable difference are the forged aluminum triple clamps, plain-silver-unbranded Excel wheel rims as well as unbranded handlebars (Neken) on this GasGas off-road 4T racing model. Other differences like the lack of a built-in hour meter, lack of resonance chamber on the header pipe and of course the signature bright red body work with a white GasGas logo completes the main differences between the brands. The stripped GasGas version of the 350 compared to the KTM and Husky translate to a savings of around $800. The point GasGas is trying to make is that new off-road and motocross machines don’t have to cost upwards of $13,000 all-in and can still be extremely capable stock machines. Based on current MSRP, the EX 350F ($10,999) is approximately nine percent cheaper than the orange ($11,949) and blue ($12,149) brothers.

Once I swung my leg over the machine, I immediately felt the familiar ergonomics of the orange brethren. The sitting position is comfortable with the Neken handlebar seemingly having a little bit less sweep than the more motocross focused models from KTM. Standing attack position feels neutral and the bike is flickable as ever with its neutral front to back balance. With the WP Xact Aer fork and shock re-valved to Cuthbertson’s specifications, which he admitted is more set up for the motocross track, the valving was definitely stiffer than I was used to, but still very well balanced. The bike tracked well through the rough choppy single-track and only once I got tired near the end of the five hour ride, did I start making mistakes and getting even more fatigued from the stiff setup. I did not notice any difference between the forged and CNC triple clamp flexibility characteristics. Not saying there isn’t, I just cannot feel any distinguishable difference, and when I asked Cuthbertson about it, he shared my observation. In the powerplant department, with the absence of the map switch (can be purchased separately as a plug-and-play option), the EX 350F is by default in the aggressive map that’s available on the bikes with the map switch. The motor characteristics are the same as the KTM 350 XC-F, namely a perfect mix of linear bottom power that revs to the moon like a 250F. With the early May Alberta foothills trails in prime shape, we did not wish for the mellower map that I sometimes prefer in wet, slimy and slick conditions.

We also ventured into some slower, more technical terrain where the clutch and stock gearing got a bit of a workout with the 14-51 tooth configuration. While I usually change the front sprocket from a 14 to 13 tooth right away for my preferred riding terrain, the stock gearing on the EX 350F was surprisingly rideable when the going got slow and I only stalled it a few times in the gnarly sections. When the terrain opens up, I actually prefer a slightly taller stock gearing that rewards carrying momentum through the corners which translates to a smoother and faster ride.

While some of the GasGas bike models like the EC 300 coming with the trials-derived Braktec brakes and clutch (which I have not had the pleasure to test yet), the EX 350F comes with proven Brembo brakes and clutch master cylinders. The Brembo setup has been the go-to clutch and brake setup for the premium KTM and Husqvarna brands for years; however, it has just been announced that the Husqvarna off-road lineup will come with Braktec components as stock in 2022. The DDS (Damped Diaphragm Steel) clutch engagement and brake feel was good and consistent as is expected from the Brembo setup. The rear brake pedal felt a bit soft compared to the other brand variations, but that could have been the different engagement point setup.

In summary, what the GasGas lineup gives us, the consumers, is another excellent option and pricing to choose from for the off-road and motocross market. With proven reliability of KTM and Husqvarna, there is no need to worry about the “new” red brand. While the trials offerings from GasGas that we did not cover in our review remain relatively unchanged, the new red version off-road lineup from the Austrian parent company gives us a great alternative and the large white GasGas logo will be a more common sight on the Canadian motocross tracks and backcountry trails. IM

2021 GasGas EX 350F

Suggested Retail: $10,999

Colour: Red

Engine: Liquid-cooled four-stroke single-cylinder

Displacement: 349.7 cc

Bore and Stroke: 88.0 mm x 57.5 mm

Compression Ratio: 14.2:1

Power: n/a

Torque: n/a

Fuel Delivery: Electronic fuel injection with 44 mm Keihin throttle body Final Drive: Chain

Weight: 100 kg (220.4 lb), dry

Transmission: Six-speed

Frame: Central double-cradle chromoly steel

Wheelbase: 1,485 mm (58.5 in)

Seat Height: 950 mm (37.4 in)

Suspension (front): 48 mm WP Xact inverted fork adjustable for compression and rebound damping (310 mm of travel) Suspension (rear): WP Xact monoshock adjustable for high- and low-speed compression damping and rebound damping (300 mm of travel)

Tire (front): 80/100-21

Tire (rear): 110/100-18

Brakes (front): 260 mm disc with Brembo caliper

Brakes (rear): 220 mm disc with Brembo caliper

Fuel Capacity: 8.5 L

Material Provided by Steph E. White

As motorcyclists we often think of what we would do to prevent a crash, but how often do we think of what we would do if we were to witness a crash? What if one of the members of your group was in an accident? Would you know when or why you should or shouldn’t remove a downed rider’s helmet?

As an avid rider I constantly scan and judge the road for possible threats so I can avoid a collision. But as someone who has witnessed an accident, I felt I was very ill prepared to deal with that situation. I can think of at least five things that I would have done differently had I known what to do as the first responder to that incredibly horrific scene. It’s overwhelming to look back at the things that were going through my mind at that moment – in the moment I wish I had the training to fall back on. Knowing how to effectively manage an accident scene, how to provide initial care for a downed rider and how to help avoid being a downed rider are all teachable and invaluable expertise that can really be a matter of life and death.

Emergency scene management education, first aid specific to motorcyclists and the actual science of being seen are things that I personally feel can equip every motorcycle enthusiast with the critical skills and thinking to ensure that every ride is a successful one. With Biker Down training, you will discover topics not only relevant to being reactive and imperative at a scene, but also being proactive with regards to how we ride to mitigate the risks of being involved in a collision of any sort.

“Motorcycling, is not, in and of itself, inherently dangerous. It is, however, extremely unforgiving of inattention, ignorance, incompetence and stupidity.” – Anonymous.

Being a recipient of this specialized training, we become absolved of the ignorance, incompetence and stupidity of this quote.

I’m Steph E. White. I’m an artist and an advocate. I live and ride in Vancouver, BC. As someone who has been a part of the motorcycle community in one way or another for the past 15 years, I am so excited that Canada is going to have such an amazing resource like Biker Down! IM

Biker Down is now teaching Canadian Motorcyclists what do at an accident scene.

What is Biker Down?

Empowering motorcyclists to save a rider’s life!

• 3.5 hour duration comprising 3 Modules • Delivered by 1st Responders personnel & volunteers • Based on Fire and Rescue training Visit www.BikerDown.ca to register today!

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