Sherco 250SE and 300SE 2015 to 2020 known issues, fixes & common mods ︱Cross Training Enduro
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- Опубліковано 1 сер 2024
- www.crosstrainingenduro.com tractionerag.com Finally our 2021 Shero review of problems and fixes, especially the Sherco SEF300 and SEF250. Over the years, I have have done videos about the known issues of KTM and Beta. I had many requests for a similar video about Sherco known issues. But first, some important points. One. Plenty of guys love their SEFR300 and SEFR450 suspension. But in the hard enduro scene, quite a few haven't been happy with the KYB setup and had them revalved. When riders rave about KYB suspension, they are usually referring to the SSS version with Yamaha's own tuning, often seen as the holy gail in suspension. Sherco use their own variation. Many love it. But quite a few racers are expecting the SSS variant and it ain't that. Sherco issued a service bulletin about this in 2020 so I assume it was fixed in 2021. That's my list of known issues that I believe have been confirmed. See our Sherco SEF300 review video for more information. If your gear lever isn't returning to it's normal position, you have probably broken the shift centering spring. It's only a five dollar part but very expensive and time consuming getting the shop to fix it. I don't know how often it happens, but it's definitely a known issue. Just treat your gearbox nicely, and always keep your boot away from the lever after you've changed gear. Apparently the seal on the airbox wasn't great on earlier models, see Sherco SEFR300 and SEFR450 reviews. models. Some say it's still not great on recent models and it pays to check. While we are talking about dust, Sherco run uses an electronic idle control. If you regularly ride in dust, the idle speed stepper motor can get very dirty and possibly cause flame outs or weird idling speeds. It should be cleaned at least every 20 hours. The rear mount for the fuel tank. It's often hard to get this bolt in, and in at least one case it cracked the tank. Compiling a list of known issues is not brand bashing. Over the years, brand loyal KTM riders, and brand loyal Beta riders have issued a fatwah against me for daring to criticise their bikes. All the European bikes are great nowadays, and are better than 98% of us will ever be. But they all have known issues. Two. A Sherco known issue doesn't happen to every bike! For example, the main bearing failures on Beta two strokes was probably only around 5%. It's probably a similar rate for the KTM TPI bikes seizing. It will be the same for these Sherco known issues. They don't happen to every rider. Fouling plugs has been a Sherco known issue over the years, including the most recent Sherco SEF250 and SEF300 models. Jetting usually fixes the issue. But some riders still have issues especially with cold starts. Here are some Sherco problems to check: Apparently the ECU mapping on 2018 and 2019 SEF250 and SEF300 models wasn't great, get it updated. There were quite a few issues with the coil until it was upgraded in 2020. Also make it it's earthed well to provide a good spark. Check the float height in your SEF250 and SEF300 carb, it's often a bit high. Also at the end of rides, run your bike with the fuel off to drain fuel out of your carb. Don't leave your fuel tap on. Turn the choke off as soon as possible after starting. Don't use ethanol-based fuel. Use a good quality two stroke oil. Avoid oils with a high flashpoint like Motul 800. Plenty of riders never hit a Sherco problem. Three. Quite a few of Sherco known issues have been fixed. But I'm including older issues for anyone who might be buying an older Sherco model. Okay. One of the biggest issues is the two strokes run too rich in many countries. Problems can range from lack of grunt, to lots of spooge, to fouling plugs. Some riders have used Sherco's recommended jetting but say it's still too rich. Some experiment with different needles, others just go for an aftermarket jetting kit. Some dealers are setting the bikes up properly for their local area. Chat with your dealer. Get on social media, and find out how other riders in your area are jetting their bikes to avoid Sherco problems. Upgrade your spark plug to an iridium. Apart from the coil, there could be Sherco problems with the regulators on older SEFR300 and SEFR450 bikes. Up to 2018 a Ducati regulator was known for failing. It was upgraded in 2019. The bendix was known for failing on older SEF250 and SEF300 models, and was upgraded in 2018. Some riders still think it's a bit fragile, and avoid overworking the SEFR300 and SEFR450 starter. The clutch. Some riders find the clutch pull is too hard, at least compared to KTMs and more recent Betas. In 2021 a different clutch master cylinder made it a bit softer. An easy fix is adding washers or changing to lighter KTM springs. Apparently Sherco stopped putting a bolt in for the 2020 models and just have a plastic trim button there instead. Suspension.
#crosstrainingenduro #shercoknownissues #shercoproblems #sherco - Спорт
FURTHER NOTES Spokes breaking? The 2024 models come with stronger spokes, apparently some riders had reported spokes breaking. I asked around the 8 Sherco owners I know, one did report this happened for him. I suspect it's rare but probably worth noting.
It's good to see Sherco has been proactive with fixing most issues. There are only a small number of issues in 2021+ models, see this video for details. ua-cam.com/video/idPx0oX4jIQ/v-deo.html
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I've got a 2022 SE300 FACTORY coming in Aug, can't wait!
Sweet! All I'd suggest is ask your dealer if they've rejetted it for local conditions and maybe carry a spare plug on the off chance it fouls plugs. But I'm sure you'll have zero issues as many owners report....
Undecided on a 2022 sherco Se300, GasGas 300 ec or Husky 300. Was going to buy one this week or next.
@@stevenllewellyn8906 go for a sherco 300
@@gionce15 was going to, couldn’t find one close. I got a 22’ husky TE300i, I’m really happy with it.
Just about 60 hours on my 2021 300SE Factory. Still on the original plug. Issues I've found, plastics do not line up well and crack easily and I seem to hit natural more often than I have on other bikes. Loving the bike so far and I do not regret switching from KTM, the Sherco is just so much fun to ride.
Great to hear! Yeah the plastics lining up seems to be mainly the 2021 models... bit strange as they normally get that stuff sorted in the earlier models...
@@crosstrainingenduro try ktm and husqvarna review known issues, commons problems and fixes brather😁
@@crosstrainingenduro Was the plastics issues fixed on the 2022 models?
