GasGas turned up the heat with the first-ever Spice It Up Festival to reveal an all-new generation of motocross, enduro, and cross-country motorcycles. Over 60 motorcycle journalists and influencers from around the globe arrived in Città di Castello, Italy, for the official launch of the 2024 GasGas off-road motorcycle product line, and it was an event.
Just a few hours after landing in Italy, I was shuttled to a majestic, castle-like venue for the welcome dinner and official reveal of the 2024 GasGas off-road bikes. As the anticipation grew and the crowd counted down to zero, America’s Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GasGas Factory Racing Team 450-class rider Justin Barcia and six-time FIM EnduroGP World Champion Andrea Verona, riding for GasGas Factory Racing, revealed the new generation of GasGas off-road motorcycles.
Model year 2024 marks the first all-new generation for GasGas. Each category in the 2024 lineup is entirely redesigned from front to back— new steel frames, new aluminum subframes, and new swingarms. GasGas engineers aimed to improve performance and maximize the fun factor (a GasGas catchphrase), telling me these updates enhance the perfect combination of sharp cornering and straight-line stability. Additionally, the new generation across all categories has new motor packages, bodywork, and suspension. So, yeah, these bikes are officially new and improved from the previous generation.
The GasGas Spice It Up Festival is a two-day ride event for the media and Città di Castello locals. I rode on Friday, while Saturday was more about technical presentations from the engineers and a little bit more seat time.
Saturday was open to the general public to ride the new bikes for the first time. This event was at the renowned Crossodromo la Trogna, tucked away in the beautiful Italian countryside, about 60 miles southeast of Florence. The European motocross track is fun and flowy, built on natural hillside terrain that offers many uphill and downhill sections, as well as off-camber turns. The jumps are a blast, as they are forgiving rather than intimidating. Crossodromo la Trogna is excellent for all levels of riders.
The Italians didn’t use water trucks; instead, they built a sprinkler system along the track’s boundaries. With a flip of a switch, the circuit is watered—in theory, at least.
However, the sprinkler system is quite spotty, leaving parts of the track untouched and others over-soaked with massive puddles. The natural condition is a hard-packed dirt base with loose, sandy topsoil.
After watering, the track was very slick, almost like riding on ice. I was experiencing a two-wheel drift into corners, and the uphills were a struggle for the smaller displacement bikes. It was sketchy, to say the least. When the track dried up and lines began to form, the conditions were epic.
Although I ride more motocross than any other discipline, GasGas encouraged me to ride all 16 off-road models. However, as time was limited and some enduro models aren’t offered in North America, I focused primarily on the motocross category. However, I did want to make it a point to test all the classes, including motocross, enduro, and cross-country.
On the first day of the event, I rode on the Enduro course—a new riding experience for me. The cross-country category motorcycles boast slight differences in components from the motocross category, though they share the same motor, gearing, chassis, and WP suspension components.
The North American-only Cross Country models—the EX 250 and 300 two-strokes, and 250F, 350F, and 450F four-strokes—are designed for desert or long-distance trail riding, a style of riding not common in Europe. Most European countries do not allow free riding, so off-road riding is restricted to private property. North America is more lenient about off-road restrictions, so there are vastly more areas available to ride.
Each Cross Country GasGas has a 2.4-gallon fuel tank, a kickstand, an 18-inch rear wheel, and 11.8 inches of wheel travel, front and rear. Other than that, there are no differences in the chassis, motor, or gearing compared to the motocross models.
I hopped aboard my first bike of the day, the 2024 GasGas EX 250F. The EX 250F is a great all-around off-road motorcycle for almost any terrain. The EX 250F felt familiar, as I am primarily a 250 four-stroke rider. It handled the tight, single-track trails and technical rocky sections on the Enduro course nicely.
With the added weight from the Cross Country equipment, the bike has a well-balanced stability. The EX 250F’s DOHC motor is snappy on the bottom end. I was expecting a smoother throttle response, but then I remembered that The EX 250F and the entire Cross Country line share the same gearing as the motocross line.
At slow speeds, the 2024 GasGas EX 250F had plenty of torque needed to corner through tight and numerous blind sandy corners with uphill exits. Even when keeping my pace up through the corner, I needed the punch of the throttle to pull me out. If I wasn’t in a hurry, the EX 250F had no problem lugging through the deep sand.
After several laps on the Enduro course, I headed over to the motocross track to test the EX 250F at higher speeds, and it got around just fine. At the higher cornering speeds, I found myself wanting a little more power on the bottom end—the motor seemed softer on the MX course than on the Enduro circuit. The power feels punchier on the tight single-track than on an open motocross course. Overall, the EX 250F felt faster on the enduro course than on the motocross course, which makes sense, as that’s its natural habitat.
