The grace interval is formally over. If you continue to don’t know what a Rieju is, you may need to begin paying consideration. The Spanish firm has develop into a legit participant within the off-road world in simply three fast years. Alfredo Gomez, two-time winner of the Erzbergrodeo, switched to a Rieju 300 two-stroke this 12 months and has been a critical contender within the World Hard Enduro Series. Stateside, we had been simply studying to pronounce Rieju when Dominik Olszowy confirmed up on one and began torturing the announcers within the EnduroCross collection much more. Rieju two-strokes are popping up in every single place. Now there are sellers in about 25 states. That’s quick progress, and the 300MR Racing is the bike that’s creating all the excitement. It’s the mainstay of the corporate—a aggressive 300cc two-stroke price a critical search for critical off-road using.
THE GASGAS CONNECTION
Rieju didn’t actually spring out of nowhere. The 300MR has been evolving for nearly 30 years with the identify “GasGas” written on the shrouds. Back in 1999, GasGas expanded from trials into the off-road world with an incredible machine that influenced KTM and all of the 300cc two-strokes that adopted. By 2015, nevertheless, the corporate was in bother. The motor was nonetheless good, however the chassis was hopelessly dated. That’s when a Barcelona electrical scooter firm referred to as Torrot invested in GasGas, and the outcome was a totally redesigned and surprisingly competent chassis.
How did they rise up to hurry so shortly? They had been accused of creating a near-exact copy of the KTM chassis of the time. It would have been successful if not for one factor: Torrot didn’t manufacture very a lot of them. There had been main provide issues till 2019 when Pierer Mobility stepped in. The KTM mum or dad firm needed ready-made membership within the trials neighborhood, and GasGas was an ideal match. They didn’t, nevertheless, need what they thought of a duplicate of their very own off-road bike. The mental property, tooling and rights to construct the off-road GasGas bikes had been bought to close by Rieju, an organization that specialised in small-displacement two-strokes and scooters. Under the brand new stewardship, the bikes previously often called GasGas have lastly reached their actual potential.
THE PARTS
There are a lot of good issues that occurred when Rieju took over. First, high quality management made dramatic enhancements. There was a crossover interval when KTM, GasGas and Rieju had been all working collectively, and the outcome was an enchancment in manufacturing approach. The 300MR additionally makes use of wonderful elements. The brakes are Nissin, the exhaust is FMF, the suspension elements are KYB, and the hydraulic clutch is a Magura. In some circles there’s a basic misunderstanding of the place the bike is meant to be located out there.
Some riders assume it’s meant to be a funds two-stroke. Not so. Rieju is aiming on the high of the market with premium elements and high-quality supplies. The motor isn’t particularly high-tech, although. It isn’t fuel-injected, there’s no digital energy valve and even the electrical starter seems to be prefer it was graphed in place after the actual fact. Experimenting with new designs isn’t inside the firm’s functionality or a part of its marketing strategy. The bike is constructed with fully established designs. That has confirmed to be its greatest power.
You can see a number of KTM affect within the Rieju’s metal body.
OLD-SCHOOL
If it’s been some time because you handled a carbureted bike, you’ll should entry some outdated muscle reminiscence if you first trip the Rieju. Turn on the fuel petcock and pull the choke—all acquainted routines. The very first thing you discover is how briskly the starter spins the motor. It fires up immediately. Then the simple pull of the clutch, the tight gearbox and the sunshine throttle return spring all add to the impression of high quality. The motor revs cleanly proper off the bat with just about no warmup, not less than it does at our altitude and temperature (1500 toes MSL, 75 levels). The carb is a 38mm Keihin PWK. It’s just about the high-water mark for two-stroke carburetors.
The one character trait that elevated this motor to such an iconic standing 30 years in the past is the way it runs so completely at low rpm. It has clean, even torque with just about no decrease rpm restrict. It doesn’t stall, cough or flame You can see a number of KTM affect within the Rieju’s metal body. out. Today’s riders have grown up believing that 300 two-strokes have at all times been like that. The unique GasGas set that customary. You can nonetheless really feel that unique trials bike affect within the Rieju.
After such wonderful low-rpm efficiency, the 300MR’s mid-range and top-end are pretty typical of a contemporary two-stroke. If you’re transitioning from a four-stroke, it’s going to really feel flat on high. The Rieju’s comfortable zone is down low, so to get probably the most of it, you shift early and keep away from over-revving the motor. Throughout the powerband, although, the motor is at all times clear and crisp. It’s price stating that within the two-stroke heyday, they by no means carbureted this properly. Back then there was at all times some detonation, lacking and even plug fouling. Arriving on the correct jetting was a darkish artwork. The Rieju has none of that, and we all know from expertise that it’s going to proceed to run properly at larger altitude and completely different temperatures. You may give a part of the credit score to developments throughout the board, together with ignition programs.
Another well-established design that’s simply gotten higher and higher is the mechanical energy valve. The Rieju’s exhaust valve is pushed by a centrifugal ball-ramp machine, similar to the primary Yamaha YPVS system in 1982. The Rieju permits a slight quantity of adjustment by way of spring preload towards the ramp, just like the Beta and early KTM programs. Internet boards are stuffed with unhealthy recommendation on adjusting energy valves. Contrary to what you may learn within the blogosphere, no setting will give the bike extra low-end energy. Anything apart from the correct setting will solely delay energy within the midrange, often to a small extent. For the Rieju, that setting is 2 seems. Set it and depart it alone.
THE STEEL FACTOR
So is the Rieju’s body actually a duplicate of a 2015 KTM metal body? Not precisely, however you’ll be able to actually see the affect. If there’s any body you need to copy, that’s the one. The present KTM body is rather more inflexible and locations extra emphasis on excellent suspension setup. The total dealing with of the 300MR has a very good stability between agility and forgiveness. It turns simply with little or no enter, however alternatively it’s not twitchy or nervous. The bike isn’t as gentle as these early KTMs, although. On our scale, it weighs 245 kilos with out gasoline. That’s forgivable however actually not optimum.
If there’s any actual flaw within the total dealing with bundle, it’s the complicated suspension setup. Your preliminary impression is that the settings are very race-oriented. The suspension feels agency at each ends, which is considerably compromising within the slow- pace area the place the bike ought to really feel most at house. When you scale back compression damping, that harshness doesn’t go away, however the total stability suffers. The actual downside is the age-old subject with all off-road bikes. The guys on the manufacturing facility can’t know the place you trip or how briskly you need to go. There is a zone the place the Rieju is ideal, someplace between tight trails and high-speed GPs. The excellent news is that it makes use of a KYB shock and closed-cartridge fork. There are suspension outlets in each city that may know precisely the way to tailor each ends to your wants.
THE BIG PICTURE
The actual story right here is that the Rieju is the correct bike for this explicit place in historical past. While KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas are going deeper and deeper into uncharted technological territory, Rieju is sticking with what has at all times labored. If there’s any market that locations its religion in custom, that is it. As lengthy as two-stroke off-road riders proceed to be so fiercely devoted, the Rieju may have a spot.
The Rieju 300MR has a legacy that began within the trials bike world 30 years in the past. You can nonetheless really feel that affect at the moment.