VIDEO INDEX
0:11 Disclaimer
1:11 Jetting
1:45 Fouling plugs
2:47 Regulators and coils
3:00 Bendix
3:13 Clutch pull
3:33 Shift centering spring
3:59 Airbox seal
4:18 Stepper motor
4:35 Rear tank mount
4:52 Suspension
5:27 Front fender
5:43 Carb clearance
6:01 Plastics alignment
6:12 Running backwards
6:37 Further notes
Thanks to viperracingt2889 for putting this together.
The running backwards comment reminded me of the old Bultacos in the 70's. They were known for it. A friend of mine was on the line for a race and started the bike up. When the rubber band snapped (yes, no such thing as starting gates back then!) he dropped the clutch and proceeded to fly backwards! A bunch of us just about pissed ourselves laughing so hard! After that he'd do a quick check to make sure it was running the right direction.
Bizarre! Could you tell if you listened for it, Dave? You'd think it would have to be running rough lol.
@@crosstrainingenduro Nope, sounded great, at least good enough. If I remember it had something to do with the timing being so close to top dead center.
@@davehowe_just_an_old_dirtbiker I always thought the engine would lock up if that happened though...
Or, even if it won't lock up and keeps running backwards, that should not turn the gears reversely, it's just the combustion chamber/crank that go reverse.
water pump too i guess... it sounds more reasonable to lock up than to enter this metaphysics state.
Enlighten me if i am missing something!
You saw it happening but i can't even understand it...
@Brad D hahaha trying hard to hold back too .. trying to use logic as last minute brakes!
Firing backwards should not result in backwards movement.. (says my brain)
But i am scared to try it because it can only happen on peak RPM :-//
@Brad D yes, some 2 stroke skidoo does that. I would love to have an enduro with a reverse but I think they have a patent so unless BRP start making motorcycle again, we won't see that soon.
I have a 2023 300 SE which blew the engine. Hopefully this is isolated, but thought I would add it here, as CTE seem to do the best job of tracking faults etc. I was riding the bike, and it was thoroughly warmed up, having done about 30 kms that day. It just stopped, and I couldn't get it going again. I had the correct fuel/oil mix, and pretty sure I hadn't thrashed it more than you should expect from a 2 stroke. The mechanic said one of the Gudgeon pin circlips was missing when he took the motor apart. Also there was bad gouging on the barrel, probably from the gudgeon pin or the circlip, and finally a piece of the barrel broke off and went down into the bearing etc. This is going to be covered under warranty as the bike only had 18 hours on it and was only 5.5 months old - just before the 6 month warranty would have run out! However, it is taking a very long time to get fixed, so far it has been with the dealer for over 3 months - they don't seem that motivated to work on it and have only rung me once in 3 months to give me a progress update, despite me asking them multiple times to keep me posted. If you are shopping for a Sherco in Upper Hutt, NZ, maybe explore other dealers. By the way, the best riding bike I have owned.
Bummer. I'm glad at least it's being done under warranty. No known issues for seizing I'm aware of, Chris. Possibly an employee with a hangover didn't put that clip in at the French factory? 🤔
Some dealers aren't motivated when it comes to repairs because the factory doesn't fully reimburse them. E.g. Beta only paid dealers about 80% of the cost for all those warranty rebuilds when main bearings were seizing for a couple of years. Sherco might be the same?
I suggest contacting the NZ distributor, explain the situation, and say you'll be going public on social media about the very poor customer service if you don't get it back soon... or at least weekly updates!
2017 250-ser ive owned just over a year, im on my 3rd expansion chamber and i have had to make my own brackets each time. FMF and scalvini. Stinger part of pipe is right up against the airbox. Great comfortable bike...easy to ride.
I've not encountered any of these issues on my 2021 300 SE Factory. No fouling plugs, running backwards, carb clearance issues, air box issues, or shifting issues. Clutch pull is nice and light. Suspension is great, just need heavier springs for my weight.
The ignition map switch is very nice feature and makes a noticeable different in power delivery. No complaints so far. Really loving the bike and certainly would recommend them.
Great to hear! Yep, there are plenty of riders hitting no issues at all. Quite a few will only hit one or two problems. And then very occasionally some poor bastard wins the lottery and gets most of them... or one or two repeatedly and can't get the shop to find the issue and fix it. It's the same with any brand, sometimes you get that bike that must have been put together after they all went to the pub for lunch lol.
Knock on wood. My 2020 Sherco SE250 Factory has none of these problems.
I had things I disliked but they were not failing.
Like:
The very hard 80 grit sandpaper grips. =ODI
Not a fan of the pegs. = Spurz pegs.
Broke stock skid plate = Enduro Engineering skid.
Some vibrations unbalanced motor. = Mako 360
Other than that I have only added guarding. Like Radiator guards, bark busters etc.
Been a solid ride and the most fun bike I have ever ridden.
Barry, a good, well presented fact based video 👍
The thing I like most about this list is that none of the items are a big deal in the scheme of things, no big ticket mechanical problems.
By and large they are a pretty robust bike to consider.
Oh, and thanks for the bendix image in there
😁👌
Cheers mate, I figure it's important info to have out there but of course at some point the brand loyal crowd will say I'm shitting on their brand lol. As you say, it's mainly a string of small stuff that might go wrong. Whereas with KTM they've mostly sorted their stuff out but the TPI is their main Achilles heel. And while Beta FINALLY sorted out the main bearing issues, their electrics are still shit. So a pretty level playing field in my book. 😁
So your saying your mate's oil pum failed so your saying this is a big issue with Beta? That's 'research' with a sample group of one which isn't all that big. How is my vid misleading? Present your evidence.
@@crosstrainingenduro Gotta love the complete lack of reply from MTTV...
Got one of the 1st 2022 300 se factory's today. Such a nice bike!
Congrats Mitch! No problems with the jetting in your location?
2014 Sherco 300 SEF-R. The threads to the three bolts used to hold down the cam cover all stripped on me even though I was using a calibrated torque wrench set to 10nm. All this went down whilst adjusting valve clearances so use extreme caution if you're doing that bit of maintenance. Good thing I'm a machinist and can fairly easily fix the problem with a few Healy Coils but others may not be quite so lucky.