Moving on to the headlight-equipped Enduro lineup, there are two models available in the United States—the EC 250 and EC 300 two-strokes. North America doesn’t get the EC 450F.
After I spent time on the Cross Country EX 250F, I was eager to jump on a two-stroke Enduro model to test out the new throttle-body EFI and enduro-specific gearing. I grabbed the EC 250 and pushed that magic electric-start button to head back onto the enduro course.
Impressively, the 2024 GasGas EC 250 is very smooth during acceleration. While I was anticipating an explosive powerband, the EC 250 is very much a technical-terrain motorcycle. The EFI and enduro gearing makes the EC 250 easy to ride through technical terrain and on tight trails. Yet, the 2-stroke engine has plenty of power and definitely gets up and goes when I get on the gas. Still, I never felt as if the bike wanted to get away from me.
With the added weight of the larger fuel tank and electrical components, plus softer suspension settings, the bike stayed planted to the ground, handling quite smoothly around the entire enduro course. I didn’t feel the weight when riding; it was nimble enough to get around the technical sections.
However, I did have a tip-over or two on the EC 250. When I was picking up the EC 250, it felt heavier than your average 250 2-stroke motocrosser. Fortunately, the weight isn’t noticeable while riding, so just keep it on two wheels (wink, wink).
An added bonus for the 2024 Enduro line is an updated LED headlight with standard and high beam settings. Different for this year is that when you turn on the high beam light, the standard light remains on; previously, the standard light would shut off when you flip on the high beam. That adds light, so you see better when the sun goes down.
For decades the 250cc 2-stroke has been the number 1 choice for enduro racers around the globe. The 250cc 2-stroke package offers a great combination of strong power and light weight. The 2024 GasGas EC 250 is no exception. Boasting plenty of power, predictable throttle response, and enduro gearing, the new EC 250 is a superb choice for riders who demand performance and agility in technical terrain.
The full motocross lineup includes the MC 125 and MC 250 two-stroke and a trio of four-strokes—MC 250F, MC 350F, and MC 450F. Yes, of course, I threw a leg over the entire motocross lineup. It had been quite some time since I rode a two-stroke MXer, so I was eager to hop on the updated MC 125 and MC 250.
The first motocross bike I rode was the 2024 GasGas MC 125. Man, that thing is a screamer! It’s light and nimble and loves to be revved to the moon. Like all 125cc 2-stroke motocross bikes, the meat of the power is in the mid to top end of the rev range. The MC 125 is not a bike to lug around at low rpm.
It only took me about half a lap to realize I wasn’t on a four-stroke anymore—ha-ha. I laugh because it was like I almost forgot how to ride a two-stroke. The MC 125 must be ridden aggressively.
Returning to what I said earlier about the over-watering conditions at this track, the MC 125 struggled on the uphills. The loose topsoil soaked up the water and not only became very slick, but it was heavy. Still, the tiny MC 125 was like the little engine that could. It never gave up but eventually got to the top with the help of his little friend, the clutch. The mud conditions were a challenge for the MC 125, so I had to quickly adjust my riding style to be more aggressive—hard on the throttle and clutch the entire time.
Once I dialed in my lines and figured out the track, the MC 125 was possibly one of the most fun bikes I’ve been on in a long time. I loved how light and nimble the MC 125 is. It’s a lot of fun when you can throw a bike around and still feel confident it will maintain traction.
The MC 125, like all 125 2-strokes, needs some assistance with the clutch. Once I got in the sweet spot of the powerband and hooked up on some drier dirt, the MC 125 carried me through the uphill step-up jumps without a problem.
What makes the 2024 GasGas MC 125 even better now for this new generation is that it is fueled 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. It is actually dual-injected now. That means no more premixing gas! There is a separate reservoir for the two-stroke oil mounted under the center spine of the chassis. All you have to do is fill the oil reservoir; the EFI does all the air, fuel, and oil mixing for you.
There are many upsides to dual-injected 2-strokes. Not only do you get smooth, crispy throttle response and consistent air/fuel mixture via the EFI. But the best part of all is now you can steal some of your 4-stroke buddy’s gas without the need to premix!
One handling characteristic common in all the GasGas models is that they offer great front-end traction—a great confidence booster. Rear-end traction felt pretty planted as well.
While the chassis and suspension design contributes significantly to the high-traction characteristic, the tires are what hit the ground. All GasGas motocross models come equipped with Maxxcross MX-ST rubber, which was developed with the help of seven-time Supercross champion Jeremy McGrath. The MC 125 is the only bike in the motocross lineup with a 100/90-19 rear tire—the rest have a 110.
