2017 Sherco 300/450 SEF-R launch review

Remember when you first heard of a Sherco? It may have been back when the French company focussed on building bikes with no seats, but able to scale a rock ledge like a magic carpet. Trials bikes are in Sherco’s DNA, and its enduro bike range (complete with seats!) continue the theme – this makes for a very rideable machine, built with trail-feel and chassis balance an important cornerstone in their design.

With more of a rock-hopping background, however, there were features missing from some of the early bikes that riders had come to expect, and they did have a trials feel to them (wide, flat bars, seating position, etc). This was neither bad nor good for real-world riding, it just meant that they felt distinctly “European” (just like the early KTMs) and, being Aussies who felt more at home on Japanese machines, Sherco was on the outer in the mid-2000s in this regard.

But for the 2017 four-stroke models tested here, Sherco has retained the trials feel and rider-focus, but moved the models further along the bush-bike path, with some well thought-out features. The dynamic ability and rider-friendliness many trailriders would thank the marque for three quarters of a day into a trailriders are retained – if only they gave themselves the chance!

Take the mid-sized 300 SEF-R, for instance. Like all the four-strokes, the bike benefits from some more trail-friendly add-ons, such as in-mould graphics (no more peeling stickers after the third wash), frame protectors (helps for re-sale) and new grips (which are still a little hard for me), but very importantly slightly larger fuel tanks (9.5 to 9.7 litres) for more saddle time. They are also clear, so you can tell at a glance if you need to be heading back to the ute, or if you can fit in one more loop.

You can read about other changes here; I am focussing on how the changes affect the bike’s rideability.

The geometry changes have kept the 300 as one of the easiest bikes to ride in the bush. While its suspension/chassis package isn’t quite to the lofty heights of the new KTMs (test coming soon), the sheer lightness of this bike (a claimed 102kg) and its chassis lets you fine-tune your line through all the usual trail rubble, rocks and dry, dirt booger-inducing dust.

Confidence is king when you’re deep in the bush, particularly when you’re buggered, and the Sherco 300 is a great bike to be on when it’s tight, late in the day and you’re praying for your second wind.

Power-wise, you aren’t giving much real world speed away to the 350cc competition and there’s enough torque to chug up hills when you are at the point of just getting to the top, rather than worrying about technique.

I completely muffed one hill climb deep in the Watagans State forest (NSW), coming to a stop on a steep enough section that I began looking for a way to turn around and try again. Instead, I had a go at a hill start I thought would end in wheel-spin and swearwords.

A sniff of throttle, the super light clutch was feathered and the Sherco picked up momentum over tree roots and rock to build to the point where I was standing up again and cresting the summit. Forgiving, fun, above-weight-punching. Instead of digging a hole, or losing momentum with wheel-spin, the Sherco let me fix a problem I had created – exactly what I needed it to do.

This is the brand’s trials heritage on show – if tight single track is your favourite place to be, rather than flat out fire trail work or desert racing, the 300 is all sweetness and light (literally!). For the faster stuff, look to the 450 SEF-R.

300 SEF-R SPECS

While the two bikes, 300 and 450 feel similar, there are some real differences, too.

The 450 has more power, obviously, but the bike also sits differently on the dirt, higher in the front and naturally feeling heavier. The balance is still there, though, and it’s also a sweet powerplant. The feel at the rear knobby is still really good, and the bike lets you use the power to fix problems easier than the 300, without necessarily causing more problems for the same reason.

Power-wise there are bikes with more ferocious power out there, the Yamaha WR450F for instance, but the Sherco’s power is useable, as is the whole bike. There are some vibes low down, but overall it’s a smooth engine with the bark you need to loft over a small log for fun, as well as just short-shift the bike through the tight bush.

450 SEF-R SPECS

Our first test loop was a second to third gear special, with tight trees, a tricky rock descent and a tree-root peppered uphill section that kicks the butt of a badly set-up 450 sideways, leaving you fighting it between the trees for the next 25 meters. The Sherco was sure-footed through this bit, making short work of the elevation with meaty torque, but keeping relatively settled over the roots.

The revised suspension linkage appears to be on the money here, because if it wasn’t that section would break the rear out of control – like it has on other bikes I have tested here.

Next to the 300 in this tight loop, the bike did seem to be keen to head to more open trail, and when there it was a lot of fun, as well as very settled in its role of making trail  disappear behind the rider, quickly.

Important aspects to trailbikes are the little things. Do the boots hang on any of the flashy new plastics? Is the sidestand reliable? Does the electric starter feel like a gimmick, or something that will work all day? This stuff isn’t as exciting to talk about as flashy new exhaust systems or claimed power figures, but living with any of the above ceases to be tolerable if you ride regularly.

My boots didn’t get caught on anything, the footpegs are grippy, the clutch lever as mentioned is all-day light and in our day’s testing, the electric starter felt solid. Only long term ownership can truly answer that item, however.

The sidestand foot needs to be wider in my opinion, though I often just use a tree in the bush – it’s easier and there are heaps of them. Our test 450 did have a speedo full of water from some over-zealous pressure washer use, so something to watch. I usually fit an hour meter to any dirtbike I own anyway, but it’s not a good look for re-sale. Air filter access is good, too – most modern bikes are, via a clip on the rear seat.

Both bikes offer two ignition maps, easily switchable, however both bikes are so useable I stayed in the full-house option. That decision may change in shin-deep mud.

Speaking of good looks, these French machines look great, if still a little European. It might be blue, but you’d never mistake it for a Yamaha!

Sherco’s four-strokes are very engaging packages. The 300 shouldn’t be sneered at just because it isn’t quite a 350 or even 450 – just ask our latest world enduro champion, Matt Phillips. The Tassie Devil smashed it en-route to the first EnduroGP title this year, which means he and his Sherco 300 beat all capacities and all-comers to the win.

Admittedly, that championship thrives on tight, tough, technical riding to which the 300SEF-R is beautifully suited, but it’s a reminder the speed of the rider is seldom due to the bike, it’s about really using what it has!

The 300 SEF-R is amazing between the trees, over tricky ledges or picking your way through rock gardens.

If wide-open trail is your favourite place to be, the 450’s manners, balance and stability is worth considering.

My favourite riding is up the end of some piece of single track going who-knows-where, so the 300’s sweetness, light weight, ease of riding and manageable size in tight stuff makes it my pick. If more of us were honest with ourselves, perhaps it would be ours too.

Both bikes are close to ride-ready from the dealer – just add bashplate and some small personal touches and you are ready to trail ride or race an enduro. Sherco’s list of support and dealerships is ever growing and it’s an international brand with expanding credibility.

Easy to ride, solid build quality, well thought out and priced at $12,990 (300 4T) $13,590 (450 4T), the Sherco remains a choice worth exploring, even in the face of new machines from the Big Two in the Australian bush, KTM and Yamaha.