Bummer. As per the end of the vid, we had some guys in the hard enduro scene report bolts strip very easily but I couldn't find reports of this in the wider Sherco community. Thanks for the info, o lover of the spaghetti monster. 😁
Great video. On the 2019 and earlier two strokes you have to make sure the carby is aligned between the reed boot and airbox boot. Otherwise the reed boot can rip. Hard to get it aligned and not rub the carb on the engine.
In 150 hours on my 300 two stroke:
- Used to foul plugs on startup, draining the carb after every ride fixed this. The angle of the carb means fuel runs into the cylinder in transport.
- Rear brake clevis wore out. Installed a yz clevis + spring
- clutch slave wore out
- carby rubbed on engine, I filed down a bit of the carby and clearance is great
Cheers, I'll add that to the pinned first comment.
how do you drain the carb? do you mean just turn the fuel off and let it idle till it dies? if so, can that be bad for the bike at all?
@@andyfinney_at_large turn fuel off and lean it over
2021 2T- definitely odd alignment of plastics. Carb was rich at first, but tuned out of it easily. Will keep an eye out for the rest.
Yeah it's a bit strange how it's the recent models with plastics lining up... it's the sort of thing that usually is fixed early on.
My ‘21 SEF300 Factory is great for trails with the clickers all opened up to the comfort settings in the manual. My only gripe is it is a slow-starting bike and actually wants a quick touch of the starter to engage and then another normal press once it’s hot. There’s a couple reasons for it, but it’s a minor quirk that motivates you to not stall the bike!
I haven't heard of that one before, Adam. Do you think the starter motor is underpowered?
I have 330 hours on my 300 sef 2018. No problems, a little bent frame at the left foot peg. The peg has folded back at a crash but bent the frame were its mounted. And fenders crack easy. Super awsome bike!
Great to hear. The few Sherco owners we know are all happy and problem-free!
I love my 2021 sherco se 250! Best suspension ever put on any enduro bike and the 2022s are said to have even better suspension. I haven’t had it kick back and fire the engine in reverse but I did have this happen once on my 1996 cr125
This is what I find interesting, the suspension does work for some while others hate having to spend up to $1000 to get it the way they want.
I have a 2020 sherco 300 se factory addition. I absolutely love the bike. Despite the few issues I’ve had with it. The stock jetting was way to rich and was fouling plugs a lot but a re-jet cleared it right up. It does have a hard time starting when it’s set for a few weeks. I’ve also had it start backwards on me I have no idea why and I have no idea how to fix it and neither does the dealer. But all and all it’s been a really good bike. And I would buy another one. I just hope sherco takes the time to fix these issues on there latest models
Great to hear you are enjoying it, Logan. Yeah it's strange how long it can take manufacturers to address problems. Look at KTM's terrible electric start design which they didn't change until other brands showed them how it's done. And Beta often wouldn't fix things until there had been five years of non-stop complaints. But with fouling plugs, this has been happening for so long it's strange the factory hasn't revised it's recommendations and set the bikes up better at the factory for starters...
I recently switched from 2019 ktm 300 xc to the 2021 se 300 I had way more problems with my ktm I have about 100 hrs on the sherco with no problems
I did have to rejet most of my riding is sea level to 5000 ft
My only gripe would be that it sits lower than the ktm as I'm a 6'4" rider
Love your stuff
I did ride the entire fleet a few years back and they all felt quite small to me... I'm a fraction taller than you. I think this would work well for the majority of riders though. Same as the Betas, from memory they are all an inch lower than the KTM models.
Barry, I'm not sure if Ben was involved in this, but his story about a Sunday ride with a Sherco guy has always been a hit.
I have a '18 model SE250 Factory and apart from jetting, the only other issue I had was a seized starter motor. I found out that Ohlins make a kit for this model(bought & fitted) which is definitely an update over the stock WP XPLOR forks & shocker kit that was original. Love riding it!
I'll have to ask Ben about that! When I told him I was doing this vid he just suggested I speak with riders in our hard enduro series as they were noticing some issues pop up. I kept those comments at the end of the vid as they didn't seem to be issues being raised by everyday riders.
That picture of the plugs shows some gimmick plugs with a divided electrode. I always used the thin electrode NGK plugs. No problems with fouling. I find that some tacky air filter oil actually restricts airflow causing over rich jetting. Two stroke oil needs mixing , proper long time shaking, especially fuel that's been sitting in the tank or drum. I know a Japanese brand that's grease shy too.
Been waiting awhile for this review. I put off buying a sherco cause you guys hadn't reviewed it yet haha. The lack of a backup kickstart was my actual biggest issue.
New KTM and Betas dont have kickers either.
Yeah most brands have headed that way, although usually offer it as an extra. Good to see Reiju (the old Gas Gas brand) still has a kicker standard.
@@crosstrainingenduro sticking with them for this reason, and the fact that my 18 GG hadn't let me down once.
Shercos have their bit of problems but lack of kickstarter really isnt one of them. I had sherco with 500+ hours, no problems with starter. Only changed battery when it was getting weak. You can always bump start the bike and recharge the battery a bit by riding
I’ve owned 2 Sherco’s mainly due to the great support with the dealer (Toowoomba bikes and bits ) I’ve had no major issues in 3 years, they do have some quirks - but don’t all bikes!! I love them…
Hi there,
I've heard T/Bar Sherco are awesome!
Do you know what jetting they did for you?
I'm on the sunny coast so it should be similar, I don't have much confidence in my local dealer unfortunately.
If your dealer isn't much good, you can also try the Sherco Aussie page on Facebook, dozens of threads there and jetting suggestions. facebook.com/groups/1219287498128765/
Great review. Ive been thinking about adding a 4-stroke to the fleet and the 300 just seems like a brilliant idea on Shercos part. The KTM 350 is just too much power for me. The local Sherco dealer here is great but I still am concerned about getting parts if needed. Only because Ive watch several buddies w Beta's have their bike down for a while waiting for parts.
