TRAIL ZONE

TRAIL MAIL:

SEARCHING FOR SECRET RIDING SPOTS

Loved the article in the latest issue on the Gas Gas EC250 - looks like a perfect blend of the best bits of Japanese and Euro bikes! More specifically though - where did you ride it? I watched the video review, and some shots looked awfully familiar, but you never do specify which forest you were riding in. I'm from the Southern Highlands myself and know the area's forests pretty well. It would be awesome to do something similar to your recent TZ ride at Clarence down our neck of the woods. In fact, I suggest it be a more regular thing - there are so many good places to ride in NSW -- the more riding the better! Keep up the good work on the mag, too - it's my favourite out of all the Aussie ones because of the great trailriding content.
-- Richie, via www.trailzone.com.au

Thanks for your email and your wrap on the magazine, Richie. Yep, we certainly loved the Gas Gas EC250 4T with its Yamaha WR250F motor. It definitely made for an exciting quarter-litre thumper package that combined a proven Japanese powerplant with a high-quality European chassis and detail package. Now, as for saying exactly where we test-ride bikes, we have to be careful here, as getting too detailed with locations may well lead to places being inundated after the magazine goes on-sale, possibly -- and unfortunately -- by bikes and riders that are not necessarily as 'legal' as they should be for riding in state forests and public lands. If you're local to the Southern Highlands south of Sydney, then for sure you will have discovered the riding areas that we've used for testing bikes like the Gas Gas. Licensed riders aboard registered bikes are entirely able to ride in these forests and that's the way we want to keep it. As for a Club Y trail ride in the region, now that’s a sweet idea. We'll give it some thought. In the meantime, ride on!

-- Clubby, www.trailzone.com.au