The Sherco TVS Team has received the Rally 2 division on the 2024 Dakar Rally. Indian rider Harith Noah completed as excessive as fifth on a person stage this 12 months and ended up eleventh within the total classification.
The ultimate stage of the Dakar was a comparatively brief day for the riders. The race concluded on the fringe of the Red Sea, the place the end of the particular was situated. This final particular didn’t provide any main problem, however it will probably nonetheless show to be decisive. A timer was triggered over 174 kilometers round Yanbu no matter occurs, represents a menace to the one within the lead. Harith Noah gained momentum throughout these 2 weeks, committing only a few errors. He took care of his 450 SEF Rally and restricted risk-taking. He was usually near the highest 10, he rode with consistency and adopted the group’s technique, he managed to earn the general victory in Rally 2 and completed eleventh within the basic classification.
Harith Noah
Harith Noah: “I’m here and very happy to have finished. It’s great to have won the Rally 2 category but I wasn’t sure until the end. I had no expectations when I arrived, I wanted to just ride my bike without really looking at the results. I started to be very surprised by my position during stage 10, when I did the 5th best time of the special. I don’t really know what happened during that week, I felt good and the bike ran perfectly. I hope that my victory will convince many young people to join the rally. I didn’t imagine when I was a child that I would come to the Dakar, that I would first finish 20th, and now 11th.”
Just when we got used to the status quo in the dual-sport world, along comes Sherco to shake things up. The Sherco 500SEF Dual-Sport is freshly approved by the DOT, EPA and CARB, and it is legal in all 50 states. The U.S. homologation process is long and expensive, and it’s impressive that a relatively small company like Sherco managed to jump through all the hoops and clear all the barriers to make this happen. What it means is that Sherco now joins KTM, Husqvarna, Beta and Honda as one of the very few manufacturers who has made the commitment to make a legitimate dirt bike that is 100 percent legal.
The surprise of 2024 is that Sherco has officially entered the dual-sport market in the U.S. Cody Webb celebrates in his own special wayThe Sherco 500 is a beast, but one that can be tamed as long as you treat it with respect.Sherco says the mapping for U.S. homologation isn’t that different from what they developed for Euro 5 compliance.
FROM OUT OF NOWHERE… ALMOST
This bike is based on the 500SEF off-road bike, which we have to confess that we don’t have much time on. We know that it’s the basis for Sherco’s Dakar effort, and that Grant Baylor won the 2020 National Enduro Championship on this platform. It’s a serious off-road bike, but it’s not what comes to mind when we think of Sherco. This is a small French company that has made a name for itself in the world of hard enduro with its twostrokes and lightweight four-strokes. Sherco is also the bike that 14-time NATC National Mototrials champion Pat Smage has ridden for virtually his entire career. So, a large-displacement dual-sport bike is the last thing we saw coming from this company.
The motor is a double-overhead-cam 6-speed with a Synerject EFI system, and the bike features all the hallmarks that have come to define Sherco’s enduro bikes. It has a closed-cartridge KYB fork and a KYB shock with linkage. Virtually all the components are the best that money can buy. The exhaust system is an Akrapovic, the brakes are Brembos, and it comes decked out with a hydraulic clutch, a radiator fan and handguards. What we love most about it is how unobtrusive the DOT equipment is. The blinkers are tiny, and the Christmas tree that hangs down from the rear fender is lightweight and doesn’t bounce around like it does on other dual-sports. Even the controls for the lights and horn are minimal. It has full-size mirrors, of course, but in most ways you would never know it’s a dual-sport. It looks like any other dirt bike.
EPA, DOT and CARB have all given their blessings to make the Sherco 500SEF dual-sport a reality. Expect the first deliveries to come by the end of the year.
In order to get it through the EPA, Sherco had to add a catalyst in the mid-section of the exhaust pipe and make a fairly restrictive air-filter cage. Sherco also had to develop an EPAlegal map and then do away with the map switch on the dirt version of the bike. It turns out that Sherco already knew how to do it, because Euro 5 emission laws in the EU are pretty strict themselves.
DATE WITH A BEAST
Since we have never even tested the off-road version of this bike, we can’t say how much it weighs exactly, but after riding it, we have a pretty good idea. It’s going to be between 250 and 260 pounds without fuel. It doesn’t feel quite as light as a KTM or Husqvarna, but it will be almost 20 pounds lighter than a Honda CRF450RL.
As far as motor output goes, the Sherco is a beast. In the configuration we tested, it’s far and away the most powerful dual-sport 500 on the market. It has excellent low-end power and massive midrange. It’s very smooth, but there’s no real hit up top. It’s not very revvy at all; this is more of an old-school four-stroke, and it kind of rumbles down the trail. The fuel delivery is super clean. It doesn’t flame out at all, and it can be ridden over all kinds of logs and rocks at just an idle. The suspension was pretty soft, which is appropriate for a dual-sport bike, but it didn’t dive or do anything scary.
