INTERVIEW
SHERCO FOUNDER MARC TEISSIER
P92
bikes with customers. As I wait
my turn to grab his attention I
wonder if the prospective buyer
even realizes exactly who he's
talking too.
Founded in 1998, Sherco's
rate of success has been rapid
but understated. Trials first—
that's where Teissier's first love
lies—they built a solid customer
base thanks to the success
on the world stage with guys
like Albert Cabestany and of
course, Graham Jarvis, who
also delivered a lot of success in
the infamous Scottish Six Days
Trial. Once they'd firmly estab-
lished themselves there, next
came enduro. Modest steps,
highlighted by Jarvis winning the
Red Bull Romaniacs for them in
2008, culminated in the 12-year
process to becoming 2016 En-
duroGP World Champions with
Matt Phillips.
For a small, family run com-
pany 19 years in existence and
selling a total of 6000 motor-
cycles annually, it's one heck
of an achievement. Taking on
and beating Goliaths like KTM is
something few predicted would
happen preseason last year. But
then again the beauty of unpre-
dictability is why we run races.
As his customer begins to
walk away, I step in with a cour-
tesy handshake and chance my
arm at asking the boss of Sherco
for 20 minutes of his time. Met
with a warming smile, his French
switches to modest English and
with no appointment needed I'm
now sat in the passenger seat
of his humble Audi out of the
elements and talking bikes. No
heirs or graces, it feels like sim-
"The hobby guy's
Sunday is for fun…he
juggles it with family
life and if he can't
have fun then the
sport is no good."
With Matthew Phillips at the
controls, Sherco claimed its first
FIM World Enduro Championship
in 2016. A major accomplishment
for such a small company.
