Has anyone taken their GZ250 in the mountains?

GZgirl · 09-24-2020, 09:02 PM

Hello,

I'm a very new noob rider. I'm in the SoCal area so there are lots of mountains I'd love to ride up for camping or views. My question is has anyone here done it? Is it safe, can the bike handle steep climbs? I'm still a little sketched out about even hitting the highways since I'd have to go nearly full throttle to keep up. Is this something I should give up on with this bike or is it safe to do so?

Thank you!

Vegas Street Rider · 09-24-2020, 10:28 PM

Welcome to the forum GZgirl. I don't want to rain on your parade, but the GZ is too underpowered to handle hill climbs. It does best at two lane cruiser speeds of 55 to 65mph on relatively level roads. If you do some elevation changes, you will find yourself downshifting to 4th and even 3rd gear and their correlating speeds (35 to 45mph).

If this is your first bike, it is the perfect starter to learn the skills necessary to be a safe rider, but if you want the kind of riding I think you want, you will need to upgrade at some point in time to a more powerful machine.

Safe riding.

Fatch · 10-08-2020, 02:44 PM

Welcome! I'd say you'd be fine in places like, say Ortega highway. Not too steep of inclines (for the most part) and a lot of lower speed corners, but if you hit any higher uphill portions, you'll be slowing down. But with a GZ, you want to slow down for the corners anyways because your max lean angle is a heck of a lot higher than you expect because of how low the pegs are. Just remember to pull off if people pile up behind you and let them by.

I'm in the flattest of the flat states now, but when I lived around some more interesting terrain, most of those roads were the best between 30-45mph anyways.

If you find yourself with just not enough power, you could try the "Stage One" of the power increase thread. It's pretty simple, all things considered. The hardest part is really just finding the jets to buy (I ended up ordering from aliexpress, personally. Still waiting on them to arrive).

RogueRyder · 02-03-2021, 05:29 PM

GZ250 does fine in the Mountains! Hopefully you've taken yours up Angeles Crest or one of the other fun roads in the area.

My Girlfriend owns a GZ250, I fixed it up for her a few years ago and have ridden it from Rocky Mountain National Park to Boulder via HWY 36 and if it can pull me around at 200#s at these grades an altitudes it'll have no problem in CA. I've even seen a GZ250 in Kathmandu Nepal so these little bikes are just fine in the mountains.

GZ300 · 06-18-2021, 09:31 PM

Nope they made the bike for almost ten years probably sold millions of em but not a single ine has ever been ridden in the mountains.

Vegas Street Rider · 06-19-2021, 12:30 AM

No one said you can't ride it in the mountains GZ300. One just needs to be aware that it has it's limitations.

GZ300 · 06-19-2021, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vegas Street Rider

it has it's limitations.

Everything does.

You can ride a bicycle in the mountains.

This question is simply ridiculous. Every single motorcycle ever built can be ridden in the mountains.

Will it be slower than a bike with more power? Uh... Yeah. That's how shit works.

Vegas Street Rider · 06-19-2021, 07:17 PM

And that's the point I was making in my comment; "it has it's limitations".

While you seem to be very mechanically knowledgeable regarding motorcycles, you have a caustic way of replying to threads that you don't agree with. That is your right and I respect that. Perhaps I am too thin skinned to be on the internet and lack the knowledge that you seem to expect from the members of this site.

You have expressed the desire to buy this site from the current owners and I wish you good luck. My question is, if this site is so terrible, why would you have even bothered to join?

If you see things you would like to see change, talk to Admin and suggest improvements rather than just run it down. Just my 2 cents, for what it is worth.

Vegas Street Rider · 06-20-2021, 04:58 PM

Apparently happier than you. Happy Father's Day everyone that qualifies.

**Admin** · 07-02-2021, 03:13 PM

Forums are far from boring. They serve a purpose.. for like-minded people to share their knowledge and experiences, even if you happen to disagree with it. There is no better way to search and access information, than a forum. Period.

Please keep the flaming and arguing off of the forum. That's what 'Facebook groups' are for. If you disagree, do it respectfully.

Back on topic..

