2018 Sherco 300 SEF-R Six Days review

Spanish and French brand Sherco is riding to ride the crest of a wave, with its fantastic weaponry becoming more and more prominent on the local off-road scene – and Aussie gun Matt Phillips even helped it win a world enduro title in 2016.

How did the company reach the giddy heights of world enduro champion? Well, it all began in 1999 when Sherco first started manufacturing trials bikes from its Spanish base just north of Barcelona, and then got serious about growing the business to another level when it moved into the enduro sphere.

The enduro fare -- manufactured in France -- has always been high end, offering a bevy of two- and four-stroke machinery in varying capacities. The current Aussie line-up consists of 16 models and, to work off the 2017 Christmas pudding, we decided to take the brand new 2018 300 SEF-R Six Days four-stroke for a spin. The Six Days fits in between the base model and the range-topping Factory machine.

SHERCO RANGE IN BIKE SHOWROOM

The French flag-based Sherco 300 SEF-R Six Days livery is stunning, which is complemented by the blue gripper seat cover made by Italian specialist Selle Della Valle. It’s not only a special-sounding name, but it’s one of the most comfortable seats in the business with just the right firmness and grip to keep your body positioning just right.

Looks is only a part of it…
This bike is not all about the looks as though, as it’s a tool designed to go very fast on the dirt with minimal effort; something it does well.

The ergonomics have been altered slightly with a flatter alloy bar that has a real natural feel to it. The bars allows the rider to get a little more over the front, but as on most of these modern off-road bikes there is also the ability to move the clamp position forward and aft for extra personalisation.

Further differentiation from the standard Sherco SEF-R 300 is provided by white plastics, painted wheels, an anodised sprocket, a revamped Akrapovic pipe and revised engine mapping. The existing features like the clear plastic tank (which holds 9.7 litres), frame and general layout are the same – but that’s a good thing because the Sherco is a blast to ride.

Explor fork
Probably the biggest change for 2018 is the addition of the WP Explor fork. It’s fully adjustable – not that I felt like it needed it the forks worked great straight out of the box. Maybe an enduro pro might play with the clickers because, well, they are pros, but for me it soaked all the bumps thrown at it with ease.

It doesn’t bottom out, and it steers impeccably. And just like some of the other euro enduro bikes I’ve ridden recently, the front-end feel is superb, which allows turn in without requiring a rut or a berm.

The rear is also great, diligently following the front and doing its job of staying in line – and only getting sideways when you give it a decent twist of the throttle.

Full delivery service
The engine on the 300 is sublime, continuing the feeling I had when I first rode the 300 four-stroke a couple of years ago. Not a lot has changed since then, except there’s a little more oomph and it’s mapped even better.

It’s like a 250 on steroids (which it is), but easy to rise. At one point, I was doing some log jumps for the camera and the 102kg (dry) Six Days just floated the wheel exactly to the point I wanted it to be with pure ease.

The throttle response is extremely accurate, making it so easy to ride in tight tricky situations. The beauty of this bike is it also has a soft map, accessed on the right-hand handlebar. If it’s wet and slippery just give it a flick to dull the power and provide more grip.

When things open up though, the Sherco 300 SEF-R Six Days has got a long pair of legs. It loves to rev and the bark from that Akrapovic pipe is awesome. The gearbox is close ratio as well, which I’m sure riders like Phillips have probably had some input into as there is a gear for every occasion.

The brakes are excellent, with so much feel available to the rider. Especially the back, as I could go off-camber downhill without locking the rear and do it with ease. The front felt like I was braking on tarmac with a slick it pulled up so fast…

Summing up
Sherco has created a bike so user-friendly that you have to do something silly to crash. This one’s definitely a butt saver that lets you ride better than your skills might suggest. If you are already a great rider, the world’s your oyster with a bike like this.

The word on the street is that 2018 will be the last year of Sherco Six Days replicas, as the company focusses on the base and Factory models. If you are after a piece of history or just want to feel good it might just be worth putting your money down now.

A price of $14,790 is a lot of coin for a dirt bike, but you are buying more than just nuts and bolts – the feeling you get from this Sherco makes it worth every cent.

SPECS: 2018 SHERCO 300 SEF-R
ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled four-stroke single
Capacity: 303.7cc
Bore x stroke: 84.0mm x 54.8mm
Engine management: Synerject digital electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: not given
Claimed maximum torque: not given

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet, multiplate

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Half perimeter frame chrome-molybdenum
Front suspension: 48mm WP XPLOR fork, fully adjustable, 300mm travel
Rear suspension: WP shock, fully adjustable, multi adjustable, 320mm travel
Front brake: 260mm disc with Brembo caliper
Rear brake: 220mm disc with Brembo caliper
Tyres: Front 21-inch, rear 18-inch

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed dry weight: 102kg
Seat height: Not given
Ground clearance: 355mm
Wheelbase: 1480mm
Fuel capacity: 9.7 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $14,790
Colour: Six Days livery
Test bike supplied by: Sherco Australia
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres