First Look At The New GASGAS?
GASGAS is the latest OEM to fall under the KTM umbrella, with news of their partnership coming out late last year. Nearly a decade after KTM acquired Husqvarna, we’ve seen how they have used the brand and differentiated themselves from each other. News came out yesterday announcing Taddy Blazusiak’s role with the team and the bike’s he’ll be racing across the pond in Europe. He’ll be contesting the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship aboard a EC 350F and the WESS Enduro World Championship aboard an EC 300 for the extreme enduro rounds. Upon taking a closer look at the images, we can get an idea of how we think the bikes will roll onto the showroom floor.
First, the two-stroke is using the same TPi technology that the KTM and Husky off-road two-strokes have been using the last few years. This comes as no surprise, seeing as KTM is continuing to develop the TPi system and employ it on more bikes each year. It makes sense for them to continue its development on the GASGAS models, given the off-road heritage and stigma the brand name carries.
The GASGAS models appear to be a mix of a KTM and Husky with some of the design elements and parts used. They have gone with the linkage system, as seen on all of the Husky models, rather than a linkageless PDS design ala the KTM XC-W/EXC models. Similarly, the swingarm design mimics the same one used on the Husky’s, not the KTM. The subframe is unique in that it looks to be a composite construction as seen on the Husky, but shares a very similar airbox/sidepanel design with the orange bikes. Brakes on the factory bike are Brembo, like KTM, whereas the Husky’s use Magura components stock.
The most noticeable difference is the change in plastic design. We saw Glenn Coldenhoff’s Factory GASGAS MXGP bike use KTM plastics in a shade of red earlier in the year. They have since changed it up to give it a bit more of a unique look so it can stand alone as its own brand.
