Has GASGAS hit the bullseye with the EX 350F? We send our Enduro Editor Geoff Braico to Victoria to find out.
So, what is the GASGAS EX range all about? Well, basically it’s based off the MC350 motocross bike however the engineers at GASGAS have tweaked the power and added a few extra features which then turns it into an all-round off-road weapon. The motor on the 2024 GASGAS EX 350F is almost identical the MC350 so we know it’s going to be strong and useable. The things that set the EX-models apart from the MC bikes are the bigger nine litre tank, the 18 inch rear wheel, the addition of a side stand, an offroad specific six speed gearbox, new WP XACT closed cartridge forks, WP XACT shock with offroad settings and different Dunlop AT81 tyres.
OUT ON THE TRACK
I’ve never been to the Sanders slice of heaven nestled up in the hills of Three Bridges in Victoria before, and it is epic. They have done an awesome job of carving and shaping the tracks in and around the pristine countryside and the dirt is about as good as it gets. His bush moto track is a cool setup as you fly through the rainforest and there are some pretty sizeable jumps too.
Conditions were prime on the Tuesday afternoon when we arrived but an overnight storm threw a spanner in the works. Instead of 100% traction and loam, we got served up with a slimy, slippery first half of the day but eventually it dried out and made for a really good time.
Amazingly, having so much variance in the conditions also made for some pretty interesting testing grounds and I found myself favouring different bikes during different times of the day through each section. For example, at the start of the day, I found the bigger four-strokes feeling extra heavy and I especially struggled on the downhills with the added mud on the bikes but as the track dried out and the bikes didn’t collect as much mud, I started to really enjoy the big bores because they felt more planted.
After a full day on the all the bikes and a sore face from smiling so much, I found that whenever I rode the 2024 GASGAS EX 350F, I just kept enjoying it more. It didn’t matter when it was muddy in the morning or prime time by the afternoon, the 2024 GASGAS EX 350F delivered what I was chasing on the day. Right from the moment I hopped on it in the morning, I could ride the bike comfortably and it just seemed like the perfect mixture of the entire GASGAS range.
The motor on the EX 350F is the standout feature for sure and I feel like, unlike motocross where the 350 feels fantastic but is obviously underpowered against 450s, the 350 in the tighter trails is everything you need. It’s super responsive yet very rideable and you can torque it through the rev range or swing off it and rev it to the moon. I was quite impressed with the traction that the EX 350F’s motor produced in the morning’s slick conditions too and I was really happy with the power once the track dried out and I could start being a little more aggressive. It is a super fun motor package and I like that they have changed to a six speed gearbox for the EX range as I noticed that the MC 350 gears were taller and more spread out and I stalled the MC a few times because of that.
The EX bikes are also the only bikes in the GASGAS range to come with the new WP XACT 48mm closed cartridge fork. The MC range is fitted with the WP XACT Air fork and the EC range has the WP XPLOR fork. It’s amazing how different the three sets of forks feel and again, I think this is where the EX 350F shone through because that new XACT CC fork is the business for the bush.
The MC front end in the trails is definitely too firm and while it works well on the bigger hits, it’s the shorter bumps and tree roots that are present in off-road that make life tricky on the MC. Then it’s the opposite for the EC range as they are fantastic on the smaller stuff but way too soft on the bigger hits. The EX front end is juussttt right.
I had a lot of confidence in the front end of the 2024 GASGAS EX 350F and I wanted to push hard and go faster because that is what that WP XACT CC fork wants you to do. It’s firm enough to hold up on the big stuff yet plush enough to not beat you up during those longer days on the bike. It has a great feel going into a corner as well and I found the front end very responsive, and I could sit into the corners and really attack the ruts.
The XACT rear shock, I believe has an EX specific setting in it and it gets amazing drive out of corners, and I believe the 18 inch wheel fitted on the bike is a great asset to it as well. I felt like once I was settled and locked into the ruts, the EX powered through them extremely well and then tracked up through the acceleration bumps nice and straight and with no real issue at all. I put a little bit of that down to the more aggressive offroad Dunlop tyres fitted to the bike as well.
FINAL THOUGHT
If you’re after a bike that does a lot of the work for you and is easy to ride, then maybe the GASGAS EX 350F is for you. I like to describe this bike as all all-round power house that is easy to ride.
The motor is spicy and always seems to have the right amount of power no matter where you are on the track. The bike feels lightweight under you and the new XACT CC fork and shock are probably the standout features that the EX350 has over the other MC and EC bikes in the range. They offer a comfortable ride and give you plenty of confidence to push the bike along without beating you up. I had a smile from ear to ear every time I rode this bike and I only wish that more manufacturers would tackle the 350cc sector because they’re fun as shit, fast as hell and I do believe that it is the perfect bike for the offroad market.
2024 GASGAS EX 350F
ENGINE
Type Single-cylinder four-stroke, electric start
Displacement 349.7cc
Bore & Stroke 88mm x 57mm
Cooling Liquid-cooled
Compression ratio NA
Fuel metering Keihin EMS
Tank capacity Nine litres
Transmission Six speed
Clutch DS wet multi-disc clutch, Braktec hydraulics
DIMENSIONS
Seat height 956mm
Ground clearance 354mm
Claimed Weight 105kg (dry)
SUSPENSION
FRONT 48mm WP XACT-USD, 300mm travel
REAR WP XACT Monoshock with linkage, 300mm travel
BRAKES
Front 260mm disc
Rear 220mm disc
RUNNING GEAR
Handlebar Neken
Front tyre Dunlop
Rear tyre Dunlop
PRICE & CONTACTS
RRP $15,349.00
BROWSER GasGas.com/en-au
BLOWER 1800 644 771
Warranty six months
WORDS | GEOFF BRAICO
PHOTOS | FLIGHTCRAFT