’ ve really enjoyed the ES700 ’ s capabilities over the last two years . I started out riding it on adventure rides that took in tracks like the Porika and Carricktown where I wanted a lighter , more capable bike to explore a bit further off the track ; something that would give me a bigger amount in reserve to make up for my lack of ability . In the last six months I ’ ve been riding harder enduro-type trails and tracks , which my old BMW R80GS wouldn ’ t have even been able to attempt ( not with me on board anyway ). This is where the GasGas has really come into its own .

THE HOLY GRAIL But it ’ s not all sunshine and rainbows at Team GasGas . It ’ s good but it ’ s not quite the holy grail . Here in NZ we get the Euro5 machines that GasGas has had to work very hard on the fuelling to meet the stringent emissions regulations ( this is the same for the late model KTM 690 and Husqvarna 701 models ). These Euro5 emissions controls affect the bike ’ s fuelling . Particularly at , say , 10 % throttle where it ’ s really easy to stall when riding off-road and at 100km / h where it ’ s very sensitive to throttle input , surging from micro throttle movements - even when holding the throttle as still as possible . I ’ ve wanted to do something about it for a while now . A few outfits in the US make ‘ dongles ’ to plug in that enrich the fuelling to make them run better , but they only work on the Euro4 models that they get in the USA . So , in search of a solution , I put a call in to Brett Roberts at BRM Dyno in Paeroa . He ’ s an expert at tuning bikes on the dyno and reckoned he might be able to do something with the GasGas ’ ECU mapping . As I was heading to Rotorua for the GS Rallye , I scheduled a pit-stop to see the Friar of Fuelling and get some deliverance from the unholy snatchy throttle .

PROOF IS IN THE DYNO GasGas claims a whopping 74hp for the single cylinder KTM LC8 engine nestled in the ES700 ’ s frame rails . This is a crankshaft figure , not what is measured at the back wheel on a dyno . Brett explained that the difference between claimed engine dyno figures and what he sees on his rolling road dyno are around 12 % less , a little worse with a power-sapping knobbly tyre . After Brett had warmed the engine up and done an initial sample , the figure showing was 58.4hp at the wheel . I ’ d put a less knobbly tyre on for the dyno as I was riding the GS Rallye as a marshall the following day and didn ’ t want to destroy the Metzeler MC360 Soft that was fitted , but it was still pretty knobbly . I ’ d also not had time to balance it before heading to BRM and as it got over 70km / h it started to bounce up and down . At 100km / h I could pretty much see daylight between the tyre and dyno drum - and was more than a little worried it ’ d make a break for freedom . Brett seemed to not have even noticed , so I kept my fears to myself . Now , 88 % of 74hp would be 65hp , so that unbalanced knobbly tyre was clearly sapping quite a bit . Take a look at the dyno charts to see the wobbling in the power trace as the wheel speed increased . But this was all by-the-by . I wasn ’ t actually after any more power than the bike already makes - it really is quite fast enough as it is . I was after a better throttle response and more torque at low revs - it ’ s a 690cc single , so should have heaps of low down power .

50 KIWI RIDER