GASGAS TXT300 TRIAL MOTORCYCLE: COMPLETE TEST
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The world of extreme, or hard-enduro, has had a drastic effect on the off-road world. Would-be bikers are fascinated by the skills of Graham Jarvis and Cody Webb, who dominate the sport. Nearly 100% of top hard-enduro riders have a trials background, which has been a huge factor in their success. Trials is a sport of precision, patience and, above all, balance. You learn more to master your bike in a single day on a trials bike than in an entire week on a motocross track. The only control of the clutch and the accelerator obtained by practicing the trial will make you a much more efficient pilot. That said, we spent some time on the new 2020 GasGas TXT Racing 300. |
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Trials bikes are designed to be as light as possible, and this bike certainly met that requirement. The engine is extremely compact and small, and details like the clutch slave built into the clutch cover save weight and space on the bike. The engine cases are designed by gravity casting, which is supposed to help reduce weight while maintaining strength. Its gearbox uses a 4/6 - six-speed system with only four internal gears. The clutch is compact, uses three friction plates, two steels and a Belleville spring, and is hydraulic. TXT exhaust systems provide adequate power, but also improve handling by providing a slimmer, more ergonomic machine. A map select switch offers two settings that alter the preferred character of the bike's engine. It can also be used to fine-tune performance in varying weather conditions (dry/wet). And, to keep it cool, the TXT uses a U-shaped reverse-flow aluminum radiator with a sealed electric fan and thermostat.
When it comes to the chassis, the GasGas TXT is all about lines, weight and balance. The chromoly frame weighs 13.2 lbs. The hollow, cast swingarm is made from high grade aluminum, the linkage has a new setting for more progression and better handling. A small 0.63 gallon fuel tank integrates with the frame and body, the wheels use black aluminum rims and are joined to CNC-manufactured hubs using lightweight spokes and zinc-plated steel nipples. The brakes are branded Braktec and meet the needs of trial riders in terms of power, action and feel. The front suspension is a 39mm Tech fork with hydraulic adjustment, and the shock is a two-way adjustable Ohlins unit. |
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DRIVING TEST The GasGas is carbureted and is fed by a 28mm Keihin PWK. The bike ran smoothly and was incredibly dynamic. It never felt like the engine wanted to "charge" or seemed to hesitate at any intake opening. On a few occasions the bike was a little hard to start, hot or cold. It needed four or five cold kicks and three strong hot kicks. This is something not normally seen on two-strokes. However, it ran smoothly the entire time. The TXT 300 features dual-mapping start-up with a Rain or Sun mode (mounted on the front body that covers the fuel cell) to adapt to weather conditions. The Sun mode is very dynamic and fast, making it the ideal mode for big rock bumps or splashes where the bike needs to rev as aggressively as possible. Rain mode is by no means docile, but the bike seems to rev slower and would be better suited to conditions where traction is essential.
On trials bikes, since you ride at such slow speeds, you don't mix gasoline at high ratios like 40:1 or 50:1, more like 70:1 or 80:1. It sounds crazy, but trial speeds are so slow you can get by on so little oil. The bike is equipped with SKF closed main bearings in the lower section, which are said to reduce the amount of lubrication needed and increase stability. We like that the bike is vibration-free and incredibly smooth; this is a good indicator that the crankshaft is extremely well balanced! It has a six-speed gearbox, and some people may wonder why a motorcycle that is ridden in first or second gear all day has a six-speed gearbox. In trials competitions there are transition sections throughout the day which you use to get to each specific section. It is therefore necessary to be able to pick up speed. First and second gear are your primary gears for trials. It's nice to be able to use second gear for big rocks or undercut stumps and massive walls that need to be "splattered" where first gear would be too low. In this case, the bike would spin way too fast and have no traction. VS' The suspension on the GasGas is covered by two brands. Up front, a 39mm Tech fork uses a progressively adjustable spring for left end travel adjustment, and the right fork features rebound adjustment. All adjustments are made on top of the fork caps. In the rear, the bike uses an Ohlins shock that is adjustable for preload and rebound. We found this setup to work great for trials. The rebound is enough to do all the jumps needed to get the bike exactly where it needs to be, but the bottoming resistance is enough to accept big rocks or stumps. For the chassis, the GasGas uses a tubular chromoly steel frame, which is powder coated red, and the entire bike weighs 149 lbs dry! The GasGas is incredibly light, especially when driven with the rear tire on. In expert or pro level trials, you encounter obstacles that you have to overcome by jumping the bike on the rear tire. It was incredibly easy on the TXT Racing 300. The balance point of the bike was very easy to locate when jumping over the rear tire and when having to maintain pressure on the rear tire to get over big obstacles. The swingarm is incredibly sophisticated, but the problem lies with the chain adjuster, which is mounted inside the swingarm. It is therefore very difficult to find the right mark to align the wheel. Top marks are given to the bodywork, which is incredibly sleek and smooth. The most interesting feature is the compound used for the fenders. In trials it's very common to break fenders on rocks or while doing loops to test your skills, and GasGas has found a brilliant combination that allows the plastic to bend and twist in a manageable way without breaking. . The gas tank is small (0.63 gallons), but has a spare petcock. We were able to do many hours of trial before drawing on the reserve. Driving on dirt bike trails at a higher speed will have a much different effect on fuel economy. The bike is equipped with Braktec hydraulic brakes, and they performed wonderfully during testing. For trials, the brakes must be very sensitive, strong and grippy. This is important because you need to stop in a snap and return the shift when descending an obstacle or wheelie to pivot around an obstacle. The rear brakes have a very clever feature: the patented neodymium magnetic pads that hold them open while you change or remove your wheel. The Braktec hydraulic clutch uses mineral oil instead of brake fluid, and it was incredibly smooth to pull and showed no fade even with abuse. The action of the |
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