Gas Gas Pampera Review from NZ (Red Nova)
sgou...@motocross.com
By NASH, Mike
http://www.rednova.com/news/health/285129/pampera_its_a_gas/index.html?source=r_health
WITH bikes specialising so much it's easy to find a grunter of a
motocross bike, a workhorse farm bike, an entry-level traily.
But something flexible: a bike experienced riders can enjoy, or a
learner can grow into? Something with a bit of breadth? You'll search
hard. But Gas Gas, better known in world trials circles, may have the
answer. And it's also the answer to short-arse riders who don't want to
lug a stepladder wherever they go, or take the running- jump route to
mount.
The Pampera is an astonishingly talented machine for one apparently so
small. This is a trail bike, but so light and well balanced that owners
have campaigned club trials.
Its gearing is low enough to plug slowly down gluggy trails, yet
stretches high enough to reach the open road limit. There's a 248cc,
single-cylinder, two-stroke motor, but you can forget peaky response.
It's exceptionally tractable and practically unstallable, as I found
when negotiating some deep sand.
Yes, I got the technique all wrong and flailed around at first, but
even when I stopped in the thick stuff it was just a matter of shifting
the weight back and pulling away. No bogging down, no spinning up and
digging holes: confidence-inspiring stuff.
And of course once I got it right, the engine's just as happy to skim
across the sand at high speeds, the bike barely squirming beneath you.
The light weight--it tips the scales wet at just 99.5kg- -and low
(860mm) seat will be appreciated in harder-going.
The seat is low enough for a five foot-six short-arse to touch ground,
yet the standing position is also good for most riders.
The Pampera is beautifully balanced and the combination lets you go
further, for longer, before you get tired. Shame, then, that the fuel
tank's only six litres. That severely restricts range unless you ride
short trails or with understanding mates (and a siphon), or work out
how to carry an emergency supply.
This would be a great bike on which to learn, yet it is skilled enough
for experts. That point was proven at the adventure ride (hence the
route sheet-holder bolted to the bars) on which I rode it.
Several expert riders--former top enduro aces--popped up to say they'd
bought one for club trials and fun on boggy trail rides, and they all
praised the bike's engine, light weight and balance.
Most had worked around the restricted fuel range and were happy to
carry oil for each petrol top-up. And owners had overcome the minor
glitches: an over-long spring-back sidestand, which is easy to fix, and
a temperamental trip meter--buy an after-market clip on, is their
advice.
Buyers will fix those minor irritations because once the Pampera is
underway it's so good at what it does that you can forgive these
foibles. Of course, my judgements were made after just a week with the
bike. Would the irritations eventually sour the relationship?
Former NZ Enduro Champion and trials rider Jack Beaumont has had his
Pampera 250 for 18 months, and has done over 6000km of hard riding on
it. That's included extensive trail riding and bush- bashing, plus a
straight, observed-section trial. What does he think of it now the
honeymoon's over?
Getting second in the Clubmans class after 26 years without riding a
trial went down well. "You should have heard the comments when I pulled
it out of the van, as it still had all the road fruit on it."
He's not bothered by the small fuel tank. "I get 100 to 120km out of
it, and that's ridden quite hard at open road speeds."
He's not worried about the electrics either: "They've proved very
reliable and mine's had a hard time: It's the easiest bike I've ever
ridden in Maratoto, a notorious trail ride that's swallowed experienced
riders whole.
"The last time we rode the loop is the worst we ever remembered it.
Conditions were shocking, the ruts were deeper than rider and bike in
places, and massive boulders had been exposed by water caused by heavy
rain and 4WD damage; we were photographing it for DOC."
Were they up by morning tea? "It didn't take us long. It wasn't
easy--we raised a sweat. A pure trials bike would have got up, but not
a trail bike. That gives you an idea of the Pampera's ability.
"Even when you're half off it, it keeps going, it just doesn't stop.
It's just brilliant. I haven't even changed a spark plug; it starts
immaculately even after sitting in the shed for a month or six weeks."
Any quibbles? "I fixed the springback sidestand immediately, but though
the gear range is brilliant, it took the gearbox a wee while to settle.
It was quite notchy but it's nice now, and the clutch drags a little in
these bikes but I haven't fiddled with it, as it hasn't been a
problem."
The only place it does fall short is fast riding over whoops. "If
you're trail-riding one, you can't take whoops at 120kmh as you can on
a DRZ; the rear suspension isn't designed for it."
But otherwise, the man who's occasionally asked to put the hard
questions to cross-country bikes for a specialised bike magazine says
"The Pampera is one of the best bikes of that type I've ever ridden, as
it covers such a range of things.
"You can trial it, and ride it on the road at over 100kmh, and there's
almost no bike that will do that. Ex-enduro riders love them, as
they're super-light and the engine's a gem."
It's that light weight and flexibility that makes the Pampera such a
good mount for such a wide variety of body sizes and skill levels.
Would I buy one? I'm sorely tempted, though the small tank is more of a
liability on the adventure rides I prefer than it would be on the
average trail ride.
But I yearn for an electric thumb, and the Pampera's only a kick start,
albeit easier to kick than the average four-stroke.
Still, as a bike for shorties, beginners who want to keep the bike as
they learn, or experts looking for something providing flexible and
uncomplicated fun, the Gas Gas Pampera 250 has to be on anyone's
shortlist.
--------------------
Source: Evening Standard; Palmerston North, New Zealand
SloCalSpode
I get my GF a Pampera. Now it will be even harder and
more expensive to buy one... =:^)
Thanks for the cool report.
SloCalSpode
sgou...@motocross.com
Wudsracer
>
>Aren't there a few Pampera riders here ? Deb and Tami ?
Deb's Pampera now resides in PA. Friend Andy Kman is giving Deb's
"baby" a good home. (She's still a little pissed at me about it.)
Jim
Smackover Racing
Gas Gas DE300
Team LAGNAF
www.smackovermotorsports.com
csmer...@sbcglobal.net
Oh so close yet so far from me....I absolutly love that bike. I wish
so much I could afford one.Even Tommy likes it just was hard for him
to get used to it compaired to his big pig Suzuki (which looks like
its going to be spending the winter with me since I finally talked him
into letting me do some work to it).
As for the Pampera..I can testify to this awesome bike..gives
beginner riders confidence and are just too much fun to ride.
But since I can't afford one I might be looking at getting a CRF150.
BYW Jim my sweetheart love!!!! Remember that girl Christie I was
ridding with at WUDI??She had the CRF230 and we were playing in the
mudholes?You happen to know any way of contacting her?
Connie..still bikeless
Wudsracer
the guest book.
Christy was/is from Texas, but I don't have any contact information.
Jim
>On Fri, 28 Oct 2005 09:45:15 GMT, csmer...@sbcglobal.net wrote:
>On Fri, 28 Oct 2005 01:02:53 GMT, Wudsracer
><dirtbike...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
>>>On 27 Oct 2005 17:48:22 -0700, sgou...@motocross.com wrote:
>>>
>>>Aren't there a few Pampera riders here ? Deb and Tami ?
>>
>>Deb's Pampera now resides in PA. Friend Andy Kman is giving Deb's
>>"baby" a good home. (She's still a little pissed at me about it.)
>>
>>Jim
>>
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