Easy Does it!
By TMX Archives on 15th Jun 06
Looking for a hard-hitting, fire-breathing enduro monster? Then look somewhere else - the '06 Sherco 4.5i is a super-smooth woods weapon that'll leave you hungry for more...even after a full day in the saddle
Any manufacturer coming into the trail and enduro market is always a welcome event so last year's launch of Sherco's enduro bike created a real buzz in the off-road scene. The French/Spanish company are obviously a big player in the trials market and the addition of an enduro machine was a good move with the Sherco badge hinting at quality in both build and reliability.
Sherco have set out to refine their fuel injected enduro bike with the end goal to produce a machine that can be raced and ridden at all levels, straight from the crate. That seems to be the European way - these guys build a bike and go racing at world level with everything in absolute stock trim. Tremendous!
With the new 4.5i available to test and numerous refinements promised from the '05 model it was off to a very wet Tong Hall near Leeds to put the puppy through its paces...
The day was perfect for a test and so was the venue as there were some great ranges of conditions and terrain to test the motor and chassis to the max.
The overall look of the bike is not really different to the previous model but as soon as you climb aboard the changes start to become apparent. There is a slightly more comfortable feel as you sit a little more into the bike - rather than on top of it - and the Paioli shock has been shortened, allowing the seat height to decrease by two-and-a-half centimetres. This gives the bike an altogether more user-friendly feeling which will appeal to a wider spectrum of riders and was to prove a great feature in the quality and comfort of ride as the day went on.
The handlebar position and the feeling from the controls is positive and precise as is expected of all modern bikes. Oversize and braceless handlebars are the unit of choice for the trail and enduro rider as they make life a tad easier on the rider by providing a little bit of flex while retaining great strength. These factors combine to allow a lot more time in the saddle with lesser levels of fatigue.
As soon as I snicked the Sherco into gear and rode off I could start to understand why it is good to refine an already solid bike, to reach for an even higher performance level. The bike simply felt great as I pulled away. The Sherco R&D people have done their homework and the changes to the motor were instantly noticeable.
The smoothness in this motor is pretty staggering. There is a delivery of smooth, tractable power from this motor which is ahead of any other bike I have tested. I think you could ride this bike in a full on trial. Now don't get me wrong, this motor is not the fastest - in fact it has an easy feel which could almost be mistaken as a slow feel - but the Sherco team have opted for an ease of ride rather than a fire-breather.
The electronic fuel injection system is revised with a completely new curve which clearly delivers the goods to the right place at the right time. New valves and a lighter flywheel compliment the fuel injection system to deliver an almost perfect power delivery with a minimum of fuss. On every type of going the bike would go about its business with no drama, using the smooth power to track along when I should have been getting in a bit of trouble with my lack of skill on the day...
At this stage I have to say fair play to Sherco for getting the fuel injection system working so well on a stock bike. A lot of manufacturers are going to be using fuel injection systems soon and Sherco have been innovative in their desire to get it into production as early as possible.
The bike started easily with the electric boot every time and when hot it still fired easily with the button or the kickstart.
The chassis is a comfort zone and the only negative from the suspension is the same as almost every other Euro manufacturer in as much as the rear shock seemed to hit a bit of a hard spot in the middle of its stroke. The feeling appeared to come from the linkage rather than the shock itself and I think a slightly different rising rate could be used to give a more linear stroke through the linkage system. This small problem only raised its head a couple of times on faster sections when hitting kickers.
On the tight and technical going the bike as a package is really useable as, with a small flick of the throttle, the bike will ascend anything in its path - as long as the furry fellas are large enough to overcome the fear factor! The Sherco does like a challenge and I know it has the ability to get up just about any climb in any event. This really is a strong point to this bike.
The overall feel of the chassis is positive and that, combined with footpeg and handlebar positions that were comfortable in all situations, helps the Sherco provide a very balanced ride for long days on the trails. This really is a bike you can spend a lot of time on with no discomfort from rider positioning - everything feels just right and with the motor delivering the power in such a friendly fashion all Sherco owners are in for a treat.
Another new addition for '06 is the 5.1i. This bigger bore motor is pretty much the same as the 4.5i except for the use of a different cylinder, piston, crankshaft and con-rod. The 5.1i wasn't available to test on the day but it promises the same smooth power delivery with just a little added muscle and I'm sure it will be a great bike to ride.
SpecsBore and stroke: 94.5mm x 64mm
Front forks: Paioli/Kayaba (295mm travel)
Rear shock: Paioli (300mm travel)
Front brake: 270mm
Rear brake: 240mm
Seat height: 900mm
Wheelbase: 1485mm
Dry weight: 109kg