P102
2020 SHERCO OFF-ROADERS
RIDE REVI EW
Sherco Four-Strokes
The SEF four-strokes are impressive, as
well. The 250 is powerful and has impres-
sive bottom-end. Ditto the 300, just more
of it. Of the two, the 300 is easier to ride and is
noticeably faster than the 250, which is a fast bike
in its own right. Overall, though, the 300 is just a
great all-around bike that does everything well—at
least everything we were able to do in Italy.
Like the two-strokes, the four-strokes have a
two-way map switch. The difference between the
two modes is more dramatic on the four-strokes
than it is on the two-strokes. For racing, the stan-
dard aggressive mode is the way to go. The mel-
low mode is excellent for casual trail riding.
Both bikes are exceptionally stable on
the trail and tend to stay that way even af-
ter plowing into roots and rocks. The SEFs
do, however, feel heavier than their SE
two-stroke cousins but offer a plusher ride.
I was, going in, somewhat intimidated by the
450 SC. Having never ridden a 450 Sherco before
and having heard how much of a brute it was last
year, I approached the 2020 Sherco 450 Cross
Country with a bit of trepidation. But I quickly dis-
covered it was all for naught. The 450 is anything
but a monster; instead, it was a pleasure to ride.
The 450 received the most changes from 2019
compared to the other models, and many of those
changes were made to the engine and top-end
The 2020 SEF450R
isn't the beast it
used to be.
PHOTO: RON LAWSON
