GasGas Unveils New Ebikes With 2024 Supercross Team

Admin · November 29, 2023

Ripping a skid on the GasGas Moto 1. (Jeff Allen/)

GasGas invited Cycle World to Huntington Beach, California, for the official unveiling of two new ebikes and the announcement of the 2024 Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GasGas Factory Racing Supercross team. On display were the GasGas Moto 1 ($2,599) and Moto 2 ($3,099), both of which are Class 2 ebikes.

Both bikes utilize most of the same equipment, but the major differences between the Moto 1 and Moto 2 are styling and a higher-watt motor and battery. The Moto 1 utilizes a 20-inch steel frame, 20-inch wheels, a Bafang 48V 504Wh battery, and a Bafang H550 500W 70 Nm motor. For an additional $500, the Moto 2 features a larger 750W motor, 672Wh battery, and a front number plate with an integrated fender.

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GasGas Factory Racing’s three-rider lineup for 2024 includes Justin Barcia, Pierce Brown, and Ryder DiFrancesco. (Jeff Allen/)

Showcasing the Moto 1′s potential, GasGas provided demo rides alongside its newly announced supercross and motocross race team. For 2024, the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GasGas Factory Racing team continues with veteran 450cc rider Justin Barcia and 250cc rider Pierce Brown. New to the team is 250cc racer Ryder DiFrancesco, who was formerly on Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki.

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GasGas Factory Racing’s Barcia leads the charge in the 51-yard-dash relay race. (Jeff Allen/)

GasGas converted the parking lot of Huntington State Beach into a demo area where we got to ride the Moto 1 ebike in a head-to-head team relay race against the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GasGas Factory Racing Supercross team riders. Barcia, Brown, and DiFrancesco were each provided with a team of media riders picked at random to participate in the relay race. In an elimination-style bracket, Brown’s team was narrowly edged out by the winning team of DiFrancesco before moving onto the final against Barcia’s team.

The transfer zone was hectic. Barcia sends me off on his GasGas Moto 1 during the relay race. (Jeff Allen/)

I was lucky enough to be placed on two-time 250cc Supercross East champion Barcia’s team, getting a direct line into the final. Barcia got our team off to a good start, but was narrowly edged out by DiFrancesco. A clean handoff from Barcia had me racing head to head against team owner Troy Lee for the lead. I managed to close the gap, but we never gained the lead.

Bar to bar with the legend himself, Troy Lee. (Jeff Allen/)

GasGas’ Moto 1 has a thumb throttle and five different levels of power. We used the strongest power mode (5) during the race, but riding through the obstacle course that preceded the race, I found the delivery to be too abrupt for precise inputs. Power modes 3 and 4 provide a smoother, more predictable response for maneuvers like the cone slalom on our little race course. The Tektro Gemini SL hydraulic brakes with 180mm rotors and four-piston calipers offer plenty of stopping power for skids, nose stoppies, and everyday use. And although we didn’t win the race, the GasGas Moto 1 was exciting to ride with enough speed and precision to combat afternoon boredom.

DiFrancesco ripping a holeshot in the relay race. (Jeff Allen/)

The race came down to the final two riders of each team with DiFrancesco’s team going undefeated for the win. Can we expect to see similar results from the 250 class rookie in 2024? Only time will tell. The first round of the 2024 Monster Energy Supercross and Pro Motocross championship begins on January 6, 2024, at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, California.