My Weapon MX G-Zero Foam Review

[The Baron]

I'm sure that you all read Lawdog's review on the G-Zero foam so you know the story. They wanted some testers to share their opinions of the G-Zero foam and I volunteered. Forgive me as I forgot to take pics, but LD covered that for me. Thanks man!

First off, I said that I'd do it so long as I didn't get harrassed and get a bunch of spam from the company. Heather from Weapon MX assurred me that would not happen and so far I haven't heard a peep from them. After signing up I got the package 3 days later.

The package had a nice plastic container containing the foam, instructions and foam. (No t-shirt or stickers for this guy)

After giving the instructions a read and checking out the product I just sort of held off until I got a better feel for my new bike since I wanted to get a good impression of the bike before trying out the foam.

This weekend I went riding and I brought the foam along. I burned about half a tank before putting the foam in. Installing the foam was sort of guess work. I tried to do it as per the instructions but it wasn't exactly easy to make sure that the pieces were laying flat and in their correct location in the tank. I used a t-handle to try and get it in there correctly and I think I did but who knows for sure.

Filling up is a bit of a hassle as you can't see the fuel level so what I did was just pushed the foam down with the tank nozzle itself. This gave me a little breathing room plus the foam slowed the flow out of the gas can.

I headed for the track and within 3 turns I felt a difference. The bike now carved inside lines and stayed put with much less effort than before. My 05 YZ250 had a tendency to push the front a little before, but after installing the G-Zero foam the bike felt much more settled and the front tire went exactly where I wanted it to. The initial turn in felt like the bike fell into the line much easier, dropping into ruts was much less eventful and once I was in the rut I didn't get that kick back that tried to push me out of the rut. The bike also felt much more stable in the air. I wouldn't go so far as saying the bike felt 10-15 lbs lighter, but it did feel less finicky. The bike tracked straighter down rough straights and just basically felt dead, but in a good way. Those who have gone from a 450 to a 2 stroke know what I mean when I say the 2 strokes like to "dance" a bit more than their planted 4 stroke friends, but with the foam in the tank the bike felt stable like a 4 stroke but light like a 2 stroke.

In conclusion, I'm sold. I honestly thought that I'd be removing the stuff and writing a poor review for a product that does nothing, but that most definitely isn't the case. I was truly impressed with the new better manners that the bike exhibited with the G-Zero foam in the tank and I am happy that I volunteered for this. The benefits are well worth the $50 asking price.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[The Baron]

Update:

Heather from WeaponMX sent me this email.

Josh,

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to write your thorough review, we appreciate it greatly. Please let me know if you're interested in anything else from us. Also, I'd like to extend a 50% sponsorship to yourself and to offer your buddies who would like to try the foam also. Just let them know to give me a call and mention your review, I'd be happy to hook them up! Thanks again Josh.

-Heather

Her contact info is:
Heather Smith
WeaponMX
Channel Sales Representative / Racer Support
(877) 706-0181

So if you want some G-Zero foam, give Heather a call, mention the review on ATM and get yourself a nice discount.

[klx400]

I wonder how much of a difference it would make on the 4-strokes. Do any of the pros use this stuff? just wondering. I think I'd like to try it. How much of a reduction in fuel capacity or did you notice any?

[The Baron]

Originally Posted by klx400

I wonder how much of a difference it would make on the 4-strokes. Do any of the pros use this stuff? just wondering. I think I'd like to try it. How much of a reduction in fuel capacity or did you notice any?

Check the link I put in the first post. They list out the answers to your quiry.

I normally only run about half a tank because I strictly ride MX and don't ever need a full tank of gas at a time. It's supposedly only a 2-3% reduction so a 2.1 gallon tank like mine will still hold a little over 2 gallons. So it would decrease fuel capacity by roughly 8 ounces.

[pjg351]

Nice one Baron, there is no mention about how long you can leave it in your tank for on their web site. I wonder if it breaks down over time and blocks your carby or worse to your engine.

[The Baron]

Originally Posted by pjg351

Nice one Baron, there is no mention about how long you can leave it in your tank for on their web site. I wonder if it breaks down over time and blocks your carby or worse to your engine.

It says 30 years in the instructions. I don't think your bike will last that long. Race cars have been running foam in their tanks for a long time. It's nothing new, they just were the first to make it available for dirt bikes.

[pjg351]

Originally Posted by The Baron

It says 30 years in the instructions. I don't think your bike will last that long. Race cars have been running foam in their tanks for a long time. It's nothing new, they just were the first to make it available for dirt bikes.

I never realized that foam fuel tanks in those race cars was to stop the enertia thing, i always thought it was to stop the tank exploding in a bad crash. Ah well we learn something new every day.

[The Baron]

Originally Posted by pjg351

I never realized that foam fuel tanks in those race cars was to stop the enertia thing, i always thought it was to stop the tank exploding in a bad crash. Ah well we learn something new every day.

