2003 Gas Gas FSE 450-Comments/Reviews

[BSAVictor]

There's 2003 GasGasFSE450 for sale with Calif. plate. Anyone care to bring me up to speed with personal experience or other reviews on it? Performance, reliability, etc. Where do you get parts/service? The ad says fuel-injected. Does that mean it adjusts mixture for you at whatever altitude you are riding?!

Muchas Garcias!

[Fetona]

I don't know anything about that bike, but I'm curious as to how much they are asking.

[BSAVictor]

Fetona: So you want to like, buy it out from under me for $5500? Oops.

[kelsow]

Several of my friends have these and I have ridden them all. They are fantastic machines and feel different to anything I have ever ridden. The power delivery is sewingmachine smooth. Not as light as my Berg but pretty good.

I have a dealer that is very close so getting parts is never an issue.

Distribution has just changed over to Dixie in the US (a BMG company) and they have tons of money backing them.

The only problem I have seen were the FI pressure fittings at the top of the tank wearing out and popping off.

[BSAVictor]

I just emailed them (at the USA site?) www.gasgas.net about the efi issues, mentioning Thumpertalk, and that I was looking at an '03. 'Will be interesting to see what they have to say....

[oliwally]

?

[Mal_B]

There's 2003 GasGasFSE450 for sale with Calif. plate. Anyone care to bring me up to speed with personal experience or other reviews on it? Performance, reliability, etc. Where do you get parts/service? The ad says fuel-injected. Does that mean it adjusts mixture for you at whatever altitude you are riding?!

Muchas Garcias!

I have an '06 and can't say much specifically about the '03 but yes, the bike has a barometric sensor and automatically adjusts for altitude.

Incidentally, I love my '06 - great bike. I do understand there were reliability issues with earlier models though.

mal

[oliwally]

I have an '06 and can't say much specifically about the '03 but yes, the bike has a barometric sensor and automatically adjusts for altitude.

Incidentally, I love my '06 - great bike. I do understand there were reliability issues with earlier models though.

mal

Dont Think My '03 400 Had That,The Early 450's Are Just An Overbored 400 So I Think It Has The Same Set Up,Cant Be Sure But The Later '04's Had A Slightly Different Engine/Injection.

I Hated My Gas Gas For A Long Time,Till It Was Set Properly With New TB And A Fairly Lean Mixture,Then It Was A Good Bike,Deff Liked To Rev Hard.

[Gilkerson]

Dont Think My '03 400 Had That,The Early 450's Are Just An Overbored 400 So I Think It Has The Same Set Up,Cant Be Sure But The Later '04's Had A Slightly Different Engine/Injection.

I Hated My Gas Gas For A Long Time,Till It Was Set Properly With New TB And A Fairly Lean Mixture,Then It Was A Good Bike,Deff Liked To Rev Hard.

Ay oliwally,

That's the first somewhat positive comment I've read about your '03 GG... ? I'm still loving my '05 after over a year and no problems. So far it's been the best bike I've ever owned and that's 25 years and countless bikes. I'm glad to see your '03 is running better these days.

[oliwally]

Ay oliwally,

That's the first somewhat positive comment I've read about your '03 GG... ? I'm still loving my '05 after over a year and no problems. So far it's been the best bike I've ever owned and that's 25 years and countless bikes. I'm glad to see your '03 is running better these days.

Hope The New Owners Enjoying It Too,Having Spent The Best Part Of £900 On It In The Form Of Repairs,CRD Guards,Trailtech,Fork And Shock Springs,Pro Grips And Windham Fat Bars.

I Did Do Around 60 Mile Ride Which Was A 70/30 Split With Road And Trails.

Was Very Good Overall,A Little Hard Over The Bumps But That Was Due To Being New.

Loved The Upper Mid And Top End Of It,Would Smoke The VOR In That Range,But The VOR Did Have A Crap Cam And Exhaust Fitted,Not Like The Arrow That Was Fitted To The Gasser.

[BSAVictor]

Thanks, guys for updates and comments; I guess that in $US, oli's extra expenses would've been about $1800-1900? So far no response from USA GG site---we are having Labor Day weekend holiday here, tho. The guy selling the '03 450 says it runs great. 'Got a feeling that I'd be better off with '05 or later, but don't think there'd be any Calif.-street-legal ones?!

[BSAVictor]

Dont Think My '03 400 Had That,The Early 450's Are Just An Overbored 400 So I Think It Has The Same Set Up,Cant Be Sure But The Later '04's Had A Slightly Different Engine/Injection.

I Hated My Gas Gas For A Long Time,Till It Was Set Properly With New TB And A Fairly Lean Mixture,Then It Was A Good Bike,Deff Liked To Rev Hard.

Oli,

By "New TB" do you mean just a replacement of the original one vs a different TB? (I assume TB=Throttle Body?) If different TB, how did you choose it/where did you get it? How did you get "...Fairly lean mixture...."?

Thanks

P.S. The seller of the '03 says "The fuel injection is magnet marelli (used by ducati for years) and can have different maps loaded to the eprom if altitude is a problem." Is the Magnet Marelli the one you negatively reviewed in your old garage comment?

[oliwally]

Yep TB Is Throttle Body. Mine Was Completely Worn Out And "Leaking" Air Past The Butterfly Causing A Very Bad Lean Condition.

Just Got A New One And Had It Recalibrated.

