2024 GASGAS MX racers unleashed
By Team TMX on 27th Jul 23
GASGAS is turning up the heat for 2024 with an all-new, and all-red line-up of motocross bikes. The latest generation boasts new bodywork, frames, subframes, motors, brakes, subframes, and so much more! It might be easier to list what’s not new, which is pretty much the wheels and tyres.
The new GASGAS Motocross bikes deliver incredible performance and guarantee good times in the dirt. Making sure there’s a GASGAS for everyone, the range starts with their small capacity two-stroke shredder, the MC 125, through to our MXGP and AMA Supercross race-winning MC 450F four-stroke.
Fully redesigned from front to back, the sleek bodywork is incredibly ergonomic with larger contact surfaces and an improved rider triangle further enhancing control. The rad shrouds are shaped to help you grip the bike more as you get on the gas with a super grippy seat cover keeping you firmly planted in place.
A new-generation bike is nothing without a new frame, right? Taking the best traits from the old frame, the GASGAS engineering wizards claim to have made it even better! They’ve improved the anti-squat behaviour for maximum traction when exiting corners.
Throughout the frame, the wall thickness has been revised in certain areas to improve rider feedback and energy absorption. The frame is finished with a red powder coating and grippy guards to prevent wear, which provides a little extra grip for your boots too.
The all-aluminium subframe is light, and strong, and works as one with the new frame by helping to centralize mass and contributing massively to the bike’s outstanding handling characteristics.
Cast from one piece of aluminium, lower in weight than the old one, and slightly stiffer, the swingarm on this GASGAS is as good as it gets! There’s also a much more durable chain slider with the guide much more rounded to prevent catching the ground as you lay the bike over through deeply rutted turns. The swingarm is completed by a new 22mm rear wheel axle to complement the refined flex characteristics of the entire chassis. Clear chain adjustment markings ensure quick and easy maintenance.
Every full-size GASGAS motocross model is equipped with improved 48mm WP XACT AER forks for 2024. Easily adjustable by hand on the outside, on the inside, there are revised settings which are refined to work with the new frame. Progressive fork action is retained thanks to the capsulated air spring and pressurized oil chamber while a new hydro-stop takes the sting out of heavy landings and helps to maintain forward momentum.
New, forged aluminium triple clamps offer just the right amount of calculated flex thanks to a more forgiving steering stem. The triple clamps align the fork tubes perfectly for a smoother action, which improves front wheel feedback and leads to predictable handling on any track and terrain.
There are also new, adjustable bar mounts with a slightly larger contact area against the handlebars so if you were to crash, there’s less chance of twisting the bars. A glass bead blasted finish means the triple clamps should always look as good as new, too.
Soaking up the bumps with ease, the redesigned WP XACT rear shock is shorter and lighter than the old version but still offers 300mm of travel. Inside there’s been some technical changes with a new piston improving initial comfort and helping to stay up a little higher in the stroke, especially when under hard acceleration. And just like the WP forks, the WP shock is adjustable by hand so it’s quick and easy to dial things in should you need to.
You can set the sag on any GASGAS dirt bike in seconds with their cleverly designed preload adjuster. Easy to access for fast set-up changes, you’ll also enjoy the added time saving of being able to swap the spring, if you need to, without disassembling the shock.
The four-stroke models use a 44mm Keihin throttle body with its injector positioned to deliver the most efficient flow of fuel into the combustion chamber. But the thing that‘s most important to all riders and racers is the fact that the direct cable mounting system ensures an instant throttle response.
For 2024, the GASGAS two-stroke motors are fuelled using Throttle Body Injection – a 39mm Keihin throttle body, to be precise – which
works together with the ECU to deliver the perfect mix of fuel and air. The result? Crisp, clean running motors that create smooth, strong power.
There’s a lot packed into a GASGAS cylinder head! Designed to simply deliver the best performance possible, the MC 250F and MC 350F have larger titanium exhaust valves and Diamond-like Carbon coated finger followers which allow you to twist the throttle to your heart’s content! The cylinder head on the MC 450F is now lighter and more compact with revised intake ports boosting horsepower.
The new two-stroke cylinder heads are significantly improved in many details and overall quality. The motocross-specific cylinder timing and porting results in a high-compression ratio for these full-breed race bikes. There’s also a clear ‘front’ marking so that there’s much less risk of incorrect installation during maintenance.
Performing an important role in delivering the best performance possible to make each four-stroke so much fun to ride, both the cylinder and forged bridged-box-type CP pistons are professionally engineered from high-strength aluminium.
One of the biggest changes for 2024 is the introduction of EFI on the MC 125 and MC 250. And with this new technology, the traditional two-stroke power valve is replaced with an innovative electronic exhaust control system. Now, the lateral and main exhaust ports can be controlled and opened independently from each other for tailormade power delivery.