A handy feature on the Shercos is their mapping switch, it really dials down the power (unlike other brands) and is awesome for beginners or very slippery terrain. That's a shame about Beta parts being an issue, their four stroke range is actually great. In Australia we've got a very fast ordering system, if the dealer doesn't stock it you usually have the part mailed out within two days... sometimes overnight.
@Dirt Bikes and Dual Props I switched from KTM to Sherco and I find oem parts are actually easier to get because the Sherco dealers stock them where the KTM dealers have to order everything in.
0:11 Disclaimer
1:11 Jetting
1:45 Fouling plugs
2:47 Regulators and coils
3:00 Bendix
3:13 Clutch pull
3:33 Shift centering spring
3:59 Airbox seal
4:18 Stepper motor
4:35 Rear tank mount
4:52 Suspension
5:27 Front fender
5:43 Carb clearance
6:01 Plastics alignment
6:12 Running backwards
6:37 Further notes
ur on to it mate. Other things in pre counterbalance smokers is losing bolts. Not a big deal but it happens. Also getting to the clickers and bleed bolts on the forks are annoying as the bars are in the way. i recon they are mint done mostly solo riding on mine for 80 hours and no major problems 👍
Great to hear it's going well! Yeah I came across the problem with accessing the bleed bolts but figured I'd leave out the really small stuff.
I had my regulator go out at 30 hours on my 2021 Sherco se300 factory. My dealer gave my all new parts and even a new cdi and upgraded battery all free of charge and shipped it all very fast to my door. I'm at 60 hours now and that's the only issue I've ever had. Bikes come from the factory with bad jetting and the chart they give is bad. Just order a jd jetting kit and you'll be golden. Im very happy with my bike!
Great to hear! The CDI, coil and regulator all seem to be a hit and miss over the years but it seems to only be a small failure rate thankfully. There are just a few owners who get it all happening on the one bike and they get very frustrated... but it's rare for that to happen.
Here's one of them. He commented below... "Unfortunately I have “that bike”. Owned my 21 SE Factory 300 for 5 months and it’s been at the dealership for 3. Jetting was bad, ecu needed “update” then regulator went and fried ecu and cdi and blew up battery, then wire harness failed (idk just what dealer said) which melted my starter internally). Should have it back this week with literally new electric everything. But gonna sell ASAP. I can’t trust the thing. It’s broken every single ride. Thankfull their warranty is good."
Thanks for this video I just ordered my 22’ 300 2-t and I’m expecting it in august
Very helpful info to be aware of!
I hope it helps, Garrett! Hopefully you'll hit zero issues as quite a few owners find. Running rich and possibly fouling plugs is the biggie, so just ask your dealer if it's going to be a problem and carry a spare plug with you. 😁
@@crosstrainingenduro Will do thanks!
@@Madtigertv I’m aware of how a carb works. I’m just thankful for the very in depth and bike specific research as I’ve not yet owned a Sherco.
@@garretthorner hey mate have you received your 300 yet? I've had mine for the last couple of weeks, started it twice and have fouled 2 plugs just off idle.. have you had an issue with jetting?
@@patrickmcintyre3153 yes I have. Mine came quite rich from the factory so I went to the leaner needle that came with the bike when I bought it on the second clip. Then I leaned out the main jet based on the chart in the manual. I left the idle where it was and the bike is running perfect now. I’m at about 3500-4500ft above sea level when I ride.
I slotted the rear tank mount frame hole on my 2019 300ser as it has a floating mount ,problem sorted.Honda crf450 clutch plates from 2019 fit and work much better.My plug kept fouling early on,turns out it's a weak spark,sherco sorted under warranty as it's a known problem.otherwise great bike especially now I've had the kyb forks revalved.
I've had one guy say the Adler clutch plates were an issue until the 2021 model, Simon. But I couldn't find any other reports though. What problems did you have?
When riding slow stuff,where you're slipping the clutch,the clutch would start to squeal like a pig,didn't slip,and plane plates where un-marked,no heat damage.
2017 se 300 racing
I've only done about 25 hours on it but a few things to note,
Failed starter and bendix - no starters in Australia. 2 week wait for replacement, no biggie. I do like that the starter gears are supported by needle roller bearings compared to ktms using bushes
I find air filter and battery access poor compared to KTM but I do like the quick release seat
Failed speedo display due to water
Plastics aren't the best fitting but not too bad. Broke a rear fender first ride - they don't seem to be very flexible
Yet to foul a plug but it definitely runs too rich
That said, I love the bike and have ordered a 22 racing 300😁
There were definitely a few more known issues on those earlier models. Hopefully the upgraded bendix will be better. In some ways Sherco reminds me of Beta where there were lots of niggling problems that took them a fair while to deal with e.g. cheap plastics that broke so easily. I reckon you'll like the 22 model, most guys I know said they just needed to rejet and everything has been great... except for plastics that don't line up very well.
Many snowmobiles use a backwards running engine for reverse. It works great, press a button, the engine almost stalls, ecu fires the plug at the right time to fire backwards and after a fraction of a second you can't sense anything different or unusual, Until you touch the throttle. Due to the way a two stroke engine operates, it makes little to no difference to how well the engine runs.
Clever!
I'll never forget the first time I seen a two stroke running backwards !
Was it a Sherco? In our group, Scott has to be very careful with the KTM 200EXC as the compression won't hold it on hills. It doesn't actually start firing thankfully, but it does start rolling back way too easily... he's had a few nasty moments.
Engine running backwards. Be careful Sherco, I think skidoo has a patent on engine running backwards to reverse. Might cost you a lot 😂
thank you for vids man its hard to find any info on sherco hence have a 21 se 250 factory i shared this video across all Facebook sherco pages i could.
Glad it's useful, Zach! The info is out there but spread across hundreds of posts on social media all over the place, so I was hoping it was handy to have it all in one spot.
@@crosstrainingenduro super handy i have yet to have any of these issues except the excessive spooge issue even with a leaner set up and the plastics not fitting correctly into each other but only have 20 hours on it. again thank you.
I have a 2021 SE 300 factory. May 2021.
The gear shifter was very hard to shift... sometimes. My dealer, said it might be a lose bolt on the aluminum "looks like a star" gear selector. ( located behind the clutch assy). I was the 5 th in US to have this known problem. I had shiny non magnet sparkles in my gear oil after two easy rides. Dealer replaced it under the 1 mo. Warranty. Dealer Also replaced speed display too. Water in display.
The KYB suspension suxed. I must of had the shity factory valveing.
Both suspensions revalved $780.00. Radiator and plactics misaligned. Fuel on/off valve not standard. If that makes sense.
Was thinking, I should of got a Beta.
I do like the bike now.
I'm glad you got it all sorted out now, James. Most owners have few if any issues. But occasionally you'll find an owner tearing their hair out when they hit a pile of known issues... and sometimes repeatedly. Of course this can happen with any brand e.g. the number of Beta riders who had two main bearing failures in succession, and a handful even three times. 🤔
2021 300 Factory owner here, very happy with mine. No real gripes, if i have to post a negative it would be clutch feel/grab point popping over logs. Seems to be like a light switch.. not heavy at all. FYI i am comparing it to my old 2016 Beta 300.
You might find the Midwest lever handy, the leverage would smooth out that grabby feel probably.
If somebody is fouling spark plug, you can try to run a hotter spark plug if you run fuel with plenty of octane rating (hotter plug can increase risk of detonation). Also, I would suggest that you run standard spark plug and change it more often instead of using iridium. They last longer in good condition but they aren't more resistant to fouling and they don't increase performance so buy the copper one and be happy.
Too tacky air filter oil can cause overich mixture. Not mixing oil properly is another fouling cause. It needs proper shaking and redoing if the mixture has been sitting in the bike or drum even overnight. I always used the thin electrode race plugs, never had good results with standard plugs.
but apart from that they are "tip top" haha nice work baz, cant imagine how much research you did for this vid, fair play to you.
Ridiculous amounts of work, mate. 😂 Phone calls and emails to industry guys, poring over hundreds of posts in Sherco forums and private Facebook groups... But I actually enjoy it and if it saves a bunch of riders getting headaches then I'll be stoked. Plus after giving Beta and KTM a hard time over the years it's time to spread the love around a bit lol.
Very happy with my 2017 SEF300 factory, not much problems here. Just regular maintenance is what's neccesary. My main annoyance is the lac of space to put the airfilter in it's place from above through the subframe. A miner 1or1,5 cm wider would be enough. Or an entrance at the sidepanel like Rieju would be nice. At the left side at the Sherco now is not possible. And a bit more room to get the backwheel out, the tyre (140) is to wide. Maybe i should try an 120 or130 then the "problem" is solved ;-) .
the air filter on my Beta Xtrainer is difficult to fit too, not enough room, and I'm never sure if it's fully in place or not. 🤔 Ever seen the air filter on an old Husaberg 70 degree engine? Magic! You just drop it in... so easy, it was almost fun doing air filters lol.
I Got a 2021 300 SE Factory great bike helped my harder riding no end only real problem is the speedo out at 6 Hr i have fouled a few plugs but others i ride with on KTM 2021 have fouled some plugs as well
I have a sef500 factory. Awesome handling bike with the best suspension. They loosen up after a few hundred k’s. Suited for a faster flowy style of single track, they are the quickest enduro bike I’ve ever ridden around a MX track. Only issues I’ve had is the radiator overflow tube rubs on the fuel tank causing a leak when it heats up. The thermo fan fuses are hard to get to in the bush- buried in wiring under the tank. The biggest is the gearbox ratios are weird and don’t suit slower technical riding in 1st and 2nd. They also aren’t geared for higher speeds like desert riding either. Only 135kph max speed. It does get there bloody quick but. If you are a taller rider then you need bar risers and a change of foot pegs to lower and further back like the flo pegs. This is for a 6’3” rider. The positives far outweigh the negatives on this bike.
Hi mate. Just read your 500sef comment and was wondering what gearing you are running with the low top speed. I am just looking at the sherco to replace a 500exc for desert/ adventure riding. Could it pull longer gearing ok? I would cruise around 120 on the ktm with 15/47 but would prefer a faster cruise speed while keeping a light bike.
@@danielswanwick9046 mate I wouldn’t recommend the sherco for desert or adventure riding. The gearbox is not a wide ratio box and as a result you just don’t have the longer top gear like on the ktm. You can change the sprockets to a lot larger front and smaller rear for top speed, but as a result first and second gear would be way outa wack. There’s just not much you can do with sprockets to fix it, as the ratios are shorter. Only other thing is that it is essentially a 450cc motor with a larger piston in it, making it a 480cc. Not a long stroking 500 like the ktms. I think I had a 14 front on there. They are a fast bike but not desert type fast, more MX track
Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the info since you know firsthand.
@@danielswanwick9046 no worries cheers
Very little time on my ‘21 SE Factory. Speedo unit failed after 3.5 hrs and tank shrouds aren’t the easiest to line up. Other than that, the bike is great! I’m happy to not be a sheep.
I think plenty of us factor in not wanting to be sheep when choosing our bikes, Rich. 😊 Speedos and overall electrics seem to be an occasional issue on the Shercos, the same with Betas. I knew one dealer who kept a stockpile of speedos for warranty claims...
@@crosstrainingenduro
My dealer is working on getting me a new speedo under warranty. I suspect it may take them a few more months of tap dancing with the Sherco factory. My dealer’s been around for 30 plus years. I have faith he’ll succeed. Besides, I don’t look down at the thing during riding. Was just nice to have to keep track of the hours on the bike
Have a 2015 SEF 300 - easy to ride slow or fast. Plastics are crap - slowly replacing with polisport stuff which is not brittle. Should have bitten the bullet and bought the whole kit rather than replacing piecemeal. Spark plug hard to get at and get out. Solved with practice and a thin wall socket. Cleaning the stepper motor fixed high idling problems - idle got so high that it was becoming tricky to ride. Can get a bit hot in tight stuff so will probably fit a fan.
