History

Gas Gas

Gas Gas is a spanish motorcycle manufacturer, specialising in off-road motorbikes. Gas Gas are best known for their extremely popular trials bikes, although they also make successful enduro and quad bikes.

Gas Gas emerged from the financial demise of Bultaco when two agents, Narcis Casas and Josep Piebernat found themselves with a shop but no product to sell. So they embarked on a program to manufacture trials bikes for sale in their shop.

Manufacturing

2006 Gas Gas Raga edition Trials Bike.

Gas Gas have manufactured and sold motorcycles since 1985. They are leaders in the world trials market and are strong contenders in the enduro sector. The brand is known for a very high quality product and the continuous research and technical development they put into their product. A majority of the Gas Gas models are still handbuilt at the Gas Gas factory in Salt, Spain (Near Girona).

Gas Gas began manufacturing trials bikes in 1985, enduro and motocross bikes in 1989, and quads in 2002.

Championships and riders

Gas Gas trials paddock, Duluth, MN 2004.

In 1993, Gas Gas succeeded in luring the multiple world trials champion Jordi Tarrés away from Beta and he promptly won three successive world trials championships (1993, 1994 and 1995) for Gas Gas. More recently Gas Gas have won the Trial Outdoor World Championship twice (2005 and 2006) with Adam Raga. They have also won the Trial Indoor World Championship in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 also with Raga riding.[1][2]

Gas Gas have also achieved success at the highest level in the World Enduro Championship. Paul Edmondson won the 125 cc world championship in 1994 and the 250 cc class in 1996, Petteri Silván the 250 cc and the overall championship in 1999, and Petri Pohjamo the 125 cc class in 2003.[3]

In 2006, British Enduro Champion Wayne Braybrook, riding a Gas Gas, was one of only two riders to finish all 80 miles of the Red Bull Last Man Standing event. 126 other riders did not finish the race.[4]

Meaning of the name Gas Gas

The name Gas Gas literally means "to gas it" (to accelerate, give it the gas, turn the throttle - to go faster.) The Gas Gas founders have, at times, expressed misgivings about the chosen name inasmuch as that name causes confusion outside Spain. Others have joked that Gas Gas are so good that they had to name them twice. The slogan "Gas Gas = Fast Fast" was used by the US importer, Gas Gas North America, from 1999-2002 to try and help people understand the unique name.

Importing

They are currently imported into many countries in Europe and around the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South America, South Africa and the United States.[5]

Models

Enduro/off-road

2005 MC 250 Motocross bike.

While the EC ("Endurocross") and MC (motocross) models are shipped worldwide, Gas Gas have manufactured specialized models for the United States off-road market. The XC ("Cross Country" produced from 1999-2002) and the DE ("Dealer Edition" produced from 2002-2006) models were successful attempts to customize the product to the US market.

The FSE and FSR are the fuel injected, four-stroke enduro bikes similar in appearance to the EC models.

Prior to 2007, each color on the EC model line represented the displacement of the motor.

Yellow - 125cc and 200cc.

Red - 50cc, 250cc, 400cc and 450cc.

Blue - 300cc, 450cc.

In 2007-2009, the company standardized to the color red for all displacements and models. As of the 2010 model year, all standard EC models are black with red and white accents. The "Six Days" edition uses white plastics with red, yellow, and black accents. The "Racing" models are white with black and yellow accents.

Trials

The TXT models are specifically designed for trials riding. The TXT trials model line also used a similar color code to the EC line.

Current Gas Gas Trials models are availble in:

Boy 50

Cadet and Rookie 80

TXT Pro 125, 250, 280 and 300

TXT Pro Racing in 125 and 300

and the limited edition Raga Racing replica in 250, 280 and 300 variants.

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SCORPA

Scorpa is surely one the most popular trial motorcycle manufacturers in the world, the company being headquartered in Ales, France. Founded by Philippe Aresten and Joël Domergue in 1993, It set itself the ambition of designing Trials bikes with a strong identity, offering a high performance and exceptional quality.

The first production model the company rolled out in 1994 was the Works 294, a motorcycle equipped with a Rotax engine provided by the famous Austrian engine manufacturer.

Scorpa then went on to produce the Rotax powered Easy model in 1995, which ran up to 1999. They won the prestigious Scottish Six Day Trial with Graham Jarvis.

However, one of the most important milestones in the company's history is the partnership signed with Yamaha, the famous Japanese manufacturer which became the major provider of engines for the French company. The deal was forged in 1999 and since then, Scorpa have released models containing only Yamaha power. They include the 125, 175 and 200 air cooled 4 stroke range. The SY250R - 250cc 2 stroke bikes (winner of the Australian Trials Championship, 2003), and the current SY250FR four stroke. (winners of the Japanese and French Championships in 2008)

Scorpa has been at the forefront of producing Trials bikes that expand the riders horizons, with the LongRide versions. Bigger fuel tanks, and seats to explore the outer limits.

Scorpa has also been involved in some more radical concept bikes and limited edition productions. The Scorpa 4Tricks, a limited edition motorcycle which is similar to a BMX bike, a Scorpa Trials pushbike and and a Trials quad bike amongst other things.

Scorpa are constantly breaking new ground with there new T-Ride - Enduro / Trials Hybrid, and their latest edition the E-Tricks electric bike.