Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/990446
Sherco 125 SE Six Days Silent Assassin By Kurt Flachbart I'll be honest, I like European bikes. Always have. Believe it or not, once upon a me, it was rare to see a genuine Euro bike in the woods. IT'S, PE's, XR'S and even DT's were the norm. Those lucky enough to ride a Euro stood out in the crowd. They walked a li le taller, and were held in high regard. The majority of Euro riders were a serious group and demanded respect. My early years of riding dirt were en rely self-fund- ed. Mom and Dad really didn't care for my obsession with dirt bikes. Although unlike many of my friends' parents, they didn't flat-out say, "No dirt bikes in THIS house." Rather, they said, "If you can earn the money to buy one, then you can have one." That's all it took –along with a lawn mower found in the trash. Growing up on Hodaka's, early Yamaha Enduro's, and then a host of Yamaha IT's, I grew to enjoy and appreciate Japanese bikes. They were easy to work on; parts were plen ful, and, yes, the bikes were quite reliable. They were all cool but you always saw yourself coming and going. We all rode the same bikes back then. European bikes were expensive; twice the cost of a new Jap bike was not uncommon. Owning a European bike would only be found in dreams for many years. Lusted a er. We had the occasional Bultaco and other Euro odd- i es, but I'll never forget the day I saw my first KTM. The year was 1978 and it was a white 175GS. What a thing of beauty. The fiberglass tank was actually pearl white, and it belonged to some rich kid in town who I immediately disliked. So much so in fact that I led him on my IT175 clear off my favorite (and well-prac ced) death leap. He certainly wasn't expec ng that and ate it pre y good. Vindicated and feeling be er, I began to warm up to the guy. Over that summer, it was a rare and special occasion when something Euro found its way into our local loop. That's where my love of Euro bikes began. 14 Trail Rider