Cycle News Staff | November 1, 2018
2019 Sherco 300 SE Factory Two-Stroke & 300 SEF Factory Four-Stroke | First Impression
We get our first taste of the all new 300cc two- and four-stroke off-road Shercos.
This is a good time to be an off-road motorcycle enthusiast. We have more choices of great bikes than ever before, like those coming from the French factory Sherco. Sherco is not a big name here in the U.S., but it is in Europe, especially as of late.
Photography by Darrin Chapman
Sherco has been making waves on the international off-road scene for the past few years now. The company was founded in 1998 building mostly trials bikes but has since veered off into the off-road segment and has quickly made a name for itself in the racing scene. Despite its relatively short history, the little upstart brand has already won a lot of high-profile races, the latest being the 2018 Red Bull Romaniacs, known as one of the toughest hard enduros in the world, with Wade Young at the controls. Sherco even has a World Enduro title under its belt, so, while it might be a small company, Sherco is not a brand to be taken lightly.
Sherco established a U.S. distributor (Sherco Off-Road) a few years ago, and we hooked up with them to ride two of its most popular models: the 2019 300 SE Factory two-stroke and 300 SEF Factory four-stroke.
Our test ride took place on the brutally tough Tennessee Knockout (TKO) course at the Trials Training Center, so the riders and bikes were pushed to the limit right away. The TKO event includes a 15-mile-long loop with some fun, flowing single-track trails and two-track roads. There are plenty of rocks, riverbeds and some pretty extreme up and down hills to challenge both bikes and riders.
Sherco is slowly making a name for itself in the off-road racing world. The 2019 Sherco 300 SE Factory Two-Stroke is nothing to scoff it. It’s a serious racer that’s plenty capable.
Sherco 300 SE Factory Two-Stroke
For the 2018 Tennessee Knockout, Sherco sent its South African superstar, Young, who was fresh off his win at the Red Bull Romaniacs, and Spain’s Mario Roman, who would go on to finish third at the TKO. These two stars of hard enduro were riding the 2019 bikes for the first time and the bike we rode was virtually identical to theirs except for the tires and some customized suspension mods that each rider made.
As Young and Roman have proven at the pro level, the Sherco two-strokes are certainly competitive machines and we immediately found out why. We especially enjoyed the 300 SE Factory Two-Stroke. The Factory model includes several upgrades from the standard SE model, including KYB suspension with stiffer settings, FMF exhaust, Trail Tech cooling-fan kit, blue Excel rims, ZF steel outer rear sprocket, Galfer brake disc, AXP skid plate, lithium-ion battery, gripper seat, Domino grips and Neken bar pad. All of this with a suggested retail price of $9900 versus $9300 for the standard SE model.
More into four-strokes? Then the 300 SEF Factory four-stroke might be right up your alley. It’s high tech and fuel injected.
The bike is a looker and you can see the attention to detail that the Sherco factory is rightfully proud of. Like most of the other European two-stroke bikes on the market, like KTM, Husqvarna and Beta, the Sherco comes standard with an electric start, which is really appreciated in tough riding conditions. The bike immediately felt comfortable, a lot of which had to do with its nice, linear power and clean jetting via the Keihin PWK 36mm carburetor.
The Sherco’s include a dual-position ignition map that we found not to be a gimmick but very useful, especially in the slippery sections of the TKO course. The 300 SE has plenty of power for the fast sections and hillclimbs, but is easily controllable. Vibration is also minimal, which we very much appreciated, as well. It also features a hydraulic clutch and six-speed transmission. For the tight, technical conditions on the TKO course, we would have preferred lower gearing (a one-tooth smaller countersprocket at least) but this would likely not be necessary for most riding conditions.
The KYB suspension was also up to snuff on the technical trails we tested the bike on. The two-stroke has a very balanced feel and the right amount of compliance for the small chatter, roots, logs and rocks, but is stiff enough to hit larger obstacles at speed. The chassis felt comfortable in the tight trails and equally good on the few faster sections of the course. And the Brembo brakes performed well.
The 300 SEF has serious potential as a solid all-around off-road racer.
The stock tank holds 2.74 gallons and is translucent white, making it easy to see how much fuel you have sloshing around in there. This is plenty large enough for most closed-course off-road racing. And the SE and SE Factory models come standard with a headlight, handguards and in-mold graphics that seem to hold up to a lot of abuse.
Overall, we came away quite impressed with the Sherco 300 SE Factory. It is easy to see why this relatively new motorcycle has been winning races at the top level.
Sherco 300 SEF Factory Four-Stroke
For the technical TKO course that we tested the two Sherco bikes on, the two-stroke was the better choice, and this was evident on race day when nearly 90 percent of the bikes were two-strokes. But if you are riding or racing more open terrain, the 300 SEF would be a great option.
The French-made Shercos Factory models are fitted with a number of cool name-brand equipment. Sherco makes their own engines.
