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P104 RIDE REVIEW I 2024 SWM RS300R so it is made for riding dirt roads and trails with limited highway time to connect those trails. The engine runs well, providing decent torque and power at higher speeds, even at over 5000 feet of elevation where we rode it. It has slightly lean-feeling map - ping, which is normal for most street-legal dual- sport bikes these days. The clutch performs well, and the six-speed trans - mission is well-matched for both trails and faster roads. Initially, shifting was a bit notchy, but some riding time and an oil change helped im - prove that. Suspension is on the soft side compared to a genuine off-road bike, but not by much. It feels closer to the higher- priced dual sport bikes than the less expensive ones (especially the Hon - da 300L). Even though it is not a relatively light- weight performance dual sport bike, it carries its weight well, and right away, we can see a few items that could take a bit of weight off (metal mirrors, passenger pegs, and the very large license plate holder/fender extension, to name a few). You can feel some harshness in the forks on sharp edges and rocks, but we've had the same feeling with the standard Michelin DOT tires on other bikes. They are not our favorite rubber for dual sporting, but they are far better than the more street-biased tires that come on most other dual sport bikes to pass the ride-by sound test for street homologation. The 1.98-gallon fuel tank is a bit limiting for long-distance exploring. You will be lucky to get 90 miles out of a tank, similar to the lower- priced dual sport options. Speaking of tracking mileage, the standard trip meter and speedo pro - vide everything you need to know. GETTING TO THE POINT >> The SWM RS300R offers good bang for the buck. It is a full-sized dirt bike with a license plate that provides excellent all- around performance, but its niche is in the dirt. If you want a unique bike that will deliver a little more performance than the more popular Japa- nese 300s on the market but are willing to split the cost difference between the higher-priced options (aka KTM, Husqvarna and Beta), this could be just the motorcycle you are looking for. The SWM RS300R is well worth investigating. CN 2024 SWM RS300R ($7999) ENGINE TYPE 4-stroke, single VALVETRAIN DOHC, 4-valve COOLING SYSTEM Liquid with cooling fan standard DISPLACEMENT 297.6cc BORE X STROKE 83 x 55mm STARTING SYSTEM Electric FUELING Mikuni D42 EFI TRANSMISSION 6-speed CLUTCH Wet multi-disc clutch with hydraulic actuation FRAME Central Backbone Chrome-Molybdenum with Aluminum Subframe FRONT SUSPENSION 48mm KYB Closed-Cartridge, fully adjustable REAR SUSPENSION KYB shock, fully adjustable FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL 11.6 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL 11.6 in. FRONT WHEEL 21 in. REAR WHEEL 18 in. FRONT TIRE 90/90 x 21 Michelin Enduro REAR TIRE 120/80 x 18 Michelin Enduro FRONT BRAKE Disc, 260mm, Dual-Piston Brembo REAR BRAKE Disc, 240mm, Single-Piston Brembo SEAT HEIGHT 37.6 in. WHEELBASE 58.86 in. FUEL CAPACITY 1.98 gal. WEIGHT (WET, MEASURED) 299 lbs. PLACE OF ORIGIN Italy WEBSITE https://www.swm-usa.com/ S P E C I F I C AT I O N S