Did I say an incredibly easy bike to ride...does everything my old two banger 300 would do and more...
I heard plastics were brittle on earlier models, Beta was the same around 2015. We always pop the tank off to access the spark plug but I might try the thin wall socket.
I don't know what they were thinking with the brittle plastics - good to know the newer ones are better. Here's the socket: www.mxstore.com.au/p/Bikeservice-16mm-Extra-Thin-Wall-Spark-Plug-Socket/BS9133 In Kiwiland they have them at Supercheap.
Might try this one - if it works - for my backpack tool kit: www.mxstore.com.au/p/Ballards-Bendy-16mm-Spark-Plug-Tool/34-YZF
Got stranded in the bush for a bit last weekend - wouldn't start - no nothing - dead as a moa. For a brief moment was missing the rugged simplicity of my old two banger. Problem traced to a loose battery terminal. Will add checking and cleaning the battery terminals to maintenance routine. Thanks for identifying the stepper motor in your vid. I never knew it existed and needed a bit of love every now and again. Starter motor does the same stuff described below. Quite often turns over briefly, stops and then roars into life without hesitation on the 2nd press of the button. Will see if battery terminal maintenance improves it. Apparently they put a strong starting system in these bikes to make up for the lack of a kick starter.
Hey Barry,
I've got a 2022 Factory 300 if you ever wanted to do a review on it. Take it for the day mate. I'm on the Sunny Coast.
Thanks for the offer, we've actually had a decent ride on a 2021 model and given how few changes there have been I reckon that's given us a good idea of what they are like.
2014 SEF 300 water pump seal, dripping coolant on cold starts, changing the water pump shaft and seal and bearing only solving the problem for 50 hours/half a year
I did come across reports of coolant leaks but they seemed to have for different reasons and none of them seemed common enough to say it was a known issue... it's a bummer to hear yours can't be permanently fixed.
Is there a plan for "Common known issues" regarding the original Gas Gas (now Rieju)? To contribute, I own a 2T 2019 EC 300. A bit rich mixture was fixed by a smaller pilot jet and lowering the needle. The weak point of the bike is the starter Bendix, which is sticking every 100+ hours. Apart from that (220 hrs so far) I did not have a single issue and I still have the original piston on. I would be happy to answer in any of your questions!
Yes we did that video a few years back, Visilis.
I’ve had several of these issues on my 2014 ser300, broken subframe welds cracked and gave way, shift spring, regulator, air box seal, carb clearance (bolt wore down to point leaking fuel from carb) fuel tap is very hard to access.
As the shift spring expensive to fix, Carwyn? I'm a hopeless mechanic and I dread that sort of thing.
Fortunately had a good mate help me with replacing the shift spring, it’s quite an involved job, dump gear oil and rad fluid, disconnect rad hoses, engine case and water pump come out, then the clutch & basket, unbolt front of engine from frame and pivot the engine up so the the gear lever spline can be removed. Replace spring, reinstall everything, replace gear oil and rad fluids. Couple of hours job.
Also cracking rear subrames on many bikes, cylinder base gasket gets blown easily if you ride hard enduro and overheat the bike, adler clutch friction plates last very short time (solved on 2021 models)
Interesting, I couldn't find much in the way of reports on these issues. I suspect the overheating and clutch plate problems would be specific to hard enduro riding... any fix for the overheating?
@@crosstrainingenduro me and friends had a local mechanic cut custom gaskets from better material than stock gaskets. These all problems happened on multiple bikes, but all were used pretty hard. Still ktm clutch plates last easily 5 times longer than 2018 adler plates on sherco
Thanks, I've added some of that to the pinned first comment. 👍
This is pretty much a useless comment now that I'm almost a year late to this but I have raced for a Sherco dealership for about 2 years racing long desert XC races that border hard enduro until school got in the way. Ridden many models and years and by far are my favorite bikes to date. The bearings are 100% under greased and we pull them and re grease them before the first ride. Head stem bearings are also prone to this issue and I have replaced them one too many times lmao. On the newer bikes, being 2020 and 2021, Sherco raised the foot pegs for clearance and it makes the bike feel cramped. No real fix to this but you get used to it after a while. The last point I will touch on is fuel tanks. I absolutely hate them. There is no option for a dry brake setup from any manufacturer, the caps tend to leak, and are often a pain to remove. All other points mentioned are definitely there, but often vary model to model and have easy fixes. Love the videos, keep up the great work!
Actually an easy fix for the footpegs would be Fastway pegs, Arie. They move back as well as down if you use their alternative positioning.
Please, no more known issues for KTM's Barry. I know, I know you could make an hour long video and probably retire from it but their owners are extremely sensitive and quite frankly it's getting embarrassing watching them high fiving every time one of them gets home under it's own steam😂
Uh oh, I've got another vid about TPI coming out soon lol.
@@crosstrainingenduro Can't wait lol.
@@crosstrainingenduro is it out yet?
485.6°F is the flash point of motul 800. Spark plugs should run hotter than 500F and cooler than 950 F so a well tuned engine with a spark plug that is the proper heat range should have a spark plug temp of approximately 700F. In other words the oil is not the problem the problem is most likely a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio that is lower than 14.7:1 Or a spark plug that is too cold (higher number). Colder spark plugs dissipate heat more quickly to the cylinder head, so all other things being equal, they run at a lower temp.
Good info, Mike
I’ve had a few problems with my 2015 sef300r.
1. Bike gets hot and the coolant boils over and spills out the reservoir.
2. Ignition switch has failed a few times.
But otherwise it’s been a great bike!
Interesting! I didn't come across any cases of overheating, Wade. Is that hard enduro riding?
Not sure how old your bike is but I had boil over issues on my KTM 350. Turns out it was a worn rubber gasket on the radiator cap. New cap solved the boil over issue completely.
@@ALB2073 its a 2015 so not too old, Interesting I'll have to check the gasket on my bike!
@@crosstrainingenduro yes generally it won't boil over unless i've been riding hard for around 45 min, i've just had to stop on the trail and turn off the bike for 5-10 min to allow it to cool down.
