VOLUME ISSUE SEPTEMBER , P99
hand guards are
nice touches. It's
very comfortable
but could be a little
on the tall side for
any under six feet
or so. Footpegs are
perfectly sized for
infants; adults will
want bigger pegs im
-
mediately.
• Suspension is
soft yet quite good,
but the linked brakes
feel a little odd in
the dirt.
• For an entry-
level motorcycle, it looks
super cool. Overall, we see
a lot of potential for serious
fun here.
250 & 300 SE Factory
Two-Strokes
Like the 125 SE Factory, the
250 and 300 SEs are un-
changed. They are the com-
pany's premier hard enduro,
or extreme enduro, weap-
ons. The nastier the trail, the
more you want to be on one
of these bikes versus their
four-stroke cousins. Unlike
their Austrian two-stroke
rivals, the Shercos SEs are
still carbureted. They also
have closed-cartridge KYB
suspension, FMF exhaust,
AXP skid plate, Polisport
handguards, Selle Dalla Val
-
le seat, radiator fan, Brembo
brakes and hydraulic clutch.
TAKEAWAYS:
• Performance from these two
bikes is, as expected, the same
as before, which is good. Both
bikes are (and were) very com-
petitive as is and great alterna-
tives if you want to break away
from the more familiar orange
(KTM), white (Husqvarna) and
red (GasGas) fold, especially if
you're not sold on fuel injection
for two-strokes yet.
• Just like before, the 300 is
the torquier of the two, so if you
prefer to let the motor do most
of the work, the 300 is a great
choice. It's easier to get a flow
going on the 300 than the 250,
and you don't have to shift as
much.
• The 250 isn't massively dif
-
ferent from the 300, but the 250
generally performs better if you
like to ride with an on-off throttle
hand and rev it hard from tree to
tree. It's slightly more antsy or
hyper than the 300, so if that's
more your riding style, the 250
The 250 and 300 (shown) SEF Factory
models feature new engines and
several other updates.
The 125cc dual sport is
EPA friendly and a fun
cruiser on the trail.
