The French Motorcycle Company Presents the 2014 Enduro New Range
Sherco opens new spaces
At a recent press presentation which was held on a ranch near in the heart of the
Camargue (South of France), Sherco presented the new 250 and 300 2T enduro bikes
along with improved 250 and 300 4T.
These bikes were the highlights of the presentation.
This is the tenth anniversary of the arrival of Sherco into the enduro world and they have
proven that they are a brand to be reckoned with.
On June 18th and 19th all of the Sherco staff was present to meet the press. They were all
dressed in Sherco blue shirts and the shiny new bikes were all neatly lined up and ready
to be tested. An official trucks were there along with the marquee banners. The display
blended very well with the country side, it was casual and at the same time professional.
The presentation was held in the south of France, around the mouth of the Rhone. The
scenery was spectacular with the herds, the horses, the cattle and the open spaces facing
the Mediterranean. It was in this context, colorful and full of nature that Sherco chose to
reveal a portion of the 2014 model lineup. Motorcycles, horses and bulls, a fantastic
venue for this formal presentation. The event was held in the time frame between two
major World Enduro Championship races.
At Sherco, we do not like overnight revolutions. The changes that we prefer to make are
those that are forged in technical developments which are fueled in competition along
with the input of the end users. We value the input from amateur racers who are
competing in enduro races. In short, we gradually advance without missteps, without
making unnecessary flashes of brilliance, our goal is to effectively produce machines that
can cater primarily to the unique application. All of this does not prevent us from making
major technical innovations and because we are not a big factory we can respond to
updates very quickly. Since we are an independent brand we can manage our
development pace and modify our strategy at will. This is no doubt one of the keys to our
success.
The introduction by Didier Tirard, director of the French Enduro factory set the tone of
the meeting: “Our 2014 enduro models are a continuation of what we started in 2013
especially with the 4T engines which have received many improvements and should
make them even more successful. Between 2011 and 2012 the increase of this line has
been 60%. The second highlight of the meeting is the release of the 2T enduro models
along with the launch of a new 450 4T soon.”
The next step was for the various employees to explain the updates and improvements
made to the bikes for 2014.
250 4T - lessons learned from actual competition
This machine has directly benefited from the lessons learned in actual racing competition.
The main change is bore and stroke (54.8 x 76 mm). The purpose of the change is
threefold: Increase the power of the motorcycle, increase the stroke and provide better
traction.
There are so many new features on this model, it has a lightweight crankshaft, the
cylinder bore is now 76 mm. The cylinder head has been revised to optimize low speed
performance, the maximum engine speed has been raised to 13,500 rpm. And the
compression ratio is increased to 13.2: 1. The fuel mapping was also improved.
300 4T A top level new fuel injection system!
This model received major updates/evolutions in 2013. The trend continues in 2014 with
the adoption of a new Synerject fuel injection system, Sherco takes great technological
pride in this system. It is the result of thirty months of development. It is a very
sophisticated system, but solidly proven, the unique injection system includes a steeper
motor to manage the idle and engine braking. A pressure sensor that is located in the
throttle body, manages the injection time and adjusts the mixture to compensate for the
condition of the air filter. Finally, it will be possible to download updated injection maps
from Sherco system via internet. Specifically, the user will benefit from three key
advantages from the Synerject system: better fuel management, a better throttle response
at slow speeds and perfect management of engine braking.
But there are other improvements to the 300 4T: the new cylinder head that is equipped
with a 30 mm steel intake valve rather than the former 29 mm valve. It also has a larger
42 mm diameter injector body, the ignition has a lower inertia rotor, and a new flywheel,
the maximum engine speed is now (13,000 rev / min).
All of which should confirm the 300 4T as the leader in this class.
250 and 300 4T: common design changes
Both of the 4T models also benefit from common improvements, the main ones.
For the engine:
- New water pump impeller.
- Strengthened center engine case at the crankshaft bearings along with new bearings and
a stiffer crankshaft.
- Optimization of the transmission by reducing internal parts.
For the chassis:
- New Trail Tech computer, a design that is particularly successful. It is very easy to read,
it has a maintenance indicator and also has an hour meter.
- Rear shock absorber received new settings. The comfort level will be increased when
braking and on big impacts.
450 4-T: the star is back
It has to take a little patience! The Sherco range will be enhanced by a new 450 4T,
which will go into production in 2014. Some information was delivered during this
presentation. We know for example that the big engine will be powered by a completely
new DOHC engine, and it will be equipped with the Synerject fuel injection system
which has already been installed on the 300 4T. Under the leadership of Jordan Curvalle
who is the “home” test rider, many tests in actual race conditions have been conducted at
several major international races: Morocco Rally, Dakar, Trèfle Lozérien. The new bike
will be unveiled to the general public at the Milan fair which is held from the 5th to the
10th of November 2013.