The 300 SEF Factory four-stroke includes a lot of the similar upgrades from the standard SE model as the two-stroke. Those upgrades include, KYB suspension with stiffer settings, full Akrapovic exhaust, Trail Tech cooling-fan kit, blue Excel rims, ZF steel outer rear sprocket, Galfer brake disc, AXP skid plate, lithium-ion battery, gripper seat, Domino grips and Neken bar pad. The 300 SEF Factory model has a suggested retail price of $10,700 versus $10,000 for the standard SEF model.
The four-stroke uses Synerject digital electronic fuel injection and performs well. It also includes the dual-position ignition map and, like the two-stroke, the change in power delivery is really noticeable. The 300 is a great all-around displacement for off-road riding as the bike feels light and controllable.
However, the stock gearing was way too tall for the tight TKO course and this made the bike a challenge to ride since we found ourselves quite often wishing for a lower-than-the-lowest gear. But, on the more open sections, we loved the power delivery on this bike.
The Shercos we rode are fitted with Oxia handlebars.
It also uses a hydraulic clutch, that held up well to our abuse due to the tall gearing.
The KYB suspension and settings were also good on the four-stroke with just the right amount of compliance for the small stuff but stiff enough to aggressively hit the larger obstacles. The four-stroke’s chassis felt even more comfortable on the faster trails but still worked well on the tight stuff.
The four-stroke uses a slightly smaller tank than the two-stroke. It is 2.6 gallons rather than 2.75 but will likely get a similar range due to being a little more fuel efficient, but we did not get enough riding time to put this to the test. It is a similar translucent tank making it easy to keep an eye on the fuel level.
The Sherco 300 SE Factory two-stroke lives for stuff like this.
With a sprocket change, we would have had a lot more fun on the 300 SEF four-stroke, yet, despite that, we got to ride enough faster trails to see where this bike really shines. If you prefer four-strokes and like to ride off-road, a smaller displacement bike can provide the right amount of power but you don’t have a lot of small displacement bikes to choose from.
So, our quick introductory ride on the new Sherco Factory 300s left us, for sure, wanting more—more time riding them. These things are legit! From what we could tell so far, these two exotic bikes are indeed competitive right out of the box and well worth seeking out when it comes time to put a new bike in your garage. CN
| SPECIFICATIONS |
Sherco 300 SE Factory Two-Stroke ($9900) |
| Engine: |
Liquid-cooled, 2-stroke, single, with electronically controlled exhaust valve and booster |
| Displacement: |
293.14cc |
| Bore x Stroke: |
72mm x 72mm |
| Carburetor: |
Keihin PWK 36 |
| Starting: |
Electric Starter |
| Battery: |
12 V Shido Lithium-ion |
| Exhaust: |
FMF Aluminum silencer |
| Transmission: |
6-speed |
| Clutch: |
Hydraulic, multidisc in oil bath |
| Ignition: |
DC – CDI ignition with digital advance – 220 W Alternator |
| Chassis: |
High strength Chrome-Molybdenum steel semi-perimeter |
| Front brake: |
Brembo, single 260mm disc |
| Rear brake: |
Brembo, single, 220mm disc |
| Front suspension: |
KYB closed-cartridge forks |
| Rear suspension: |
KYB shock |
| Front wheel: |
1.60 x 21 in. |
| Rear wheel: |
2.15 x 18 in. |
| Front tire: |
Michelin Enduro Competition |
| Rear tire: |
Michelin Enduro Competition |
| Weight (claimed): |
231.49 lbs. |
| Wheelbase: |
58.27 in. |
| Ground clearance: |
13.78 in. |
| Seat height: |
37.4 in. |
| Fuel capacity: |
2.75 gal. |
| SPECIFICATIONS |
Sherco 300 SEF Factory 4-Stroke |
| Engine: |
Liquid-cooled, single cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4-valve Sherco technology |
| Displacement: |
303.68cc |
| Bore and stroke: |
84 x 54.80mm |
| EFI: |
Synerject digital electronic fuel injection |
| Starting: |
Electric |
| Battery: |
12 V Shido Lithium-ion |
| Exhaust: |
Akrapovic full system |
| Transmission: |
6-speed |
| Clutch: |
Hydraulic, multidisc in oil bath |
| Ignition: |
220 W Alternator |
| Chassis: |
Half perimeter frame Chrome-Molybdenum |
| Front brake: |
Brembo, single 260mm disc |
| Rear brake: |
Brembo, single 220mm disc |
| Front suspension: |
KYB closed-cartridge forks |
| Rear suspension: |
KYB shock, fully adjustable |
| Front wheel: |
1.60 x 21 in. |
| Rear wheel: |
2.15 x 18 in. |
| Tires: |
Michelin Enduro Competition |
| Weight (claimed): |
224.87 lbs. |
| Wheelbase: |
58.27 in. |
| Ground clearance: |
13.78 in. |
| Seat height: |
37.4 in. |
| Fuel capacity: |
2.56 gal. |