I wasn't very happy when my regulator played up & i had to push, grunt & grown it for about 5Klm/2hrs back to the car :( Plus it melted my near new lithium battery, it cost $180 for a replacement, considering it's a know issue i would have thought they could do a better price on it ? It has made me a bit paranoid about going to far from the car :(
I haven't heard of this one before, Brian. What year model? Are you sure it's a known issue? I haven't heard a thing about this one. It has been an issue on Shercos for quite a few years...
@@crosstrainingenduro i was pretty sure you said in the Video, that Sherco 4 strokes had a voltage regulator issue, the dodgy Ducati 1? Mine is a 2015 300sefr & it started playing up @ 125hrs, on the shercoforum they were saying it will happen between 120 -160hrs, if you get past the 160hrs you should be right. There seemed to be a fair few people on the forum saying it had happened to them & if anybody asked a question & the symptons were hard starting, doesn't run for long & battery issues this was the first problem people put up. Mine would start, run for 2 klm then just stop, i would pull the clutch in & try to rev it but it would stop :( It was strange, because it would go exactly 2Klm stop & then start again. When i pulled the seat off, i had trouble getting the battery out, because it had expanded from the extra heat generated by the extra voltage :(
Doh, sorry Brian! My bad. I was answering lots of questions on the latest Beta known issues vid so thought you were talking about a Beta. Yes, lots of regulator problems on Shercos, I'm not even sure if it's really fixed on later models either.
So what do you do in the case of an engine running backwards, shut it down obviously, but then what?
I guess just start it up again. It should only happen very rarely with a few two stroke models... and it definitely wouldn't run well enough to get you into trouble!
Not an issue but kind of an annoyance: Dealer warned me about it but on my 21, I need to crack the throttle when hitting the starter. Sometimes it takes a couple tries but it always ends up starting. Taking it in to get an updated map this week in hopes it reduces the issue but I realize it likely wont eliminate it
Two stroke or four stroke, Evan?
@@crosstrainingenduro SEF 250
@@EILevine I had the 2017 300 4t, and what always worked for me was putting it in the "soft" map for startup. you might try that.
Update: Dealer had my bike for 3 weeks and couldn't figure out what was wrong. France said another bike in Australia had this issue and sent new intake and exhaust cam shafts and it fixed the issue. These parts were 4 weeks out so I asked for a new bike (4 hours on the clock). Dealer called me today saying they swapped ECUs and it fixed the issue.
Seems pretty one-off and Sherco took care of everything. I'd still recommend it to a friend if they were buying from the same dealer as me
Can I upgrade the starter bendix on 2017 to bendix on 2018?
No idea, Yangmin. You'd need to ask a Sherco dealer/mechanic about that one.
Thumb up on all that info. Barry 👍🤓 it's funny how them zombies are so frail sick but most alway seem to have a decent sharp set a choppers always wear a helmet en don't let um get into your head 😅
I think there's a group of generous dentists who offer free dental work to zombies, good to see this sort of philanthropy going on in my book.
Had the coil issue and running too rich issue on a 2020 250FSE.
A few guys have mentioned coils still failing on 2020 and 2021 models so maybe the upgrade still isn't 100% in some cases.... hopefully it's failing less often though.
Still better than anything Japan has to offer and a welcome change from team pumpkin.
Unfortunately I have “that bike”. Owned my 21 SE Factory 300 for 5 months and it’s been at the dealership for 3. Jetting was bad, ecu needed “update” then regulator went and fried ecu and cdi and blew up battery, then wire harness failed (idk just what dealer said) which melted my starter internally). Should have it back this week with literally new electric everything. But gonna sell ASAP. I can’t trust the thing. It’s broken every single ride. Thankfull their warranty is good.
It happens that way sometimes. 😢 In researching this vid, I came across three owners who just kept hitting one problem after another and got fed up. Unfortunately it can happen with other brands too. KTM owners trying to get their TPI running properly or their bikes sieze at low hours and destroy the engine. Quite a few Beta owners had two and even three main bearing failures in succession. It just seems to be a European thing where you hit a real lemon occasionally.
Perhaps you were riding backwards?
😂
2021 2t 300 factory 15 hrs 11 fouled plugs rejetted 6 times got it close. Taking to dealer to re map ecu. Just a pain Like the bike but not worrying every time I ride
Hopefully the remapping will be the final key to the puzzle, Eugene.
Dealers should be remapping all 2021's before selling them, Sherco has been clear on this. Sounds like your dealer dropped the ball. Hope they get it sorted for you.
Wouldn't be surprised, every brand seems to have its fair share of dealers who don't do their pre-sales prep correctly and don't keep up to date with service bulletins.
Had a 19 300 with the same problem.No amount of jetting changes could fix it. Turns out it only had 125 psi compression milled the head down to 1.3 squish and ended up with 185psi Problem solved. Dealers are only resellers now days--had to work it out my self.
That is a shame, Eugene. The dealer should know what will fix it. The best dealers would rejet/remap prior to sale. The good ones would at least tell you what you need to do. The bad ones just don't care.
It s 2022 better than 2021 or its good 2021 i liked white plastics fav col ?
No idea. They usually won't admit they are fixing known issues as it's admitting they actually made mistakes.
Hola, para hard enduro cual es mejor beta o sherco
No se, Laga. All the two strokes are very similar nowadays.
Im a brand loyal Beta rider, been for years now. But as a brand loyal Beta rider I ofc know there are some issues and I still love the bikes, so for a new Beta rider its better to know the issues before and still try, otherwise they will just get pissed and leave the brand again.
You cant ride anything italian or french and expect the electrics to be good for example, trust me on this. I have a Beta, a Aprilia and two Citroens.
It is a shame they can't really nail it with the electrics, Erik. But as you say, it just seems to be a French/Italian thing. And even the Austrians aren't all that great compared to the Japanese who really know what they are doing.
@@crosstrainingenduro indeed, still love the bikes. It just means that I have to keep an eye on it and do a few tweaks myselfe, nothing major but good to know.
