350 Enduro Shootout | SHERCO vs BETA vs KTM vs GASGAS
There is no denying mid capacity, four-stroke enduro bikes have been the go-to off-road motorcycle for over a decade. I first jumped on one back in 2012 and used it as a rehab bike after breaking my back. Toby Price rode a KTM 350EXC to win the 2011 A4DE, Mathew Phillips had the full Sherco range at his fingertips and choose a Sherco 300 SEF to win the outright World Enduro championship in 2016 and Steve Holcombe rode a Beta RR 350 Racing to the outright World Enduro championship win in 2020.
Every other day I come across riders ranging from 16-66 years of age who prefer to ride a mid-capacity four stroke over anything else, in everything from single trails to desert races.
What makes these mid-capacity enduro bikes so popular? I put it down to that they are super versatile and capable in all kinds of terrain and riding conditions. That is why you will see these machines winning World Enduro Championships and happily plodding along single trails with 60 plus year olds smiling on top.
The power plant needs take the majority of the credit for this. It is capable of pumping out enough horsepower to set special test times faster than anything else, while producing it in a controlled and metered manner that appeals to the average unfit weekend trail rider.
Looking at the fleet of mid-capacity enduro bikes ADB has brought together, you’re probably wondering where is the Husqvarna FE350 and why the Sherco Factory model when the other brands are all standard models. Even though we finally got to stop wearing annoying masks today, Covid is still causing the world grief and Covid related delays is the reason that the fleet we are sampling looks like it does. On top of that, it makes sense that we ride these models as they are the
Our riding location was at the foot of the Blue Mountains near Lithgow. It has a good mix of muddy slippery black clay, flowing third gear trails, short 100m climbs and descents with a combination of boulders and loose rocky sections. After overnight rain the riding conditions were as good as it gets and it did not matter that all four bikes had quite different tyre combinations as the grip was very consistent and high.
Seeing the day ran so smoothly, each of us got to experience each bike while we were fresh, full bellied from lunch burgers and tired at the end of a long day of weaving in and out of trees on premium single trails. To paint a bit of a picture how I came up with my opinions, I would pull my phone out and make notes about the good, bad and neutral behaviours and features I experienced on each bike.
Sherco 300 SEF Factory
What it does well:
It makes very impressive power just past the mid-range, all the way to the rev limiter. Even though this is only a 300cc engine the mid to top end performance is good enough to run with much bigger capacity engines. Both ends of the KYB suspension are more than capable of handling anything I could throw at it. This suspension is ready to hit a race track at full speed.
At the flick of a thumb switch, next to the throttle, you can access either soft or hard power maps. My favourite was the hard option as it was the most responsive and provided the strongest bottom end power to launch out of corners.
What it does bad:
I found the bottom end power a little soft when exiting corners if I didn’t keep the engine revving. The geometry on this bike gives it a slow steering feeling, so unless I made sure I was weighting the front end as much as possible in corners, it would often run wide. The firm feeling race spec suspension beat me up when I was riding at my trail riding pace.
Neutral observations I made:
Even though the handlebars on this bike were taller than standard it still had a low handlebar feeling. The cockpit felt very open and easy to move around on. It comes standard with a radiator thermo fan that can only help on steamy rides. The Brembo brakes were faultless every time I needed them.
Who it suits:
This package rewards the hard charging racer who likes to push hard. Riders much heavier than me would appreciate the firmer suspension setup and its ability to take big hits with ease. Even though this bike is giving away a few CCs to the other bikes it is a serious contender in the mid-capacity category, providing you have the right pilot that can make the most of the race spec suspension and peaky power.
Josh Evans
I noticed the steering immediately. It felt twitchy, maybe because I came off the GasGas? The other guys were going on about the rake. It felt steep but didn’t look like it. The power felt down on the others and strangely sounded like an induction roar rather than an exhaust note. Grabbo bled the air out of the forks, which helped me settle into riding it harder. It’s a great bike, I would be super happy to own it, but I preferred the others.