The bike that we had was an early production model; some things weren’t quite stock, and some equipment was removed. The Sherco guys had replaced the air-filter cage with one from the off-road bike, which, as we all know, technically makes the bike a closed-course vehicle. But, the bike still had the catalyst in the stock muffler and the EPA-approved mapping. It was extremely quiet and, as we said, ran flawlessly.
As far as the price goes, we don’t have the official MSRP, but we know that Sherco has a history of pricing that’s very similar to KTMs, so you can expect an MSRP in the $12,000 range. They realistically expect the first container of bikes to reach the U.S. around December or January. We will have one of the final production models as soon as it arrives, so stay tuned.
Cody Webb, from Sherco Factory One, has achieved great success in Trials, Hard Enduro, and EnduroCross throughout his career. He has always raced a 300 2-stroke in Hard Enduro, but switched to a 4-stroke in EnduroCross since 2016. The 4-stroke was believed to provide superior torque, which was crucial for traction and speed in clearing big obstacles in the technical and jumpy EnduroCross tracks.
However, things have changed recently. Jonny Walker from Beta has proven that a 2-stroke is a viable and winning option (second in World Super Enduro and the winner of the 2022 AMA EnduroCross) on the man-made circuits of EnduroCross. This year, Cody Webb followed suit and appeared in the first round of the AMA EnduroCross series riding a Factory Sherco 300 2-stroke. Cody had a good day, finishing second overall behind Walker’s Beta 300 2-stroke. Here’s his explanation for the switch.
Cody explained, “I ultimately made the decision to go back to the two stroke since that’s what I race year-round and I might as well stay on what I’m used to. We made some changes like a high compression head and some VP race fuel to increase the throttle response of the bike. Since we know two strokes have that slight delay before the power kicks on, this was for me to have instant power delivery of the bike that matches what I’m trying to make it do out there on the track. When things are going well on a four stroke, they’re going very well. When mistakes are made, however, I find it very hard to recover with all that extra rotating mass in the engine. For example, in the rocks, if I get offline I find it very hard to recover, and I am most likely going to end up off the track with the four stroke. When on the two stroke, the bike is a lot more playful underneath me, and I can get it back on track a lot easier without losing much time. Another reason is that the fans love two strokes, and so do I! It was an easy sell for me.”
According to Cody, the 300 2-stroke is more nimble, easier to have fun on, and forgiving.Cody riding his Sherco 300 4-stroke at the 2020 Glen Helen EnduroCross. According to Cody, the 4-stroke has an advantage over the 2-stroke on hard-packed tracks.According to Cody, the 4-stroke can be challenging to handle in EnduroCross rock sections. The rotating mass of the engine makes it harder to recover when you get off line. Cody won two EnduroCross championships (2015-on a 300 2-stroke/2017-on a 350 4-stroke) racing for the KTM factory.
Sherco is a company that combines old-school tradition with cutting-edge technology. The 125SE model has been around for years and offers features like electric start, electronic power valve, multiple maps, and a hydraulic clutch. However, it still uses a carburetor and requires premix fuel.
When it comes to technology, where should a 125cc two-stroke off-road bike stand? In this class, simplicity and tradition are usually prioritized. Sherco understands this balancing act very well.
THE FRENCH CONNECTION
Sherco started as a Spanish trials bike manufacturer before expanding into the off-road world and building a new factory in Nice, France. The company found success in extreme enduro, and its reputation grew when Cody Webb joined the Sherco FactoryONE team. The 125SE model bears similarities to the 300 two-stroke that Webb rides. It features a steel frame, KYB suspension, and Brembo brakes. The bike has an electronic power valve and an electric starter, without any provision for a kick-starter. The battery is mounted low in the chassis, and the carburetor is a 36mm Keihin PWK.
We’ve had prior experience with this bike but this was our first opportunity to ride it in the United States. When Sherco introduced the 125SE in late 2017, we had a chance to test it in Italy. While we loved it there, we had no reference point to compare it to other 125cc off-road bikes at the time. The KTM 125XC and Yamaha YZ125X, which have more traditional features like kick-starters and ball-ramp power valves, were still years away from release. KTM only recently introduced a more high-tech 125, while Yamaha has yet to do so.
Before understanding the Sherco, it’s important to understand 125cc off-road bikes in general. These bikes are often seen as transition bikes for young riders who have outgrown Supermini bikes. However, older riders can also benefit from riding a 125cc bike. Veterans, seniors, and riders who may be “over it” can find enjoyment in a 125. Unlike a powerful 450cc bike, a 125cc off-road bike serves as a reminder that experienced riders can still push a modern bike to its limits and have many years ahead of them.
SPIN IT UP
When riding the 125SE, the first adjustment is to relax and enjoy the ride. It’s incredibly easy to ride and starts with a push of a button. Unlike a big four-stroke bike, you don’t need to be in peak condition, worry about arm pump, or get scared. The Sherco provides just enough power to entertain and make you feel like you’re going somewhere. While it may not be as fast as a full-fledged 125 motocross bike, it offers more low-end torque and is more forgiving.
