Enduro, Hare and Hounds and Enduro Tryout Days with WOR Events

WOR Events boss Steve Irelands chooses Sherco

The CERI 4HR Hare & Hounds on 18.11.07… 

“Since 2005 when the first Sherco Enduro models hit the UK I have always thought that the bike looked good and wondered what they would be like.

However at the time I was committed to riding another brand of motorcycle and it remained just a thought as to what the Sherco was like.

I had a few friends who had got one and they had had some teething problems to say the least, BUT they said that the bike really was good to ride and pushed all the right buttons for your average rider.  

That's what I am, an average expert level multi lap enduro rider who on his day and with a circuit to suit can run at the front of the pack and sometimes surprise even myself with the odd win.  

Well past my fittest days on a bike and obviously so busy with the WOR Events schedule, it's very rare that I get chance to get out and compete these days (although that will change as I have the bug back big time!!) so I make sure that 3 times a year at least I take part in Vic Madeleys' MWTRA Hare and Hounds series over on the Shropshire/mid Wales border. Always good, ride able, fun events that can handle any weather. 

Most people in the game know that WOR and myself have a very strong link and sponsorship deal with Gas Gas Uk and John Shirt, This is a tremendous help for me in keeping the profile of WOR in the right places along with our help and association with other top brands such as Michelin / Motul and Acerbis.  

WOR is committed to promoting the GG range of 2t Enduro bikes and feels that they are a market leader in that field. However there have been several problems with the GG 4t Enduro bike (I'm not prepared to divulge these) and even the importer is honest enough to not want to force this machine on the buying public.

The bike is awesome when running well but seems to have been engineered to run in the nice dry climates of Spain and not in the in the wet conditions we get here in the UK . I am sure they will get it right but it is not just now.

So a decision was made by me last week that I would not continue to ride the GG4t and would get something else sorted (for me!!) for my marshalling at my events, floating around the race days and of course, my own personal riding and racing. I have never been a big fan of 2t bikes and always have had a big bore European Thumper at my disposal over the last 10 years, for some reason I cannot go as steady on a 2t as a 4t but that is me personally and the reason I have not jumped straight onto a GG 300.(awesome bike!!)  

This is were the Sherco comes in……………  

A new and enthusiastic importer has took over the Sherco Enduro brand in the UK, Mr Bob Allen, a genuine off road bike fan and astute business man to boot.

With Sherco not producing a 2t range of full on Enduro bikes there is no conflict on my part in WOR and myself helping promote the 4t range of Shercos alongside the GG 2t range. 

Having tried most 4t bikes out there 400cc and above, I was not sure what machine to go for, I have good strong links with Beta and Husaberg, I could have tried a KTM or a Husky and the Japanese 4t's are all good bikes, However the Sherco just looks good and tickled my fancy, along with Bob literally taking over the importer ship last week the situation arose were a brand new 4.5i was delivered to me and all I had to do was run it in, change the oil, fit my moose's and hanguards and drive to the Ceri Hare and Hounds event to give it a whirl. 

I have an agreement with Bob Allen that initially I will just test the Sherco over the next coming winter months with some races and some marshalling duties and evaluate the bike and its reliability before myself and WOR start pushing the brand. It is really important to me that we promote quality products.  

So pulling the bike out of the van at one of the wettest and muddiest Ceri's I have seen for years was interesting to say the least.

Lots of people saying to me, “what you doing on that?” “What it is?” “That looks nice Steve, will it finish though?” And even a few people saying “I quite fancy one of these but they need to prove themselves”, it was all buzzing stuff.  

The bike looks lovely with top of the range components all over it and a very strong look to the build quality and finish. All the exposed wiring and quirks of the early models seem to have been addressed.

I had done an hour or so the day before running the bike in and my initial findings were all good, great brakes, great suspension and handling , lovely smooth power etc etc, really promising stuff that had me quite excited for the race as usually MWTRA events suit a fast four stroke and my style of riding.