[crfjedi393]

Originally Posted by The Baron

Check the link I put in the first post.

It's supposedly only a 2-3% reduction.

I'm not sure a 2-3% reduction is acceptable for the x-country racing I am currently involved in. And to be honest, a piece of foam that size seems like it would take up more than 3% of the space in my tank. Is this a modification that is considered for MX only? Sorry, I haven't clicked on any links to take the long way.
I just can't see putting that much substance in my tank and coming out on the positive end over an hour and a half race. I'm not trying to discredit your review here in any way whatsoever. The only question I am asking is if it is good for x-country. It's cool if you don't know. I will take the long way if necessary.
It could very well be something that I want to consider when I race MX and promptly remove when I race cross-country.

[klx400]

You could have two tanks. One with foam and the other without. It would be easier to swap tanks than swap foam.

If you ran a bigger offroad tank then you could easily make up for the loss using the foam in the stock tank.

[crfjedi393]

Originally Posted by klx400

It would be easier to swap tanks than swap foam.

You really think so Gulf man?

[crfjedi393]

And don't let a little thing like me calling you "Gulf man" start you thinking that I don't respect your opinion. I just think pulling foam in and out of a tank would be easier than pulling shrouds and seats and replacing them. Even after reading the two reports on the foam, I'm still skeptical that it would be good for my particular riding purposes. I'm not discounting the fact that it's a good product. Just questioning if I want to lose any displacement of fuel.

[Chadm89]

According to their website, the fuel capacity lost is only 1%.

Also, they're using "inertia" where many times "momentum" would be more correct, but that's neither here nor there. The basic principle is sound.

Essentially, the foam is a damping system for the fuel. By not allowing the fuel to efficiently move around in the gas tank, the fuel's momentum doesn't act against your efforts to turn or otherwise control the bike (it still does of course, just to a much smaller degree).

Frankly, I don't know why someone didn't think of this decades ago. Maybe the materials science is just catching up to the point where it's practical, and we can now make a foam that the fuel doesn't break down whereas we couldn't before. Who knows. But I'm going to get some for my YZ!

[schwen_108]

Originally Posted by Weapon MX

Early 2006 Factory KTM test rider Casey Lytle and WeaponMX rider Carter Gurnee first measured the effects of the G-Zero foam to lower the bike’s center of gravity by over 6 inches and radically improve handling.

I know Casey Lytle and his family personally, I might just call him and ask him some questions about this product.

[DRGSin393]

Originally Posted by schwen_108

I know Casey Lytle and his family personally, I might just call him and ask him some questions about this product.

Better yet, get him to come on to and do a little review for us.

[mxmama393]

I have been told by several people, not to mess with my clickers because it takes a "really advanced rider to feel any difference in suspension adjustments".

Dont know if I believe that, but.....


Do you think this foam falls into that category?


Thanks

[dhighlan]

Originally Posted by mxmama

I have been told by several people, not to mess with my clickers because it takes a "really advanced rider to feel any difference in suspension adjustments".
Dont know if I believe that, but.....


Do you think this foam falls into that category?


Thanks

WHAT? Sorry mxmama but that was not good advice you were given. I can go from a soft floater (off road app) to stiff MX in 5 Clicks. Now I am 210 w/out gear and I have a stock suspension in my 01 CR250 but you definitely should play with those clickers. In the rear you have the slow and fast speed which can add great benefit when dialed in correctly. Not only huge difference in compression but the speed of the rebound is huge too. Now it won't make it perfect and absorb every square edge hit in every part of the stroke.

Do yourself a favor and write down your current settings then take it way down or way up and see what the difference is for yourself. Just please go slow because it will ride almost dangerously different.

I went off roading 2 weeks ago and forgot to change my clicks from MX and deflected off everything. Was thrown off the bike twice once in rocks another over a angled down log.

Sorry I will get off my now.

[The Baron]

Originally Posted by mxmama

I have been told by several people, not to mess with my clickers because it takes a "really advanced rider to feel any difference in suspension adjustments".

Dont know if I believe that, but.....


Do you think this foam falls into that category?


Thanks

I would bet that a slower rider may not feel the effects of the foam initially. The place I noticed it most was dropping into inside ruts and hitting the turns hard. If you are going slower the effects of fuel slosh are less than if you hammer into a turn. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the harder I pushed in a turn the better the bike felt.

[yamah177]

good review baron. i think i will give them a call and see if i can get my hands on some. the thing about turn-in and holding lines and settling into ruts is what im looking for. by the way, you were talking a little "jody" there. i felt like i was reading a MXA mag at some points in there.

[The Baron]

Originally Posted by yamah177

good review baron. i think i will give them a call and see if i can get my hands on some. the thing about turn-in and holding lines and settling into ruts is what im looking for. by the way, you were talking a little "jody" there. i felt like i was reading a MXA mag at some points in there.

Maybe I'll have to paint my helmet orange and get on the Wrecking Crew.