The Maxxis Maxxcross MX-ST tires have an intermediate/soft rubber compound rating with a lightweight, pliable carcass design. The softer nature of the Maxxcross MX-ST flexes and absorbs choppy bumps and square edge impacts better than a harder carcass tire. I have no complaints about the MX-ST tires—they hook up nicely on fast acceleration and provide additional comfort. They match up perfectly with the purpose of the GasGas machines.
There were a few sections with heavy acceleration bumps out of corners traveling uphill, and the MC 125 stayed straight even when running high in the rev range. Overall, the MC 125’s handling is well-balanced, making the most of the motor.
Moving up to the bigger brother two-stroke, the 2024 GasGas MC 250. It is a beast, but a tame beast. The EFI delivers more predictable and manageable power than that extracted from a carbureted two-stroke. I can feel the powerband kick in when I reach the mid-range, though it wasn’t a harsh transition from low to mid.
Contrary to the MC 125, the MC 250 is much more capable of riding in a taller gear and lugging around corners without clutching. Sure, it’s twice the motor, though a mid-size two-stroke traditionally doesn’t like to be lugged. The fuel-injected MC 250 was generous to me in some of the track’s slower or muddy sections.
Even with its beastly power, the MC 250 wanted to stay planted and hook up to the ground during high-speed acceleration. Later in the day, as the track became a bit more beat up with harsh acceleration bumps, the rear end of the MC 250 was stable and wasn’t swapping around on me. It also feels very light, just like the MC 125—very nimble yet maintains traction.
The suspension setup on both the MC 125 and MC 250 feel great. The WP Xact fork and rear shock offer a very plush ride. For my speed, which is average, the softer suspension system works great, especially when riding aggressively on the two-stroke machines.
The 2024 GasGas chassis is designed to be a bit stiffer than the previous generation, allowing the suspension to work as designed. With less flex in the chassis, the overall handling of the MC 125 and MC 250 is more predictable and handled through rough stuff with smooth feedback.
I appreciate that GasGas motorcycles are not overly sensitive to the small choppy bumps or small rocks. I prefer a more forgiving chassis, rather than one that gets thrown off course when I roll over a tiny rock or bump in a rut. Sensitive chassis are difficult to ride and require much-needed love to properly suit the rider’s preference. The GasGas steel chassis and WP Xact suspension are designed for comfort and rideability. I give the GasGas chassis two thumbs up for a stable design that doesn’t get disrupted by every little bump or rock.
To evaluate the four-stroke, I moved up the ranks from the MC 250F to the MC 350F and the MC 450F for an incremental comparison.
I spent a lot of time testing the 2023 MC 250F, so I was very interested to see how the all-new 2024 would compare. Right off the bat, the ergonomics feel very comfortable, as they did on the 2023 model. However, the ergonomics did receive an update for 2024, along with the frame and subframe.
On my first few laps, I got a feel for the handling. Traditionally, the GasGas lineup has a very plush, or soft, feel to the handling due to the nature of a compliant steel frame. Even with the added stiffness to the 2024 frame, the chassis remains forgiving.
The power delivery of the MC 250F is linear from bottom to top, though the very bottom end is maybe a little too soft. However, from a purely “fun factor‚” perspective, the power delivery is rider-friendly and predictable, maintaining traction during acceleration and is very predictable even through rough sections. For a more-aggressive bottom end, get the map selection switch accessory, which unlocks a second engine map.
Next on the list is the 2023 GasGas MC 350F. I had heard many great things about 350cc four-strokes but had not yet ridden one.
Literally, as I was riding the MC 350F, Goldilocks and the Three Bears came to mind. The motor is not too powerful (the MC 450F) and not too soft (the MC 250F). The MC 350F is just right. The MC 350F has the bottom-end torque I was looking for in the MC 250F, and it is not as explosive as the MC 450F. The MC 350F is the best of both worlds. It can still be ridden aggressively like a 250F by revving it out, but it won’t rip your arms off when unleashed like the MC 450F.
The MC 350F has a much different power delivery feel than the linear MC 250F. The MC 350F has a great throttle response on the bottom end and accelerates quickly when I get into the mid-range. From the midrange to the top end, the MC 350F gets another power boost. Fortunately, the acceleration is controllable, and the handling remains predictable.
Leading up to jumps on the uphill sections, you have to be on the gas to keep your momentum. The MC 350F plows through the acceleration bumps quite well without losing rear-end traction, and the front end stays where I want it to. I don’t have to work as hard to get up to speed. With a smooth throttle roll-on, the MC 350F winds up quickly.