Mitch Lees
I’m used to the Sherco 300 SEF Factory because I have one as a long term test bike so it felt comfortable but I will admit it definitely feels different to the others now. Even the Beta felt closer to the KTM setup. The suspension was much more race-like with a firm setup that suited my weight. I did notice the smaller engine because it felt like it had slightly less inertia or grunt but was very lively and racey.
Sherco 300 SEF FACTORY
ENGINE
Type DOHC, four-valve single-cylinder
Displacement 303.68cc
Bore & Stroke 84mm x 54.8mm
Cooling Liquid with forced circulation
Compression ratio N/A
Fuel metering Synerject digital electronic fuel injection
Tank capacity 9.7 Litres
Transmission Six-speed sequential gearbox, primary gears and chain secondary
Clutch Hydraulic, multi-disc in oil bath
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase 1480mm
Seat height 950mm
Ground clearance 355mm
Claimed Weight N/A
SUSPENSION
Front 48mm KYB closed-cartridge fork with compression and rebound adjustment, 300mm travel
Rear KYB monoshock with compression, rebound and preload adjustment 330mm travel
BRAKES
Front Brembo 260mm front disc
Rear Brembo 220mm rear disc
RUNNING GEAR
Handlebar ODI Champ
Front tyre Dunlop MX71F
Rear tyre Dunlop AT81 Gummy
PRICE & CONTACTS
RRP $15,799
Sherco.com.au
03 83631600
Warranty 6 months
Beta RR 350
What it does well:
It has soft, silky smooth suspension that soaks up small to medium sized obstacles with ease, and braking power that is capable of going from 100 to zero in the blink of an eye. Both the front and rear Nissin brakes require minimum muscle to pull up super fast. Going from closed throttle to half throttle this engine is so smooth and easy to find rear wheel traction with, it also felt like it would be impossible to stall this engine.
The dual mapping button looks cool and works very well. I preferred the more powerful sun mode, but found the rain mode very affective on slippery clay.
What it does bad:
The seat has a very hard and unforgiving feel whenever I tried to sit for long periods. As cool as the map button looks I would prefer to have it on the handlebars so I could access it on the fly without having to remove one hand from the handlebars.
Neutral observations I made:
The fork comes with a preload adjuster that makes setup changes fast and effortless. The geometry makes this bike very stable at speed, it also turns predictably and fast enough to nail any corner. The handlebars are quite tall making it easy to move around on.
Who it suits:
This bike is a weapon for light riders like myself, as the soft suspension allows pinpoint accuracy when choosing lines on messy terrain. The engine finds traction that would make it a very capable bike in Hard Enduro terrain and the rest of the package is super predictable. I would say this is the best package of the group to eat up technical terrain, and providing you are around my weight the suspension will serve you well.
Josh Evans
It’s so nice to get on a bike and just ride it. You look ahead, and your body takes care of the machine, so you’re free to exist in your head, like a dream or like a POV video game. On the Beta, everything worked for me and my skill level. Accelerating down hills and jumping off bumps on single track, braking hard into and looking through corners, this bike is dialled in for me.
Mitch Lees
This bike feels more like a KTM than it ever has which for those of you who have only been on Austrian bikes should be a good thing. The suspension was probably the softest of the lot which made it great for just ploughing over loose debris and the engine was somewhere between the GASGAS and KTM when it comes to ease-of-use and power.