250 and 300 2T, two new bikes in 2014
The Sherco engineers completely enjoyed this exercise, one that would frighten many in
the industry. They started from a clean sheet of paper and designed a completely new
motorcycle based on market demands. Two new models were born based on the same
base engine, a 250 and 300 2T, this is the big news for the brand for the next season.
The page was indeed white a few months ago, however the goal was clear: give this new
family of motorcycles a greater operating range, give the engine more response at low
revs for the 250 and the 300, provide better torque distribution throughout the entire
power curve, gain power through a 30 mm valve and limit the effect of engine braking.
With this in mind, they have completed the project in order to enhance the Sherco range.
Three requirements were imposed on the design team: The bike had to have an electric
starter, the valve system must be efficient and it must have the best electronic ignition
system. The electric starter is placed as low as possible to lower the center of gravity and
its protection is ensured by a guard. It is very reliable, and the kick starter has been
abandoned. The chassis is designed to be perfectly symmetrical which improves the
directional stability. And finally, despite the starter, the machine is very light weight.
A lot of work has been done on the valve system, it is operated by a special electronic
management system that was designed by Sherco. In addition, the level of performance
and reliability have dictated the choice of the components (Kokusan electronic system,
Keihin carburetor, V Force reed valve, Twin Air filter, aluminum fork legs, etc..).
A large tank (9.5 l), is placed in the frame, the equipment on these two machines and the
ergonomics have benefited from the knowledge acquired from the 4T models.
This new machine in the 300cc version has proven itself at the highest level of
international competition, a few days after this presentation, Fabien Planet clinched a
second position at the Grand Prix of Greece! At Sherco there is no time lost.
In the battle
The "family" at Sherco is now in working order for 2014. Its global reach is enhanced by
the presence of its riders competing at the highest level in World Championships, it is
located in fifty countries, with special emphasis in the United States, Australia, South
Africa, Canada, and a strong commitment in field competitions and youth recruitment at
the Sherco Academy. In France, which is the largest market in Europe, Sherco relies on a
network of sixty dealers, which ensures a timely delivery of parts, and its desire to be
closer to its users. If the mark today is right on the heels of the sales leader of enduro
machines, it is not entirely a coincidence ...
Key Points
Sherco is an independent brand, therefore it manages its development pace and organizes
its strategy as it pleases. We believe this is a key to success!
With the new 250 and 300 2T Sherco opens new markets.
10 years after its appearance in the world of Enduro, the upcoming release of a brand new
450 4T landmark.
From the 250 2T to the 450 4T, all of these models have the potential to win at the
highest level.
Box 1 (photo of Marc Teissier)
Three questions for Marc Teissier, CEO Sherco
What is your Enduro strategy?
To complete our range in order to sustain our place among the major players in the
market. We started with a 450 4T. Then a 250 4T appeared, which gave birth to a 300
version, which has since become our battle horse. Today we present two new machines
based on a 2T engine, the 250 and 300. We have not, however, abandoned the 450 since
the new 4T will be unveiled at the Milan show in November.
How would you summarize your sports policy?
We are more and more present in the Enduro World Championship. And we follow in the
footsteps of our trial program where our reputation has been very strong for several years,
we have won several world titles in the junior class. Now we are moving Sherco into
Enduro and have already found the podium in Portugal for example with the French rider
Anthony Boissiere, in Greece with Fabien Planet (who was riding the 300 2T), and again
in Romania by the Australian Jessica Gardiner. We continue to climb in power ...
What is your greatest satisfaction?
The accomplishments that we have achieved on a technical level, which in some areas,
such as injection, for example, is greater than what exists on the market today. This is the
result of true internal development. I am also very proud that we have proven to be a
successful team in all specialties, mechanical, production, research, marketing ... This is
what allows us to be very close to our users and I very much want to continue to stay
close to our customers.
Box 2
Sherco numbers
2, the number of production sites of the brand. One is in Spain, near Barcelona, for trials
bikes, the second is located in Nimes where the enduro models are produced.
25, which is likely the projected production percentage increase for 2013 (trial and
enduro combined). This growth was 37% in 2011 and 22% in 2012.
50, which is the percentage of enduro bikes produced in relation to the total production.
Trial and Enduro therefore share the production equally.
7,000,000, which is the amount (in euros) of Sherco capital after a recent and dramatic
increase. To be precise, as of December, 19th 2012, capital increased from € 1,500,000 to
€ 7,000,000!
----------Box 3
Sherco has been producing Enduro models for ten years already!
The creation of the Sherco brand dates back to 1999, it was only in 2004 that the first
blue and yellow enduro machine was designed and produced. It was a 450 4T with fuel
injection, this bike won the coveted world championship rally title in 2010.
In 2014, ten years after the first introduction of this mythical machine there will be a new
450 4T, with an engine that has received a 100% redesign, it will be equipped with the
Synerject injection system, which will appear on the special. It will therefore benefit from
a decade of experience and technological know-how gleaned from every area of the
world. The new reference comes....