4 hours in the Expert Iron man class was going to be tough though because as I said earlier my fitness and bike time are certainly not what they have been in the past. 

I need not have worried, the bike blew me away.

From the very first lap right through to the end of the event I was smitten.

No cramp, no tired shoulders or arm pump, no major get off's or bike problems, a trouble free ride.  

The bikes suspension and handling was simply unbelievable (right out of the crate and untouched!) And took all the bumps and hard edged stones that the forest circuit could throw at it in its stride.

I did not have a single blister or wear mark on my hands come the end of the race and my unfit body was free of pain or tiredness, this is 100% down to the bikes riding position and the stability and grip that the chassis offered.  

The brakes were better than anything I have felt before too, and having read this in magazine tests on the Sherco in the past I could see just how GOOD they were as I could out brake more or less anything or anybody into all the corners and all this with a feel and a presence unrivalled by any other 4t brakes that I have ridden at your fingertips. 

The motor… stunning!! maybe I could have done with a one tooth smaller front sprocket to give slightly more oomph out of slower, tight corners but then that would have taken away the fun of the massive middle and top end power that just eases' it's way into the riders hands.

This bike was quick, really quick as in a match for a Husaberg 450 or a Beta 450 (both quick machines!).The Sherco shocked me in this department as I had read that the 2005 and 06 models were slow (ish!) and could have done with more power, This was deffo not the case with 2007 as she hauled big time on the forest roads and the flowing fire break tracks.

Gear changes were super slick apart from once or twice changing from 3 rd up to 4 th at speed saw the bike jump into a false neutral, this could have been rider mistake though as my energy levels were getting zapped.

Grip from the back wheel on some of the snotty climbs was plain amazing and a friend of mine who has one of these has always told me about how the Sherco finds grip were others struggle, I can only agree, it was amazing.  

One quibble I had was that on several occasions the bikes stand went down my boot and got trapped there as I was paddling in some of the big ruts near lap scoring, that was interesting to say the least as I swore my way, one legged up the hill. Not a massive problem though and one that could be sorted no problem for racing…Take the stand off!!!  

1 hour and 35 minutes was my first fuel stop and the bike still had plenty in the tank, this is very good news as the going was certainly fast and the fuel injection system is obviously spot on with the amount of juice it uses, this is very important in 3 hr races as it means only one stop for the more competitive riders.

With this event being a 4 hour I had to stop again around the 3 hour mark but this was good as I needed a drink and some fresh goggles anyway.  

On the final hill of the event at the end, around four hours and 10 minutes gone there was this hill that had been causing riders problems for the entire race but with thick snow falling and lots more wet on the ground it had now become almost unrideable with a huge queue of bikes stuck on it, and stuck in the line I had been taking all day.

I swung over the track to the right and sunk in a very deep rut, this through my chain off and my last bit of energy went with it…..I was leading the Iron man class by over 20 minutes so I was safe there but I was also running in 2 nd overall out of the entire field including the 2 man expert teams.

My old mate Andy Cripps was riding with his mate Hanks and they were the team behind me in third overall, and in typical Cripps style, saw him catch me on that last hill and pass me to the finish as he managed to get traction on the bank outside of the ruts.

Fair play to Cripps as he crossed the line to finish he dropped his bike and ran back down the hill to help me get the Sherco out of the rut and get my chain back on to finish the last 25 yards and take the Iron man win. Thanks Andrew. 

And so …..First time on the Sherco 450 and I had had one of the most enjoyable rides of my 30 year biking life and a mega result to complement it.

I spoke to Bob the importer straight after the event and he was made up at my findings and even more so with my result.

With lots more testing planned now over the next few months and the arrival of a 2008 model in the next few days/week, I genuinely hope that the bike proves to be as reliable and sturdy as it is awesome to ride and race and that myself and WOR Events can help promote the Sherco 4t's and let riders see what a well thought out 4t enduro bike can really be like.

Watch this space.

Regards Steve Ireland