The Guy Actually Set My Bike Up Quite A Bit Leaner Than His One And Said Mine Flew,He Then Went And Set His Like Mine.

Its A Very Basic System,Not The Holy Grail Of Jetting.

Me,I Dont Like Injection Full Stop

[MrSmooth]

oliwally is still the only person I've heard of that actually had an issue with the EFI. Mine is spot on perfect, always.

[BSAVictor]

Mr. Smooth:

I wonder if there was any diff between '03 and '04 fi? Why are you selling? (I'd be interested in it if you were in S. Cal.)

[MrSmooth]

I bought a KTM 300 and I'm going to start racing again and I can only afford one bike. There were several issues with 03's. The 04's were really good with the exception of the starter (in front of the cylinder) and the 05's seem to have everything sorted out.

PM me if you are serious about my bike, maybe we can work out shipping.

[BSAVictor]

Here's the response of John Roeske (techsupport@gasgas.net) to my query of GG for USA:

"Hi David. We have had zero problems with the fuel injection system. It is Magneti Marelli and tested in both Formula 1 and also the World Off-Road Rally Championships. The same basic system is also used by Ducati, Harley Davidson, Moto-Guzzi and Sherco. As for the consumer at Thumper talk having the problem with the fuel connectors on the tank, if you remove the connectors incorrectly you will damage them and the fuel hose will pop out. You can replace the connectors and can purchase them from any Gas Gas Dealer. Thank You

GGMA"

________________________________________

Any further comments, TTers?

[oliwally]

Here's the response of John Roeske (techsupport@gasgas.net) to my query of GG for USA:

"Hi David. We have had zero problems with the fuel injection system. It is Magneti Marelli and tested in both Formula 1 and also the World Off-Road Rally Championships. The same basic system is also used by Ducati, Harley Davidson, Moto-Guzzi and Sherco. As for the consumer at Thumper talk having the problem with the fuel connectors on the tank, if you remove the connectors incorrectly you will damage them and the fuel hose will pop out. You can replace the connectors and can purchase them from any Gas Gas Dealer. Thank You

GGMA"

________________________________________

Any furthe comments, TTers?

Thats A Load Of Cr**,Loads Of Dealers This Side Of The Pond Have Had Serious Problems,Nearly Every Southern Dealer Refused To Touch My Bike Full Stop,They Said They Never Run Right And Had/Have Stopped Selling Them.

It Took Nearly A Year Searching The Web And Complaining To The Nearest Dealer And Gas Gas UK Before I Found Someone To Help Sort The Bike Out. They(Main Deler) Said When I First Called To Check Valve Lash Then After Nearly 20 Calls Spoke To A Tech Who Answered The Phone While Everybodys Busy And Gave Me Loads Of Info So I Wouldnt Take My Bike There.

Temp Senders Fail,Either Causing Over Fueling Or Not Enough Fuel(IE Hot/Cold Engine) Injector Fails From Poor Build Or Dirt In System/Throttle Bodys Wear Out/Cables Streatch/ECU Fail(Dry Joints)/Poor Connectors/Starter Connections Corrode/Starter Gears Collapse/Decomp Wears Out/Etc

The Guy Who Fixed My Bike Said He'd Seen About 12 Different Bikes From 4 Dealers In The Last Six Months,All 4T's With Running Problems.

Longest Time To Sort A Bike Was Mine,But Then Nearly Everything Was Brand New By The Time He Got To Work On It.

How Did I Find This Guy,The Main Dealer Gave Me Him Number,Told Never To Call Again About This Bike.

No Problem With EFI Then Sounds Like A Sales Pitch To Me ?

Its Like Saying,Fit This FCR To Your Bike And Never Worry About Hard Starting/Lack Of Power Again!

[MrSmooth]

Temp Senders Fail,Either Causing Over Fueling Or Not Enough Fuel(IE Hot/Cold Engine) Injector Fails From Poor Build Or Dirt In System/Throttle Bodys Wear Out/Cables Streatch/ECU Fail(Dry Joints)/Poor Connectors/Starter Connections Corrode/Starter Gears Collapse/Decomp Wears Out/Etc

Maybe it's a perception thing. Of the items listed only the temp sensor and the ECU are what I would call parts of the EFI system. Yes the injector certainly is but dirt is dirt and will kill a carb too. How in the world does a throttle body wear out?

Starting issues are still the biggest downfall to the bikes, at least the 03s and 04s.

As far as the "sales pitch", yes, I don't know of any manufacturers that will come out and say they have problems openly.

[oliwally]

Maybe it's a perception thing. Of the items listed only the temp sensor and the ECU are what I would call parts of the EFI system. Yes the injector certainly is but dirt is dirt and will kill a carb too. How in the world does a throttle body wear out?

Starting issues are still the biggest downfall to the bikes, at least the 03s and 04s.

As far as the "sales pitch", yes, I don't know of any manufacturers that will come out and say they have problems openly.

You Tell Me,I Saw The Old One. From Air Filter Side Looked Good But Engine Side....Well Thats A Different Matter.

I'd Include The Many Electrical Connections That's Needed Along With The Fuel Pump,The Throttle Pot.

Yep I Know Dirt Is Dirt But A Carb Can Be Taken Apart,In The Woods If You've Go A Tool Kit With You.

Thats Why I Like Carbs Over Fi