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Last week we picked up a 2025 GasGas EX350F. This is now the flagship off-road race bike for GasGas. The model line has been trimmed down somewhat and the EX450F is no longer offered. That’s probably okay with most riders; the 350 was already the bike of choice for the GasGas off-road racers, including Jordan Ashburn, who finished third in the GNCC XC1 class and Josh Toth, who won the 2024 National Enduro Championship. Weirdly, not that many people seem to know that a GasGas earned the National Enduro title. There were no GasGas logos on Josh’s bike, no GasGas ads in the media and no GasGas factory mechanics in the pits.
The backstory was that Josh rode a bunch of different venues in 2024 and did it on a bunch of different bikes, including GasGas, Honda and even Stark Future. The GasGas that he used to win the National Enduro championship was supplied by Enduro Engineering and was not even a current model. It was a true private effort on a year-old EX350F. It turns out that Josh actually liked the 2023 version better. The 2024 EX350F was a one-year model. It had a notoriously stiff frame, whereas the motocross bikes of that year were updated with a more compliant frame. Ashburn’s factory bike had the new MX frame installed by the Coastal GasGas team. But Toth, without factory support, simply used his old bike.
With the arrival of the 2025 model, all that is ancient history. Toth has moved on to a Kawasaki and Ashburn will ride a standard EX350F. The newest version of the production EX350F has all the most current parts, including the updated frame with more compliant flex characteristics. It doesn’t look that different. The geometry is unchanged and all the bodywork is the same. If you look carefully, you can see that the new chassis has less material around the top shock mount. There are also changes around the steering head, and that’s enough to give the bike a different feel.
All of the other updates that the bike got last year are still in play. The front suspension is now the coil-spring WP Xact fork. The rear is the WP Xact shock with linkage.
A common theme throughout the GasGas line is to go bare bones with accessories. It doesn’t have hand guards, a map switch or a volume chamber in the head pipe–all items that come as standard equipment on the KTM 350SX-F and Husqvarna FX350. Those bikes are in the family of brands owned by Pierer Mobility and are otherwise very similar to the GasGas, just more expensive. Other differences are the bodywork, the brakes (Braktec on the GasGas, Brembo on the others) and the triple clamp (forged on the GasGas, machined from billet on the others). The motor itself is the same on all three. It has the motocross top end on a six-speed gearbox. The tires are Dunlop with an 18-incher in the rear.
Thankfully, GasGas got it right for 2025. Like always, the motor is ideal for off-road racing on any side of the country. It has enough power for faster race courses out west and it’s still manageable and easy to handle in the tight stuff back east. It’s an even more versatile motor than it was just two years ago. Last-year’s model, despite its much maligned frame rigidity, had a number of motor updates that gave it more bottom end. If you ride the new model back to back with the 2023 version, it’s throatier down low. Some riders think it lost revs on top, but that turns out not to be true; it has the same peak around 50 horsepower, but it carries that peak longer. With more bottom, you simply don’t spend as much time at high rpm because you don’t have to. Whether you like screaming or not, the incredible thing about this motor is how wide the power band is. It has an incredible usable range; far wider than a 250 or 450. You can ride it at low revs because it has less of a tendency to stall than a 450, and it’s still capable of spinning all the way past 13,000 rpm. No other bikes have ever had a range like that.
As far as the frame goes, the difference between the old one and the new one is noticeable from the word go. Much has been written about the previous frame. Most riders say that it eventually breaks in and loses that harsh initial feel. That’s sort of true, but it never gets as cushy as the updated chassis.
We have big plans for this bike, including taking it to the Nevada 200 next month for Scot Harden’s annual shindig. The full test will be in the May, 2025 print edition of Dirt Bike.
HUSKY TALES
That same issue will feature a story penned by none other than Gunnar Lindstrom on the untold story of Husqvarna’s forgotten years. Gunner did a deep dive into the serpentine history of the most iconic brand in all of motorcycling as only a true insider could. Don’t miss it!
MALCOLM SMITH ADVENTURES
On May 12 the first-ever Ducati Riding Experience (DRE) Travel Adventure will take place. In partnership with Malcolm Smith Adventures, this unique, 7-day journey will take you through the rugged beauty of Baja, California—deserts, mountains, and coastal trails included. Designed for enthusiasts who crave exploration, the DRE Baja Tour is crafted to let you experience the beauty of Baja at your own pace. Led by off-road professional Alexander Smith, this trip promises an unforgettable ride with a blend of expert instruction, stunning landscapes, and thrilling challenges. Alexander’s recent success in the NORRA 1000 on the Ducati DesertX Rally brings unmatched insight and experience to the tour.
DAYTONA!
Monster Energy Supercross heads to Daytona International Speedway this weekend for Round 8, following a dramatic race in Arlington in which Chase Sexton lost the win and the championship lead on the final lap to Cooper Webb!
Here’s how you can follow along with all of this Saturday’s action:
Within the US
Race Day Live
1:30 p.m. ET: Peacock
Race
7 p.m. ET: Peacock, SiriusXM, Telemundo Deportes
Outside the US
Race Day Live
6:30 p.m. GMT: SuperMotocross VideoPass
Race
12 a.m. GMT: SuperMotocross VideoPass
See you next week!