09-24-2020, 09:02 PM	#1
GZgirl Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2020 Posts: 1	Has anyone taken their GZ250 in the mountains? Hello, I'm a very new noob rider. I'm in the SoCal area so there are lots of mountains I'd love to ride up for camping or views. My question is has anyone here done it? Is it safe, can the bike handle steep climbs? I'm still a little sketched out about even hitting the highways since I'd have to go nearly full throttle to keep up. Is this something I should give up on with this bike or is it safe to do so? Thank you! Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

10-08-2020, 02:44 PM	#3
Fatch Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Melbourne, FL Posts: 23	Welcome! I'd say you'd be fine in places like, say Ortega highway. Not too steep of inclines (for the most part) and a lot of lower speed corners, but if you hit any higher uphill portions, you'll be slowing down. But with a GZ, you want to slow down for the corners anyways because your max lean angle is a heck of a lot higher than you expect because of how low the pegs are. Just remember to pull off if people pile up behind you and let them by. I'm in the flattest of the flat states now, but when I lived around some more interesting terrain, most of those roads were the best between 30-45mph anyways. If you find yourself with just not enough power, you could try the "Stage One" of the power increase thread. It's pretty simple, all things considered. The hardest part is really just finding the jets to buy (I ended up ordering from aliexpress, personally. Still waiting on them to arrive). Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

06-18-2021, 09:31 PM	#5
GZ300 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 25	Nope they made the bike for almost ten years probably sold millions of em but not a single ine has ever been ridden in the mountains. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

09-24-2020, 10:28 PM	#2
Vegas Street Rider Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Henderson, NV Posts: 1,108	Welcome to the forum GZgirl. I don't want to rain on your parade, but the GZ is too underpowered to handle hill climbs. It does best at two lane cruiser speeds of 55 to 65mph on relatively level roads. If you do some elevation changes, you will find yourself downshifting to 4th and even 3rd gear and their correlating speeds (35 to 45mph). If this is your first bike, it is the perfect starter to learn the skills necessary to be a safe rider, but if you want the kind of riding I think you want, you will need to upgrade at some point in time to a more powerful machine. Safe riding.
	0

02-03-2021, 05:29 PM	#4
RogueRyder Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2021 Posts: 1	GZ250 does fine in the Mountains! Hopefully you've taken yours up Angeles Crest or one of the other fun roads in the area. My Girlfriend owns a GZ250, I fixed it up for her a few years ago and have ridden it from Rocky Mountain National Park to Boulder via HWY 36 and if it can pull me around at 200#s at these grades an altitudes it'll have no problem in CA. I've even seen a GZ250 in Kathmandu Nepal so these little bikes are just fine in the mountains.
	0

06-19-2021, 12:30 AM	#6
Vegas Street Rider Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Henderson, NV Posts: 1,108	No one said you can't ride it in the mountains GZ300. One just needs to be aware that it has it's limitations.
	1

06-19-2021, 07:17 PM	#8
Vegas Street Rider Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Henderson, NV Posts: 1,108	And that's the point I was making in my comment; "it has it's limitations". While you seem to be very mechanically knowledgeable regarding motorcycles, you have a caustic way of replying to threads that you don't agree with. That is your right and I respect that. Perhaps I am too thin skinned to be on the internet and lack the knowledge that you seem to expect from the members of this site. You have expressed the desire to buy this site from the current owners and I wish you good luck. My question is, if this site is so terrible, why would you have even bothered to join? If you see things you would like to see change, talk to Admin and suggest improvements rather than just run it down. Just my 2 cents, for what it is worth.
	0

06-20-2021, 04:58 PM	#9
Vegas Street Rider Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Henderson, NV Posts: 1,108	Apparently happier than you. Happy Father's Day everyone that qualifies.
	1

07-02-2021, 03:13 PM	#10
Admin Administrator Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: New York Posts: 48	Forums are far from boring. They serve a purpose.. for like-minded people to share their knowledge and experiences, even if you happen to disagree with it. There is no better way to search and access information, than a forum. Period. Please keep the flaming and arguing off of the forum. That's what 'Facebook groups' are for. If you disagree, do it respectfully. Back on topic..
	2