Was talking to the teamboss for the swedish husqvarna enduro team a few years back. He used to strip all their bikes down to the frame and redo how all the electrics was mounted to make sure it would not fail.
My 21 300 se factory is an amazing bike came of a Husaberg 500 . Chalk and cheese
Sherco all the way !
I borrowed a mates Se300 2019 on a rally ride( he has 2 shercos 🙄) anyway I had the throttle stick on me 3 times and he’s telling me it must be me never happened to him, so I’m second guessing myself 🤔 because I do have a fracture in my wrist which limits movement in my right hand. But it seemed to happen on chattery small bumps, has anyone had this problem or is it my gumby wrist? FYI he had major fouling problems on this bike and finally had an ecu update.
It didn't come up in my initial research, Eddy. But googling around brought up this post. shercoforum.com/index.php?topic=623.0 One guy suggests safety wiring the throttle cable housing as it can cause issues.
@@crosstrainingenduro That's exactly what it is. It happened to me once on my old 4T. Very scary because that thing had a pair! I wound up putting a zip tie on that rubber sleeve and it never happened again, but I was always scared of it, and regularly looked after it.
The fans failing is a common fault mine did it and a heap of others
Interesting, I hadn't heard about that, Nic.
Nothing is perfect, it's just the way it is.
Oi oi! Poo poo monsieur!
I rode a 2021 300SER on the weekend, and it was a tough job getting my sausage fingers into the fuel tap. Otherwise it was quite a nice bike to ride!
Bonjour Monsieur Coxy le Muppette! So it's still hard to access! I read they actually improved access for 2021 but it still wasn't great... You and your sausage fingers, sigh.
The 2 main issues with sherco are.....
1. Ive not seen one in this country.
2. I couldnt afford one if they did arrive here. (300٪ import tax and no road legal)
300%! Are there any brands that don't get that ridiculous tax over there?
@@crosstrainingenduro well....theres the home built CRF250.... im nursing another back strain and torn knee tendons after lifting that back up the side of a mountain....
Twice. :(
Buy a Sherco. They sometimes have reverse.
Makes life interesting!
Interesting, I rode with a guy on a Sherco, he was constantly fowling plugs. His riding was shithouse too, nothing like Tim C so perhaps his bike was a dud?
I see the logic there... no fouling plugs and he will ride like Tim Coleman. I like it!
Can you talk about yz250 please
The lowly yz250. Nobody needs one of those shitty bikes as they don’t work anywhere except a motocross track.
I'm only taking topic requests from my supporters, I can barely keep up with those...
@@chadrides914 ouch
@@crosstrainingenduro oh alright, I don't know what bike I should get next, yz250 or 300 exc. Because I don't want to deal with all the electronics on a exc but they are a good bike
@@yzbanger7180 bud I was kidding. Go watch a few of my vids. I am in love with mh yz’s.
bazza even bambi had enemys ;] if everybody rode a piaggio in hard enduro and run it vegatable oil no probs
I know. 😢 I've recommended the Piaggio as a hard enduro beast in several vids now but no one is taking any notice. 😒
@@crosstrainingenduro unbelievers heratics they dont know wot their missing easy to maintain a beast on the tracks goes like stink
Ohh la la. Magnifico croissants, have you lost you baguette
Oui monsieur, je suis fou vraiment.... le lol!
Running too rich is not a major issue as it's not going to break the bike or your wallet. Rejetting most people would do on most brands of bikes anyway. On a new bike I would actually prefer rich jetting for the first 5hrs before I rejet a bike regardless of brand. I'd change the oil and spark plug at the same time.
Problems with the 2021 version
------------------------------
Too pretty
Too good
Too fun
Too inexpensive to buy
Too inexpensive to maintain
Too reliable
Too simple to fix
French
😂
We do appreciate these types of videos on known problems but that doesn't change the fact you have small genitalia.
I know. 😢
That’s a big ass log lol
It sure was, I'll be featuring it in a vid soon!
Damn, that's way some many problems with that bike
But pick any European bike and you'll get a similar list. And potentially big problems, like the TPI bikes seizing early. Or main bearing failures on 2018-2020 Betas. And if you research any Japanese bike you'll get an impressively long list too. 😂
@@crosstrainingenduro I bought a yamaha yz250fx 4 months ago and have put 35 hours on it, and I haven't experienced any issues yet, I'm very happy with the bike, I'm not a professional though but I do ride it hard sometimes, and so far everything is good, do you know any issues with these bikes?
The bike is brand new 2021
I haven't checked Matias. Usually the Japanese bikes have fewer issues and you have to dig deeper.... partly they have great quality control but also they rarely change their bike design.
Just this, just that..... just buy a KTM.
And hope it doesn't seize when the TPI system can run as low as 150:1 on oil? 😂 And which brand has the most recalls for 2021 so far?
Swm probs and fixes
Non dovrebbero permettere di produrre certa porcheria
Seriously? Look at Beta's known issues over the years... especially main bearing failures. Every brand looks like crap when you list their known issues. Most owners won't get them. Unfortunately a few will get multiple problems.
@@crosstrainingenduro Moto acquistata nuova, 300 SER 2020, ho dovuto sostituire a mie spese in 25 ore di utilizzo: 5 candele accensione, bobina, cablaggio elettrico, centralina motore, motorino della valvola di scarico, batteria. Inoltre ho avuto problemi anche col carburatore. La peggior motocicletta che io abbia mai posseduto.
@Cross Training Enduro Bike purchased new, 300 SER 2020, I had to replace at my expense in 25 hours of use: 5 spark plugs, coil, electrical wiring, engine control unit, exhaust valve motor, battery. I also had problems with the carburetor. The worst motorcycle I have ever owned.
I hope for good translation
Unfortunately this can happen with any brand. A small percentage of motorbikes with have multiple problems. It's very frustrating for owners. But it happens with Shercos, Betas, KTMs, Husqvarnas etc.
Sfortunatamente questo può accadere con qualsiasi marchio. Una piccola percentuale di moto con problemi multipli. È molto frustrante per i proprietari. Ma succede con Sherco, Beta, KTM, Husqvarna ecc.