The crankshaft inside each motor is key to delivering great traction and enhanced rideability, as well as also helping give each bike its agile handling. Offering long service intervals, a plain big end bearing comprising two force-fitted bearing shells ensures maximum reliability and durability.
The magic at the heart of the motor and its low weight means one thing - it builds revs fast! It’s also perfectly balanced for minimal vibration and positioned to have the least amount of effect on overall handling.
To make sure overall weight is kept to a minimum, the thin and strong crankcases are made using a high-pressure die-cast process. Inside, the motor internals are positioned to centralize mass, which leads to next-level rideability.
The MC 125 is equipped with a Diaphragm Steel (DS) clutch while inside the MC 250 motor, you’ll find a Damped Diaphragm Steel (DDS) clutch. Both are robust, super reliable and contribute to the compact design of each engine. Both clutches feature a single diaphragm steel pressure plate instead of traditional coil springs and are housed inside a CNC-machined steel basket.
The MC 250F and MC 350F also feature a Diaphragm Steel (DS) clutch while the MC 450F has a Damped Diaphragm Steel (DDS) version. Just like the two-strokes, the DDS clutch is robust, super reliable, and contributes to the compact design of each engine with a single diaphragm steel pressure plate used instead of traditional coil springs. All models are built with a CNC-machined steel basket for superior longevity.
All models have transmissions made by PANKL Racing Systems, so you just know they’re going to shift smoothly and be super reliable. All models take transmission tech to new levels by engaging a specific engine map best suited to each gear, which means you’ll enjoy the best possible power delivery all around the race track. All bikes benefit from a new gear lever design, which is particularly effective when the ruts get deep and the dirt gets sticky!
Put simply, the four-stroke exhaust systems are designed to deliver the very best performance at the lowest possible weight! Wrapping neatly around the motor, the two-piece header pipe feeds into a short and compact aluminium silencer, which keeps the sound levels well within the FIM regulations.
Designed and developed to be slim using an innovative manufacturing process, the two-stroke exhaust system complies with FIM sound regulations, looks awesome, and most importantly, delivers the very best performance! The header pipe is shaped for maximum ground clearance and connects to a muffler that features a clever internal construction to keep noise to a minimum without sacrificing power.
Small, light, reliable, and fast at processing data – just what you need from an engine management system! On the four-strokes, you’ll find a Keihin component while on the two-strokes there’s a Vitesco part. Both are without a doubt the best in the business and feature a rollover sensor that cuts the ignition during big crashes, while always feeding information to the hour meter.
To make sure the cockpit is comfortable, Neken handlebars are clamped into redesigned bar mounts (which are more resistant to twisting if you should hit the deck).
All GASGAS motocross bikes have lock-on style, medium compound ODI grips fitted to create a comfy set-up which suits most riders.
Fast is fun but in motocross, braking is super important! This is precisely why all GASGAS bikes are fitted with high-quality BRAKTEC brake calipers and controls. For 2024 both the initial bite and the controllability are improved. There are also new discs with a design that’s unique to GASGAS. Together, these parts help create seriously impressive braking performance, which allows riders to push harder, ride faster, and brake later.
Built to take a beating, the GASGAS wheels are ready to play rough. No matter how heavy the landing or how rough the track is, the silver, CNC machined hubs, lightweight spokes, and high-strength EXCEL rims deliver maximum strength for complete peace of mind. One of the only components carried over from the outgoing generation of GASGAS motocross bikes is the Maxxis MaxxCross MX-ST tyres.
Self-adjusting and offering a near maintenance-free operation, the best thing about the hydraulic clutch is that it provides consistent action at all times. With lever free-play always the same, the biting point of the clutch remains constant no matter whether the motor is started from cold or used during the heat of a battle.
The all-new fuel tank is bigger when compared to the outgoing generation, but it’s still just as sleek. With an integrated fuel pump allowing the tank to be emptied further before refuelling is needed, long motos around sand tracks are not a problem for this GASGAS!
Less time working on bikes means more time riding bikes, which is precisely why you‘ll love the straightforward, no tools and no-nonsense filter mounting system. Allowing quick and easy filter changes, the airbox is designed with precisely positioned inlet ducts to direct the flow of air towards the Twin Air filter, which helps create maximum horsepower.
Bigger is better when it comes to footpegs, which is why on the new models, there’s a bigger platform for better control. Plus, thanks to a new mounting design, they’re further inward on the frame, which makes them less prone to catching the edge of deep ruts or jump take-offs if you’re a rider that likes to scrub! And who isn’t?
This is all we have on the new GASGAS MXers at the moment but we’ve got a man on the ground at the Spice It Up festival and we hope to report back properly in an upcoming issue of TMX. Until then, over and out!
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