There were a few times, however, through the longer straights of the Crossodromo la Trogna MX track, I felt as if the MC 350F wanted to get out from under me. Going from the MC 250F to the MC 350F, my throttle control had to adjust—I couldn’t just hold the MC 350F wide open out of corners like on the MC 250F. Instead, I rolled the throttle on a bit slower to accelerate out of corners. The punchy low-end torque allows me to ride a bit smoother. Once I got a good feel for it, the MC 350F quickly became my favorite GasGas motocross bike.
The final bike of the day, the 2024 GasGas MC 450F, is an absolute beast. Before hopping on the MC 450F, I expected it to be tame but powerful; I was way off in my presumption. The MC 450F packs a huge punch. I mean, it is fast.
The MC 450F is a different animal than the smaller displacement four-strokes; it has to be ridden differently. Unless you are Justin Barcia, you will never use the power to its maximum potential. Even Barcia made a comment about how fast the 450 is. He said if he were retired and just wanted to ride for fun, he would choose the MC 350F over the MC 450F.
Of course, the MC 450F is a fun bike to ride and is quite exhilarating with the amount of torque it puts out to the ground. I am pretty sure I didn’t even get out of 2nd gear around the entire motocross track. Second gear seems like it pulls forever and has plenty of top-end power.
For an average rider, the MC 450F requires little to no shifting on most motocross tracks. A rider can keep the MC 450F in 2nd or 3rd gear all day long without bogging around the corners, and 2nd gear keeps pulling far into the high end of the rev range without losing power.
Overall, the handling of each of the four-stroke GasGas motocrossers feels pretty similar—remember, they share the same chassis and suspension. Even the MC 450F felt nimble enough to maneuver as needed. It felt light in the air and around corners. As it chug-a-lugged around the motocross track, the MC 450F maintained front and rear traction.
The GasGas line of off-road motorcycles lives up to the brand’s mantra as the fun brand of motorcycles. The overall engineering design work of the GasGas lineup—from the motor to the chassis, suspension, and ergonomics—is purpose-built with the fun factor in mind. The GasGas motocross lineup is certainly race-capable, though not quite as “Ready To Race” as its KTM counterpart claims.
Race capabilities have a lot to do with suspension setup and engine mapping. For the casual rider who races occasionally, the GasGas is an excellent choice out of the box. GasGas offers confidence-building handling characteristics and predictable throttle response. For the high-level competitive racer traveling to Loretta’s or the privateer traveling to the AMA Nationals, GasGas is not a bad choice, but it will need some extra love to get it up to speed with the rest of the fleet.
However, if you take racing out of the picture and want to go out and ride to your heart’s content, the comfortable and rideable GasGas four-stroke trio is a fantastic MX track-day platform.
People will often ask why GasGas even exists. They think it’s just a red KTM, but that is not at all the case. Despite many similarities in the design, the results are quite different. I was talking with the GasGas engineers during the technical presentations on the second day of the Spice It Up Festival. I asked one of the motor engineers if the GasGas powerplant is any different from Husqvarna or KTM. He plainly told me, “No. They’re the same.” So, while we know the Austrian brands share the same mechanical motor, that doesn’t mean they all ride the same.
The main differences you’ll find among the Austrian trio, aside from the color and bodywork, are the components. The brakes, electronics, suspension setup, engine mapping, wheels, and hubs are not the same, and that’s not a complete list. There are variations in the chassis design as well. All these things make a great difference in overall performance and feel.
GasGas works hard to differentiate itself from KTM and Husqvarna by developing bikes with the fun factor top of mind. Riding the bike is fun and comfortable, and the price tag is also fun. The GasGas models retail considerably less than the Husqvarna or KTM models—sometimes nearly $1000 less.
In addition to developing fun bikes, the GasGas family is a fun bunch of people. They put on an amazing two-day event that brought together media from around the world and local riders to mingle and talk about dirt bikes. GasGas seems focused on riders and the dirt bike community. The Spice It Up Festival is no exception as they seemingly spared no expense at making it fun with good food, live music, community, and Italian wine that flowed like water—the perfect evening after a hard couple of days test riding fun motorcycles.
Photography by Will Embree, Angel Altes Media, et al
RIDING STYLE
Helmet: Alpinestars Supertech M8
Goggles: Oakley Airbrake MX
Pants + jersey: Alpinestars Supertech
Gloves: Alpinestars Techstar
Body armor: Alpinestars Bionic Chest Protector
Knee braces: Alpinestars Bionic-10 Carbon
Socks: Ethika Moto Sock
Boots: Alpinestars Limited Edition Supertech Laser 23 Tech 10
GasGas Spice It Up Festival Photo Gallery
