The 2018 Sherco’s have since landed down under and while you wait for our local test in an upcoming issue, check out Geoff Braico’s test of the 2017 Sherco Factory range to get the juices flowing.
WORDS // GEOFF BRAICO PHOTOS // OLLY MALONE
The 2017 Sherco Factory models come with all the bells and whistles and by far the biggest news for 2017 is the addition of WP XPlor 48 forks with the external preload adjusters.
So how did they fair around the Mt Kembla enduro loop? They handled it with ease. I darted off onto the rough and rugged enduro loop and within a few minutes I found myself tipping into corners with ease and feeling like I could push as hard as I wanted to.
Now that the bikes have a solid front end, the shock can do what it’s meant to do. Before I had to compensate for the balance issues by running more sag in the rear trying to level the bike out. Now, however, set the sag at 105mm and away you go.
All four bikes provided the same feel, front and rear, and I will say these Factory editions are by far the best handling out-of-the-crate Shercos I have ridden. Bring on the 2018s!
250/300SE-R FACTORY
The 250 was the first bike I rode at Kembla. I played around with the engine map switch on the first few laps and for me, the race map is the only way to go.
The 250’s strength is the mid-range power and I think the FMF Gnarly/Powercore 2 combo on the Factory brings that out. It’s a nice engine that caters to every trail boss out there, whether they want to ride the slow stuff all day or get it singing along some open fire trails.
The 300SE-R is a deceptive weapon. The bottom-end of the three-hunge feels mellow compared to the 250 as it has that 50cc of added inertia and is slower to rev up. However, what you don’t realise is that at the same revs, the 300 has you moving a fair bit quicker.
If I was to choose one for around Kembla’s short straights and seemingly never-ending corners, the lighter feel of the 250 won it for me.
300/450SEF-R FACTORY
I can see why Matty Phillips choose the 300SEF-R for his world enduro campaign. The motor is surprisingly powerful and, with the new suspension, you feel like you are riding on rails.
Right off the bottom, the little 300 pulls hard and it made light work of the nasty acceleration bumps that were all over the enduro loop. I really liked the extra grunt that the Akro system gave the motor, it felt almost like a fast 350.
The best thing about the 300 was the fact that it stopped on a dime and, with minimal engine braking, you can really push the limits. It’s so easy to ride.
Moving onto the 450SEF-R. I believe that there has been a bunch of small chassis changes that were exclusive to the 450 for 2017. I was eager to get on board as I really struggled with the 2016 at our 450 enduro shootout.
Once I got out on the track, the small geometry changes became noticeable and, combined with the new suspension, it felt like totally different to last year’s bike. It remained predictable under acceleration and again, the Akro really bumps up the bottom-end power. My only gripe with the 450 is that is has too much engine braking.
Out of these two bikes, I have to go with the 300SEF-R. That thing is a barrel of laughs and the extra legs that the Akro give it really makes it a hell of a lot of fun to ride.
VERDICT
I think Sherco has done a great job with these bikes. The 2017 Factory editions are by far the best Shercos I have ridden but now I’m about to throw a leg over the 2018s so that might change.
The joint venture with WP to develop Sherco’s settings for the XPlor forks has really paid off.
Whether you’re a trail guy or a racer, I believe that the XPlor 48s are gonna eat up whatever you feed them. I threw a lot at them and they loved it all. One of the best stock WP enduro forks I have had the pleasure of riding on.
SHOW ME THE MONEY
So how much more are the Factory editions? Well, amazingly only $1500! The stock 250SE-R stroker retails for $11,590, while the Factory version is $13,090. The standard 300SE-R is 11,990, the Factory is $13,490.
The four strokes are even better value. They also are only an extra $1500 but that’s a pretty good deal when you consider that an Akrapovic exhaust system costs more.
The cost of the parts if bought separately is as follows: Akrapovic full system (4T models) $1899, FMF Powercore 2 muffler (2T) $481.65, solid rear disc $144.37, gripper seat: No option available as yet unless you want Six Days or Factory seatcovers. You do the maths.
TUFF STUFF
Sherco marketing boss Stephen Tuff says the Xplor 48 fork they are running on the Factory models should not be confused with the KTM one. “Our one has external pre-load adjustment, like the Husky, but the internals are the result of Sherco testing. The valving is Sherco-spec derived from our test rider Jordan Curvalle,” he said.
“The XPlor is a step forward for WP after the less-than-well-received 4CS. While the open-chamber fork (used on the Six-Days and Racing) is excellent, the XPlor is the next generation. Sherco chose not to use a substandard fork like the 4CS and the fact it has chosen to select the Xpor tells you it is quality.
“The good thing is, on paper, it puts Sherco on an even playing field with other brands using Xplor, yet the Sherco-specific valving makes it superior. Test riding is the proof here.”
To accommodate the Xplor fork, the front axle is a different size and the fork guards are a different shape to the Racing and Six Days models.
