Long Term Test Bike | GASGAS EC 350F
With Australian Desert racing in full swing, my ADB GasGas EC 350F has spent a large part of the last few months locked away, while I conduct my desert coaching on a 500EXC. I feel like I have been neglecting the EC 350F as I have not done any maintenance except for a few washes and one oil change. It’s crazy that I have not even changed an air filter during the last 25 hours the EC 350F has been ridden and this is not from me being lazy, the EC 350F just hasn’t seen dust for that long. So apart from it being slightly over due for a really good wash, I have not really neglected the 350 at all.
The other misleading part of what I previously wrote was saying how much time the 350 has spent sitting in the shed. It makes it sound like the 350 has not been ridden much lately, when in fact the hour meter shows that it clocked up another 15 hours of ride time for the month .The hour meter shows the 350 has clocked up 85 hours now, but up to the 60 hour mark 99% of this time was clocked by myself. However now that the VIP GasGas rides are in full swing at least half of the latest 25 hours are from customers on the VIP rides.
This has been good as it has reinforced some of the conclusions I have made about the EC350, the first one being how tough and reliable this bike actually is. It has been totally bulletproof and unbreakable for me, but I consider myself reasonably gentle on a motorcycle, plus I have only crashed it a maximum of three times and none of these were much more than a tip over in a corner. However, I have cringed many times when I have seen my 350 hitting the ground more often than I would like to remember with other riders behind the handlebars.
Braktec sure know how to make some super strong levers, as I am running Acerbis MX style hand guards and neither lever has ever broken or bent. For sure the 350 has gained a few scratches from hitting the ground, but other than that it has stood up and shaken off everything that’s been thrown at it with ease. The fact that the majority of the riders who got their hands on my 350 didn’t want to give it back was more than enough proof that they found it just as enjoyable to ride as I do. As I am about to jump in the van tomorrow and head to Alice Springs the 350 will get a quick wash and get parked up for another few weeks until I am back home.
GasGas EC350F
RRP: $14,490
WARRANTY: One month (31 days)
DISTRIBUTOR: GasGas Australia
SO FAR
TOTAL HOURS: 85
HOURS THIS MONTH: 15 hours
MODS THIS MONTH: None
MODS NEXT MONTH:
A proper wash and replace the 85 hour old rear brake pads, plus a new chain and sprockets.
