heffergm

I'd be less concerned about the color and more confused about the different branding.

It's a Contact: http://www.gasgasmotos.es/en/trial/471-contact-280.html

They don't need to. They just need to keep making payments on whatever schedule is agreed upon to prevent defaulting. I don't know what they actually did regarding the debt restructuring of course... maybe they did pay it all off.

How is it strange? They were bought by a company with enough cash to invest in the business, so they're using it to make product to sell and hopefully keep employees employed and us supplied with cool bikes.

Lol. You may be right. But in any event, I think an electric with a real clutch and transmission is a pretty interesting development. I'd love to ride one at the very least... I mean, it's a bike, right? No reason not to give it a whirl. Having said that, they're going to have to completely redesign the battery box, because as they have it now, as a GG rider, I can tell you that people would be destroying their knees on the corners of that thing.

That seat looks designed by a masochist, but otherwise I quite like it.

Well now... http://www.trialworld.es/trs-one-raga-racing-2017/ That's pretty hot. I think that's probably the first 'special' edition bike that looks incredibly different visually from the stock bike. Probably just because the standard isn't painted, but still, that's a striking difference. Niftier Tech forks, Reiger shock, Keihin carb, tethered kill switch, titanium exhaust. Brake improvements via Braktec power parts (no idea what that means exactly, and no details given... the stock TRS brakes are insane, so I can't imagine much). Apparently a different riding position as well, moved rearward by a few mm. Different clutch cover to allow for some changes, which they say make the clutch softer (lever effort) but stronger (more bite). Lightweight rear wheel, 40 tooth sprocket, sealed and refined electrical system. Check out the throttle cable too... looks like someone finally put the freeplay adjuster where you can get to it without wanting to kill yourself.

Just noticed a Boyesen decal on the tank as well... so I'd guess different reeds. Probably carbon in sticking with the new airbox theme...

I like the white frame fine, but I think I'm with you... I like the standard look better. The carbon airbox seems bizarre, I mean, maybe you save half a pound? I think they just did it because they could, not because there was a reason to. You're basically paying for better suspension, which is fine, but the suspension on the Racing is so good anyway...

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but... What's the deal with the frankenstein yamaha that #2 is riding in Japan? It's clearly a factory bike (or at least a factory sponsored bike), but obviously they don't sell whatever this is in the west (and I suspect not in Japan either, but not sure). Why does Yamaha want to run a one-off bike?

No company is going to provide information about unreleased products....

I don't agree a special model release makes it seem like it's replacing the existing 2017. But that's just me. And since I own a 2017 GG, you'd think I'd potentially be the most annoyed...

Well, in this particular case, my assumption is that GG released the '17 so 'early' because they didn't produce a 2016 bike, and needed to get something out to start earning. I think I can forgive them. Presumably they'll let the '17 go a little longer next year before releasing a 2018. Pretty much all the brands release new model year bikes at the end of the previous calendar year, so nothing out of the ordinary there. Unless you're thinking that the bike pictured here is a 'new' replacement model? I don't think it is... I think it's just the special edition replacement for the Raga.

Not sure how you can have built in obsolescence of a bike on which nothing other than the graphics really changes from year to year. As for the 'GP', it looks like they went into the Raga parts bin and said 'Hrm, what's left... oh, look! Some white frame paint and some two way adjustable Reiger shocks. Someone whip up some new graphics and we're done!" That isn't meant to be a knock on GG, it's just that there really isn't a whole lot that they can do that isn't already done on the standard bike. I mean, short of a new frame, what are we expecting?

I gather than the Montesa uses a standard clutch setup with coil springs rather than a bellville type arrangement ala GG/TRS/etc. Is there any adjustability available to change clutch pull effort, similar to the Beta where you can flip the spring retainers, or would I need to start pulling springs? Just curious... I don't have one, and I've only ridden one briefly, so no idea if I'd need to do any of this, but generally I need a soft pull due some hand problems.

Oh, yeah. Good catch... that was welded already, break at the weld. No weld there when new.

At a guess, I'd say that footpeg bolt was over tight. When you fit aftermarket pegs, a lot of the time the bushing that spaces the brackets is too short to span both sides of the bracket, which means that if over tighten the bolt one of the mounting points starts bending. I run stock pegs now, but when I used to fit aftermarket ones I'd take the bushing out of the stock ones and use it for the aftermarket pegs to avoid accidentally doing this. That said, I'm sure you can break it just from hitting it the wrong way. Not sure about welding it unfortunately.

Yes. When the plate is new it's a pain to get in there. It'll bend itself into the correct shape eventually and be a lot easier to take in/out.

Sounds like the perfect reason for a low compression head.

I more than half expected a version with a Reiger shock and a Keihin carb to show up sooner r rather than later.

How's the trs 280 compare to the GG 280? Same big midrange hit, or more linear like a 300 just with less power?

Normal. It's one of those things no one ever looks at until they're putting the swingarm back on... I thought the same the first time. But the swingarm only sits flush with the motor, the gap to the frame is normal.

So my GG bars are essentially exactly the same length. I'm guessing the bars on the RR I rode were rolled back more than I prefer which made them feel narrow. I didn't really take any time to check, but it's doubtful they were cut. On a semi-related note, any 2016 300RR issues? I noticed for 2017 they made some piston/ring changes.

Thanks for doing conversion for me, I'm dull that way I'll measure mine for you when I get my bike back...