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 Shercos.
Here it is.
But first, some important points.
One. 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 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.
Three. Quite a few of the 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 they 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.
Fouling plugs has been a big issue over the years, including the most recent models.
Jetting usually fixes the issue.
But some riders still have issues especially with cold starts.
Here are some things to check:
Apparently the ECU mapping on 2018 and 2019 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 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.
Upgrade your spark plug to an iridium.
Apart from the coil, there could be issues with the regulators on older bikes.
Up to 2018 a Ducati regulator was known for failing.
It was upgraded in 2019.
The bendix was known for failing on older models, and was upgraded in 2018.
Some riders still think it's a bit fragile, and avoid overworking the 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.
See our 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.
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.
Apparently Sherco stopped putting a bolt in for the 2020 models
and just have a plastic trim button there instead.
Suspension.
Plenty of guys love their suspension.
But in the hard enduro scence,
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.
A known issue with a very simple fix.
The front fender often rubs against the frame.
Just use extra washers on the rear bolt mounts.
Sherco issued a service bulletin about this in 2020 so I assume it was fixed in 2021.
Up until the 2020 models,
the bottom of the two stroke carbs was often resting against the engine case.
As long as it's not wearing through the engine case, it should be fine.
Otherwise, just adjust it to get clearnance.
In a similar vein, a common complaint is about plastics not lining up on the bike,
right up to the recent models.
And yet strangely other owners don't have issues. Strange.
A rare but strange quirk with the two strokes.
Very occasionally they can run backwards.
When starting,
or when stalling, sometimes a kickback will cause the engine to restart in reverse.
Just keep this in mind when rolling the bike back down a steep hill if you didn't make it.
That's my list of known issues that I believe have been confirmed.
I also spoke with guys in the hard enduro scene and collected these comments.
But I couldn't get enough evidence to list them as definite known issues.
So I'll leave them here for you to check.
Do you own a Sherco?
Have you hit any of these issues?
Do you like the bike?
I have ridden quite a few over the years and been impressed.
It's always good to have more choice and competition!