For comparison, we have a brand-new Yamaha YZ125X off-road bike, and the Sherco can hold its own against it. The Sherco offers more low-end power, a smoother transition, and similar peak power. However, the Yamaha has an advantage in terms of weight. The Sherco weighs about 226 pounds (without fuel) on our scale, which is about 20 pounds more than the Yamaha. The primary reason for this difference is the electric starter. Nevertheless, the Sherco feels substantial and resembles the Sherco 300 in terms of bodywork and frame design. Once the engine starts, the 125SE develops its own character. Engine characteristics play a crucial role in handling, and the Sherco’s mellow and smooth power delivery allows riders to toss it around like a BMX bike. It offers stability at speed and overall impressive handling.
Previously, only the premium edition of the Sherco 125SE came with KYB suspension. However, now all the models available in the United States are in the “Factory” configuration, which includes a closed-cartridge KYB fork and additional extras. The suspension settings indicate that Sherco considers this bike as a product for older riders, as it is relatively stiff. Even a 180-pound veteran rider would have to ride hard to make full use of the suspension travel. The advantage is that KYB suspension components are widely available, making it easy to find a suspension tuner who can adjust the settings for the 125SE, without the need for a Sherco specialist.
BITS AND PIECES
The Sherco 125SE comes with several additional features straight from the factory, including Polisport handguards, frame guards, a skid plate, and an odometer. Upon delivery, the bike may be slightly rich, but a minor adjustment of the needle position can resolve this. The bike performs best when fueled with a mix of pump gas and race fuel. Despite concerns about ordering parts online, there’s nothing overly exotic about the Sherco, and the U.S. aftermarket has readily embraced it. It comes with premium-level parts like a Moto Tassinari reed, and companies like Wiseco offer piston kits for it. Furthermore, the Sherco shares clutch plate compatibility with earlier KTM, Honda, and Husaberg models. The Sherco 125SE comes at a premium price of around $10,000, and whether it’s worth it or not is subjective. However, most test riders who have experienced the Sherco choose it over bikes with double the power.
Brembo brakes and a solid rotor are standard equipment.
We traveled to San Antonio, Texas for the 2024 Sherco dealers meeting. To our surprise, the Sherco team unveiled a brand new 500cc Dual-Sport motorcycle that had received approval from the DOT, EPA, and CARB. This means that the bike is now legal in all 50 states. It’s quite unexpected because obtaining homologation in the U.S. is usually a difficult and costly process. Sherco managed to keep this development a secret, and now they have joined the ranks of KTM, Husqvarna, Beta, and Honda as one of the few manufacturers committed to producing a dirt bike that is 100 percent street-legal. We were fortunate enough to witness the bike in action during our first ride, where Cody Webb showcased its impressive capabilities.
Sherco has introduced its 2024 lineup of off-road bikes, featuring both two-stroke and four-stroke models. The four-stroke range includes the 500, 450, 300, and 250, while the two-stroke line consists of the 300, 250, and 125. The major highlight for 2024 is the improved performance of the 250 and 300 four-stroke models, which now have higher revs and increased power. Here are the specifications provided by Sherco:
450 – 500 SEF FACTORY
2024 Sherco 500SEF
SPECS
New 2024 graphics kit
New LED headlight
New front fender
New clutch cover
New swingarm
New Sherco Factory exhaust header pipe and Akrapovič silencer
New frame paint
New wheels
New rear sprocket
Blue Diamond SELLE DALLA VALLE seat
KYB front suspension with closed cartridges
KYB rear shock absorber
6mm AXP skid plate
GALFER front brake disc
BREMBO brake system
250 – 300 SE TWO-STROKES
2024 Sherco 250SE Factory
SPECS
New 2024 graphics kit
New LED headlight
New front fender
New clutch cover
New swingarm
New frame paint
New wheels
New rear sprocket
Blue Diamond SELLE DALLA VALLE seat
KYB front suspension with closed cartridges
KYB rear shock absorber
GALFER front brake disc
BREMBO brake system
250 – 300 SEF FACTORY
2024 Sherco 300SEF Factory
SPECS
New 2024 graphics kit
New LED headlight
New front fender
New engine
Akrapovič exhaust system with titanium header pipe
New clutch cover
New swingarm
New frame paint
New wheels
New rear sprocket
Blue Diamond SELLE DALLA VALLE seat
KYB front suspension with closed cartridges
KYB rear shock absorber
6mm AXP skid plate
GALFER front brake disc
BREMBO brake system
125SE FACTORY
2024 Sherco 125SE
SPECS
New 2024 graphics kit
New LED headlight
New front fender
New clutch cover
New swingarm
New frame paint
New wheels
New rear sprocket
Blue Diamond SELLE DALLA VALLE seat
KYB front suspension with closed cartridges
KYB rear shock absorber
GALFER front brake disc
BREMBO brake system
SPECS
Engine: 2-stroke single cylinder with electronically controlled valve system
