Trail Rider Magazine

March 2014 35 When I ride a bike, I often consider gearing changes and different ECU set- tings; that really wasn't the case the case with the 2014 Sherco 4-stroke. For the average weekend rider or racer - and that includes many AA riders, the 300 has plenty of motor for woods racing, so don't let the 300cc motor dissuade you. It isn't a perfect match to the 350, but it isn't far off, either - and with all that agility, the trade-off may be worth a few less ponies. Despite its agility (it's actually lighter than the Sherco 2-stroke) the 300i is much more stable than any 2 stroke - off the showroom floor. All of that gy- rating mass must account for the addi- tional stability as the Sherco does a fine job tracking straight over the gnarl. And with stability comes confidence. The Sherco was confidence-inspiring over the rocks and roots of the Ten- nessee country side. Where you may check up on a stock 2-stroke, the 300i allows you to maintain your speed and momentum. It isn't as quick as 2-stroke but what non 450 4-stroke is? It also isn't that far off. The following day we set out to ride the uber-rocky, muddy, and hilly mountains of Tennessee. This venue was just like New England. Again, the Sherco left another great impression. At one point, I watched Clay Stuckey (the U.S im- porter of the brand) chug and lug his way up a slick, rocked studded hill that had me a little nervous looking up from the base of it. Keep in mind that we were running the (junk) stock tires, too. Imagine the improvement a decent set of tires would provide? The suspension was surprisingly good over the rocks and logs. Where the Sherco 2-stoke would deflect, the 4 stroke would maintain a straight line and go where you pointed it. The forks are supple initially and progress smoothly with a little mid stroke resist- ance when going slow. A little speed negates the mid stroke firmness. The shock keeps the back end planted and worked well with the 106mm of sag we ran. We also ran the high speed com- pression out 2 full turns which helped take the edge out of the hundreds of log crossings. The front end was always planted. The Sherco rides high in the stroke which helps account for its sharp cornering. Whether you are on the seat slinking through the tight trees or rolling through weeping corners, the Sherco is a quick turner and tracks cleanly when changing direc- tion. I couldn't get an answer as to what the triple clamp off set was but it really didn't matter. In terms of per- formance, the Sherco turns with the best of them. A couple of neat features about the Sherco are that you can alter the igni- tion curve via a toggle switch adjacent to the throttle housing. The more ag- gressive setting is alleged to add 5 horse power (HP). While I can't confirm the number of HP, I can confirm that it feels noticeably more aggressive. The fuel injection is clean and crisp with no hic- cups and the six speed transmission shifts smoothly and is well spaced. So what's not to like? As we noted in the review of the 2-stroke, adjusting the sag is a pain. There is no easy way to access it. The bars felt a little high to me but that is more of a personal prefer- ence. Also, taller riders may feel a bit cramped in stock trim, but if David Knight can manage to make the appro- priate adjustments to open things up, so can you. Speaking of David Knight, the 300i we tested was the same bike he used at the Las Vega Endurocross last fall. Accord- ing to Clay Stuckey (US Sherco Im- porter), Knighter brought over his own suspension (trax shock and cone valve forks), his bars and a factory ECU. He then took it all back with him - darn. Finally, the parts you need are here in the U.S and available for shipping. I personally saw the parts room and they have everything you need. If you have been looking for a 4-stroke that offers 2-stroke like agility with 4-stroke stabil- ity along with a great motor, look no further than the impressive Sherco 300i.

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