November 18, 200916 yr As the bikes have progressed, are things better? In this decade? Scorpa- when was it the old Yamaha motor took over to create the SY ? '01? Seems now they have a REAL upgrade with the Sherco Motor! Good bike though. Montesa- Went to the 4T in '05 , from the bulletproof 2T. Progress is still at a halt it seems. GasGas- Went to the Pro in '02, I think it works now, but they keep changing it! Ultimate lightness? Old ones are still working! Beta- New Rev, New Evo, New 4T's ! All seem to work well. Sherco- From step 1 good, the '01 solid but revamp in '06, but total revamp in '10, solid motor the same. Just works. Ossa- Who knows? Will it really make you a better rider?
November 18, 200916 yr Good summary. I'd go so far to say all the bikes are way better than they were 6-10yrs back. Yes? But not all moves to a new bike make you a better rider. I have had friends that move to a new bike, but different brand, and their placings for the next year a worse. Should folks stay with one brand to maximize their placings?
November 18, 200916 yr Best thing is not to worry about placings...different bikes suit different folk, once in a while you buy a bike which revitalises your enthusiam for simply enjoying riding it. Love to try that Ossa though .I'm not too convinced about all the benifits of upside down forks hope they get one to SSDT for a proper test. Going back to the bikes it seems the manufacturers believe that keeping cost of manufacturing down is sometimes more important than function and reliability I make no mention of sales costs as these must be a high percentage of sales price. I guesse in the end we get what we deserve.
November 18, 200916 yr The bikes have made great strides but there is always room for improvement especially in making them more reliable and less prone to repairs. Gas Gas needs to make the shifter less vulnerable to damage. Move it somewhere less convenient and more protected. The handlebar area need improvement. Get rid of the lever clamp protrusions that cause pain and bruises when your body hits them. Make them and the kill switch low profile. Twice this year I encountered a small tree and broke the clutch hose where it joins the master cylinder. AJP needs to come up with a new design to reroute the hose.
November 19, 200916 yr I know that the latest bikes are unbelievably light and the suspension is incredible, but I still haven't ridden a bike that grips any better on slimy, greasy sections than the good old aircooled mono Yam! I know technology left them behind nearly 20 years ago, but on really snotty sections I think they still turn and grip as well as a modern bike. Is it just me...?
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