Cycle News Staff | October 20, 2024
Are you looking for a reasonably priced dual sport motorcycle with good off-road performance? The SWM RS300R might be just what you are looking for. With an MSRP of $7999, it is approximately $3500—$4000 less than higher-end 350cc dual sports from KTM, Husqvarna or Beta.
The SWM RS300R is a good-performing dual sport motorcycle with an affordable price tag.
Photography Sean Finley
While the SWM will not win head-to-head comparisons against any of those bikes in terms of performance, it may be good enough and worth the lower price tag. On the other end of the price range, you can buy a Honda CRF300L or Kawasaki KLX300 for around $4500. While this is not a head-to-head test, we have experience with those bikes and will try to answer whether the SWM is worth the extra $3500 compared to those Japanese dual sport models.
But First
You may be asking, what is SWM? Basically, like the SWM RS500R we tested in the past, it’s a Husqvarna from the era before KTM bought the brand. When KTM’s parent company Pierer Mobility Group bought Husqvarna from BMW in 2013, it bought just the Husqvarna name and left behind a relatively new factory in Varese, Italy. Ampelio Macchi, an engineer from Cagiva (which also owned Husqvarna at one time), acquired the factory with funding from an investment firm in China. Macchi picked up where Husqvarna left off, but he couldn’t call his new company Husqvarna, of course, so he came up with SWM, which had identity value in Europe. SWM was also the name of an Italian motorcycle manufacturer that made dirt and trials bikes in the 1970s and early ’80s before closing in 1984. Macchi revived the SWM name, updated the old Husqvarna models, and started selling bikes. Texas-based Central Powersports Distribution (CPD) took over the U.S. distribution of SWM a couple of years ago, and they have a U.S. website where you can find more information about the company, including a dealer list.
A license plate means you can go almost anywhere on the SWM RS300R.
The RS300R motor and frame have roots back to the Husqvarna dual sport models from 2006 to 2010, but it has received some significant updates to the rest of the components. The 297.6cc double overhead cam motor includes a wet clutch with hydraulic actuation, a six-speed transmission and an electric start. While you may not recognize the SWM brand name, you will likely recognize component suppliers such as KYB suspension, Brembo brakes, and Mikuni fuel injection. Compared to the original Husqvarna that the SWM is based on, the RS300R has updated styling and a twin exhaust. The SWM RS300R is also 50-state street legal, which is not an easy certification process, indicating just how serious SWM and CPD are taking the U.S. market.
The RS300R has a radiator cooling fan, aluminum handlebars, quality grips, and basic flag-type handguards. A small aluminum skid plate and plastic guards help to protect the motor. Most of these are items you won’t find on the less-expensive Honda CRF300L or Kawasaki KLX300 dual sports. Compared to those bikes, the SWM has about 1.5 inches more suspension travel, a 2.5- to nearly three-inch taller seat height, and a two-inch longer wheelbase. So, the SWM is more in line with the higher-end dual sport models in terms of physical size and suspension travel, while the Honda and Kawasaki are a bit smaller, which may be good or bad depending on your stature and riding pace. With a ready-to-ride weight of 299 pounds on our scales, the RS300R is at least 30 pounds heavier than the more expensive dual sport models from Europe and only slightly lighter than the less expensive Japanese 300s.
Its engine might look familiar to you, and that’s because it’s essentially a pre-KTM, pre-BMW Husqvarna engine.
What’s It Got?
The RS300R feels like an authentic dirt bike when you first sit on it, and its ergonomics are neutral and should be comfortable for a wide range of riders. Our only complaint in this area is the placement of the standard passenger pegs, which interfere with normal riding position when standing, so we removed them after the first ride. Like most dual sport bikes, the stock rigidly mounted mirrors get in the way and can grab branches, so we removed them too and replaced them with a single folding Doubletake mirror.
One item that reminds you that this bike has roots going back to the mid-2000s is the handlebar-mounted compression release. Even with the electric starter, you pull in the release and let it go after you have the starter spinning, allowing the bike to start more easily. You don’t always have to use it once the bike is warmed up, but it makes starting the bike a lot easier and takes a little getting used to.
The meter has just what you need and nothing more.
The SWM is a dirt bike with minimal parts to make it street-legal, so it is made for riding dirt roads and trails with limited highway time to connect those trails.
The engine runs well, providing decent torque and power at higher speeds, even at over 5000 feet of elevation where we rode it. It has slightly lean-feeling mapping, which is normal for most street-legal dual sport bikes these days. The clutch performs well, and the six-speed transmission is well-matched for both trails and faster roads. Initially, shifting was a bit notchy, but some riding time and an oil change helped improve that.
The SMW is fitted with a very good KYB suspension package that is fully adjustable.
Suspension is on the soft side compared to a genuine off-road bike, but not by much. It feels closer to the higher-priced dual sport bikes than the less expensive ones (especially the Honda 300L). Even though it is not a relatively lightweight performance dual sport bike, it carries its weight well, and right away, we can see a few items that could take a bit of weight off (metal mirrors, passenger pegs, and the very large license plate holder/fender extension, to name a few). You can feel some harshness in the forks on sharp edges and rocks, but we’ve had the same feeling with the standard Michelin DOT tires on other bikes. They are not our favorite rubber for dual sporting, but they are far better than the more street-biased tires that come on most other dual sport bikes to pass the ride-by sound test for street homologation.
With a $7999 MSRP, the SWM RS300R dual sport is very enticing.
The 1.98-gallon fuel tank is a bit limiting for long-distance exploring. You will be lucky to get 90 miles out of a tank, similar to the lower-priced dual sport options. Speaking of tracking mileage, the standard trip meter and speedo provide everything you need to know.
There’s also something about a red motorcycle that’s built in Italy.
Getting To The Point
The SWM RS300R offers good bang for the buck. It is a full-sized dirt bike with a license plate that provides excellent all-around performance, but its niche is in the dirt. If you want a unique bike that will deliver a little more performance than the more popular Japanese 300s on the market but are willing to split the cost difference between the higher-priced options (aka KTM, Husqvarna and Beta), this could be just the motorcycle you are looking for. The SWM RS300R is well worth investigating. CN
2024 SWM RS300R Specifications
| MSRP |
$7999 |
| Engine Type |
4-stroke, single |
| Valvetrain |
DOHC, 4-valve |
| Cooling system |
Liquid with cooling fan standard. |
| Displacement |
297.6cc |
| Bore x Stroke |
83 x 55mm |
| Starting System |
Electric |
| Fueling |
Mikuni D42 EFI |
| Transmission |
6-speed |
| Clutch |
Wet multi-disc clutch with hydraulic actuation |
| Frame |
Central Backbone Chrome-Molybdenum with Aluminum Subframe |
| Front Suspension |
48mm KYB Closed-Cartridge, fully adjustable |
| Rear Suspension |
KYB shock, fully adjustable |
| Front-Wheel Travel |
11.6 in. |
| Rear-Wheel Travel |
11.6 in. |
| Front Wheel |
21 in. |
| Rear Wheel |
18 in. |
| Front Tire |
90/90 x 21 Michelin Enduro |
| Rear Tire |
120/80 x 18 Michelin Enduro |
| Front Brake |
Disc, 260mm, Dual-Piston Brembo |
| Rear Brake |
Disc, 240mm, Single-Piston Brembo |
| Seat Height |
37.6 in. |
| Wheelbase |
58.86 in. |
| Fuel Capacity |
1.98 gal. |
| Weight (wet, measured) |
299 lbs. |
| Place of Origin |
Italy |
Learn more about SWM at www.swm-usa.com
