2019 Sherco 500 SEF Factory review

Go Straya! Sherco Australia had enviously watched on as other manufacturers' 500s soaked up market share, but it hasn't taken too long for the French company to respond with a 500 of its own – and the 2019 Sherco 500 SEF Factory was worth the wait.

The best bit of riding a 500 in the Aussie bush is its versatility. Smashing a fire trail with 500cc of grunt – actually 478cc in the Sherco's case – is a recipe for helmet grins, while modern frame geometry, engine manners and kerb weights don't make them too much of a monster on single-track.

No wonder the 500 is a big-selling model in Oz. Sherco fully expects this one to be its best seller and, after riding it back to back with the same marque's 450, I am inclined to agree.

I winged my way to the excellent Krusic’s Ride Park in Victoria for the official launch of the new machine of which Sherco is so proud – and so they should be. The test track didn't have everything a trailrider hits – notably there were no tree-root infested hills to assail – but it did have sandy, at times rocky, single track that put a lot of emphasis on front-end feel and required excellent throttle response to negotiate quickly, without risking rubbing it on the ground.

I rode the 450 on that same track first and found it a bit of a handful as the lines cut in. There was no dust – intermittent rain on the day took care of that – but there were plenty of booby traps in the form of ruts, soft and deep puddles and liquid sand.

The 450 blew berms apart no worries, and the power let the front wheel carry easily over anything I only saw at the last second, but it's an energy-sapping ride as the angry bottom end makes your initial throttle movements punch above their weight – too much, too soon. I didn't know any of this, however, until I hopped on the slightly larger cousin, the 500 SEF Factory.

Once I had, life was immediately easier. The response off the bottom is strong but more manageable than the snappier 450, and it rolls seamlessly into a monster mid-range and mental top end. The secret to riding a 500 in tight stuff is to roll the wave of torque in the rev basement, and this is where the Sherco loves life to the full.

There are two versions of the entire Sherco enduro line-up available all year round: the Racing 'base' model ($13,990) and the you-beaut Factory ($15,990). That extra $2000 gets you the excellent, superbly adjustable KYB boingers at each end plus a heap of updates: full Akrapovic exhaust system, blue Excel rims, Galfer brake discs, a dual-material sprocket, a skid plate, a handlebar pad, new graphics, seat and flash Domino grips, as well as a lithium-ion battery, the latter saving 1300g.

The Six Day model is gone and the Cross Country versions are now available on an order-only basis.

There was only the Factory version of the 500 available at this particular event, and that KYB suspension made itself obvious from the get-go. As well as the uber-refined throttle response, the suspension made life easier in the tight stuff and I found myself rolling into sandy ruts more easily and quickly than the 450, before giving the EFI a sniff of throttle to hammer out and fold the bike neatly into the next rut.

"That's such a good bike," was the comment heard as the assembled journos got off it over the day – a good sign, that's for sure.

My favourite moment occurred when sailing neatly through a sandy rut, with a satisfying amount of lean angle and a perfectly behaved bike, before exiting onto a short fire-trail section. The beast carried the front wheel the whole way through fourth, until I backed off and dived into the next section of single track. So bloody good and exactly how a 500 should behave…

On hand was desert racing legend, Ben Grabham. He pointed out the 500 has too much power for him up top – but that lovely bottom end made it fast and smooth in the bush. Words to listen to, if you're a weekend warrior that tries to ride a 500 four-stroke in its top end between the trees. You'll end up climbing one...

Of all the bling on the 500 SEF Factory, Sherco was making the most noise about the KYB fork. The standard racing model uses the WP XPLOR fork and WP shock – not a shabby package by any means.

If you're the average trail rider, many of whom never go near the suspension clickers and just like riding for fun and with your mates (like all good trail riders should!), then the extra $2000 will come down to if you can afford it or not. You may not notice a difference in the leap to the KYB 48mm closed cartridge fork and KYB shock. If you ride hard and often, you certainly will.

Most factory-spec suspension will benefit from custom tuning, but these KYB units offered plush performance for me all day and, given their versatility, I wouldn't crack the fork caps for trail-riding duties. The spring pre-load and damping adjustment would get me through no problems. Racing is a different story, as it always is.

My only caveat is that the trail we rode didn't have any rocky sections or hill climbs, but the traction, compliance, steering and feel of the KYB units is excellent. So is the chassis.

The frame has lost 400g and had some controlled flex added in, according to Sherco – there is no doubt the bike offers feedback to the rider, making sticky, snotty sections a garden of delight.

As an added bonus, all models come with Hard/Soft ignition map options, adjustable on the fly with a switch on the right thumb. I did accidentally 'adjust' this switch a couple of times while riding, but preferred it in the Soft map to make the torquing around easier. If I was racing to Finke and back, I'd most likely have the Hard map engaged. The engine is fun and lively either way, but life in thick trees and over snot is just easier – and probably faster – in the Soft map.

Soft map or not, this bike is a hard-nosed weapon. There is enough power for anyone to brag about, but importantly it lets you use it without being too intimidated. That's where a 500 can be gold, and the fire-breathing Sherco 500 SEF Factory is certainly that.

There are some bits I wish Sherco had addressed, such as the needle of a side stand (it needs a wider base) and the ignition map switch being too easy to bump, but other 'living with' aspect like air filter access and the bike being ready to ride straight out of the crate rival products from the other European brands.

There's also a solid selection of Racing parts and accessories, including riding gear, sprocket options and graphics.

Sherco claims to be the "fastest growing company in the off-road motorcycle industry". Bike-wise, it has a genuine contender on its hands in the 500 SEF Factory ($15,990) and its two-bangers (test coming soon).

This Sherco 500 SEF Factory is a great bike to ride but it has some proper competition on its hands in the form of the KTM 500 EXC-F ($14,695, with WP XPLOR suspension versus the Sherco's KYB package) and Husqvarna FE 501 ($15,795), plus others such as the Beta RR 480 ($13,390).

It’s in the ballpark price-wise, the big question for some riders new to Sherco may be surround the dealer network and spare parts availability. Sherco knows too well that is the piece of the puzzle customers want to be sure of, and with 36 dealers already, is working hard to establish both even further than its already solid Australian network.

As for the bikes, the 500 SEF Factory is right up there. There is very little to complain about, and to ride it is an excellent experience – I can see Aussie riders really loving it, assuming they can bring themselves to break away from the orange and blue brands.

Sherco is a large, well-established company with a quality quiver of machines. I loved my time on the Sherco 500 SEF Factory, and its ability to let you finesse a soft rut, then devour a fire trail in full vision-blur mode is its strong suit.

The chassis has feel and makes hard corners easy, the suspension is top notch and as for the engine, well – it has the power and manners to make it an Aussie favourite. I'll wager it will.

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, four-valve single-cylinder
Capacity: 478cc
Starter: Electric
Fuel system: EFI

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Clutch: Hydraulic, wet multi-plate
Final drive: Chain

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Chromoly double cradle
Front suspension: KYB closed-cartridge
Rear suspension: KYB monoshock
Front brake: Single 260mm disc
Rear brake: Single 220mm disc
Wheels: 1.60 x 21in aluminium front, 2.15 x 18in aluminium rear
Tyres: Michelin Enduro Competition (tubed)

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed weight: 109kg
Wheelbase: 1480mm
Fuel capacity: 9.7 litres
Seat height: 950mm

OTHER STUFF
Price: $15,990
Bike supplied by: Sherco Australia
Warranty: Six months parts and labour