2019 SHERCO 300 SE FACTORY 2-STROKE & 300 SEF FACTORY 4-STROKE
FIRST IMPRESSION
P90
T
his is a good time to be an off-road motor-
cycle enthusiast. We have more choices
of great bikes than ever before, like those
coming from the French factory Sherco. Sherco
is not a big name here in the U.S. but it is in
Europe, especially as of late.
Sherco has been making waves on the inter-
national off-road scene for the past few years
now. The company was founded in 1998 build-
ing mostly trials bikes but has since veered off
into the off-road segment and has quickly made
a name for itself in the racing scene. Despite its
relatively short history, the little upstart brand has
already won a lot of high-profile races, the latest
being the 2018 Red Bull Romaniacs, known as
one of the toughest hard enduros in the world,
with Wade Young at the controls. Sherco even
has a FIM World Enduro title under its belt, so,
while it might be a small company, Sherco is not
a brand to be taken lightly.
Sherco established a U.S. distributor (Sherco
Off-Road) a few years ago, and we hooked up
with them to ride two of its most popular models:
the 2019 300 SE Factory two-stroke and 300
SEF Factory four-stroke. Our test ride took place
on the brutally tough Tennessee Knockout (TKO)
course at the Trials Training Center, so the riders
and bikes were pushed to the limit right away. The
TKO event includes a 15-mile-long loop with some
fun, flowing single-track trails and two-track roads.
There are plenty of rocks, riverbeds and some
pretty extreme up and down hills to challenge both
bikes and riders.
SHERCO 300 SE FACTORY TWO-STROKE
For the 2018 Tennessee Knockout, Sherco sent
its South African superstar, Wade Young, who was
fresh off his win at the Red Bull Romaniacs, and
Spain's Mario Roman, who would go on to finish
third at the TKO. These two stars of hard enduro
were riding the 2019 bikes for the first time and the
bike we rode was virtually identical to theirs except
for the tires and some customized suspension
mods that each rider made.
FRENCH
FACTORY
FLYERS
