[cycleworld.com] - 2023 GasGas ES 700 First Look

[Ninjette Newsbot]

Off-road specialist GasGas has blossomed since KTM purchased the brand. Now, it’s expanding into the asphalt market with the dual-sport ES 700 enduro.

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Pricing and availability for the GasGas ES 700 has not been announced yet; we know only that it will be a 2023 model. (GasGas/)We really didn’t know what to think when KTM, already the parent company of Husqvarna, purchased GasGas. To many outsiders, the idea of rebadging KTMs as GasGas machines, just didn’t make sense. But take a look at the automotive world and you’ll realize this is a very common practice. Chevrolet/GMC, Ford/Lincoln, Hyundai/KIA, and Toyota/Lexus to name a few, all share very similar models based on nearly identical platforms underneath their skin.

Since KTM took over GasGas, the company has been on fire—well, yeah, it should be—as those models, whether they be supercross machines, off-road racers, or Moto3 roadracers, are already proven winners under orange paddock tents around the world. But with the introduction of the ES 700 and its sibling, the SM 700, GasGas is likely giving us a preview of things to come as it jumps into the street-legal market for the first time.

Looking at GasGas’ previous model range it’s clear that one thing was missing: a street-legal dual-purpose machine. Since KTM’s 690 Enduro R has been reinvented more times than we can remember—already playing a cameo at Husky as the 701 Supermoto—and with the 701 Enduro no longer in Husqvarna’s lineup, why not rebrand the super-single as the GasGas ES 700 enduro? This practice has served Husky well to get it up to speed in the market, and now, it is most definitely beginning to find its own identity under the KTM umbrella of brands. So it’s GasGas’ turn for a little shot of Orange adrenaline to get the product line moving a bit quicker. Unfortunately, US buyers will have to wait until the 2023 model year for the ES 700 and SM, but we’ve been informed they are coming, and will have a year under their belts in other markets around the world.


GasGas’ ES 700 is the first dual sport from the newly acquired KTM Group marque. (GasGas/)At the heart of the ES 700 is the tried-and-true 692.7cc liquid-cooled SOHC single with four valves. Power is rated at 74 hp at 8,000 rpm with 54 pound-feet of peak torque delivered at 6,500 rpm. Bore measures a whopping 105mm with 80mm of stroke. Valves are actuated on the intake side by finger followers and on the exhaust side by rocker arms. A pair of spark plugs ensure efficient combustion. Electronic fuel injection is controlled by ride-by-wire throttle. Power is fed through an APTC slipper clutch with hydraulic actuation to a six-speed gearbox.

Identical to its KTM cousin comes the same chassis. The frame is a chromium-molybdenum steel trellis unit while the subframe is a self-supporting polyamid piece that also houses the 3.6-gallon fuel tank underneath the seat for a lower center of gravity. Lastly, the single-piece, die-cast aluminum swingarm is very rigid and light and totally devoid of welds.

The big difference between the ES 700 and the SM 700 is the running gear. The ES gets a 48mm WP Xplor USD fork with 9.8 inches of travel and 30 clicks of compression and rebound damping adjustment, it features the compression-damping circuit in one leg and rebound-damping in the other. The shock is a fully adjustable WP Xplor with a Pro-Lever linkage and 9.8 inches of travel; it has provisions for both high- and low-speed compression and rebound damping. Seat height measures 36.8 inches. Aluminum spoked rims in 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wear Continental TKC 80 tires in 90/90-21 front and 140/80-18 rear sizes, respectively. Last up are the brakes with a twin-piston Brembo and 300mm disc on the front and a single-piston caliper and 240mm disc on the rear.

One cool advantage to using the 690 Enduro R as a donor is that the ES utilizes that bike’s suite of electronic rider aids and modes for improved safety and performance. Standard is an up-and-down quickshifter, and a pair of ride modes that also control the ABS and traction control. On the ES, the Street mode utilizes a six-axis IMU to optimize both ABS and traction control based on the bike’s lean angle. But when you want to let the dog eat in the dirt, switch over to the Offroad mode, which allows front-wheel lift (that’s wheelies to you and me), cuts TC so you can spin the rear tire, and shuts off rear ABS completely. Modes can be switched on the fly from the handlebar. A simple enduro-style dash provides just the basic information you need.

With the addition of the ES 700 and the SM, GasGas now has a pair of bona fide street machines in its lineup. Which is great for them, but has also stoked our curiosity as to what’s next. Are ADV and other street models in the master plan too?

2023 GasGas ES 700 Claimed Specifications

MSRP:$TBDEngine:692.7cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled singleBore x Stroke:105.0 x 80.0mmTransmission/Final Drive:6-speed/chainClaimed Horsepower:74.0 hp @ 8,000 rpmClaimed Torque:54.0 lb.-ft. @ 6,500 rpmFuel Delivery:Electronic fuel injectionClutch:Wet, multiple disc slipper; hydraulic operationEngine Management/Ignition:Electronic, ride-by-wireFrame:Chrome-moly tubular space frame, powdercoatedFront Suspension:48mm WP Xplor, compression and rebound damping adjustable; 9.8 in. travelRear Suspension:WP Xplor shock, fully adjustable; 9.8 in. travelFront Brake:Brembo 2-piston caliper, 300mm disc w/ lean-sensitive ABSRear Brake:Brembo 1-piston caliper, 240mm disc w/ lean-sensitive ABSWheels, Front/Rear:Spoked wheels w/ aluminum rims; 21 in./18. in.Tires, Front/Rear:90/90-21 / 140/80-18Rake/Trail:27.7°/4.6 in.Wheelbase:59.1 in.Ground Clearance:10.6 in.Seat Height:36.8 in.Fuel Capacity:3.6 gal.Dry Weight:322 lb.Contact:gasgas.com