Beta RR350
ENGINE
Type 4-stroke single cylinder
Displacement 349.1 cc
Bore & Stroke 88mm 57.4mm
Cooling liquid-cooled
Compression ratio 13,19:1
Fuel metering Elldor dual electronic injection 42mm – Synerject
Tank capacity 9.0L
Transmission 6 gears
Clutch wet multi-disc clutch
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase 1490mm
Seat height 940mm
Ground clearance 320mm
Claimed Weight Dry 107,5kg
SUSPENSION
FRONT Hydraulic USD fork with 48mm shaft 295mm travel
REAR Monoshock with progressive compound lever 135mm stroke
BRAKES
Front Wave disc 260mm and double-piston floating caliper
Rear Wave disc 240mm and single-piston floating caliper
RUNNING GEAR
Handlebar N/A
Front tyre Pirelli scorpion MX32 80/100-21
Rear tyre Pirelli scorpion XC 120/100-18
PRICE & CONTACTS
RRP $13,695
Betamotor.com.au
07 35184000
Warranty 6 months and labour
KTM 350 EXC-F
What it does well:
The WP XPLOR PDS rear suspension makes you feel like you are riding on a cloud. It has a lively feel that encourages you to go faster as it follows the ground so well. It has very strong bottom end power and great torque for riding in a tall gear. The seat is super comfortable and provides the feeling that you could easily sit on it all day long. All of these features make it a bike I would happily trail ride all day long.
What it does bad:
I know the ECU has the capability to offer a dual mapping option and traction control mode but because it doesn’t come standard with a map switch this is not available.
Neutral observations I made:
Fork preload adjusters make setup changes fast and easy. Brembo brakes on both ends provide ample amounts of smooth stopping power. The foot pegs are quite high meaning they don’t get caught in ruts much. The geometry of this bike makes it knife into corners very fast.
Who it suits:
This bike suits a wide variety of riders with its predictable and neutral feeling. The ergonomics are open to the point that small and large riders can both feel comfortable. Out of this group of bikes I feel if you drew a flat line that defined the standard for this mid capacity range all of the other bikes would go above this line at some point then slip below this line at other points. Not the KTM, I find it does nothing amazing, but it also does nothing bad making it close to what I class as the standard in this class.
Josh Evans
After hitting neutral instead of first, I stepped off the bike 3/4 up the first hill climb, doing an impressive but unintended pivot turn. I wasn’t gelling with it despite that four years ago it was my all-time favourite bike. The light, snappy throttle and something in the front end was really ruining my confidence. Three turns less of fork compression, and I was almost back with the group again. If I owned it, I’d get the map switch and tame it down to my weekend warrior level.
Mitch Lees
The KTM 350 EXC-F felt like a fast trailbike to me. The seat and suspension were on the soft side which made it the most comfortable to ride all day but the power was a little more aggressive than the GASGAS EC 350F. The ergonomics felt great because over the years we have just gotten used to their style which doesn’t feel different year to year. Of all the bikes, this one allows you to carry the tallest gears.
KTM 350EXC-F
ENGINE
Type 4-stroke single cylinder
Displacement 349.7
Bore & Stroke 88mm 57.5mm
Cooling liquid cooled
Compression ratio NA
Fuel metering Keihin EMS
Tank capacity 9L
Transmission 6-speed
Clutch wet DDS multi-disc clutch, Brembo Hydraulics
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase N/A
Seat height 960mm
Ground clearance 355mm
Claimed Weight 103.8kg dry
SUSPENSION
Front WP XPLOR-USD 48mm
Rear WP XPLOR PDS shock absorber
BRAKES
Front Brembo 260mm disc
Rear Brembo 220mm disc
RUNNING GEAR
Handlebar Neken
Front tyre Maxxis enduro 90/90-21
Rear tyre Maxxis enduro 140/80-18 DOT
PRICE & CONTACTS
RRP $14,755
Ktm.com.au
1800 644 771
Warranty 1 month
GasGas EC 350F
What it does well:
It makes riders my size feel like they are in total control, thanks to the low handlebar bend and soft suspension that sits low in its stroke. The Braktec clutch has a light pull and great precise feel when using it to engage or slip the clutch. Mid-range was the strongest point of this engines power delivery. I also liked the feel and smooth power of the Braktec rear brake.
What it does bad:
Braktec may have the clutch and rear brake nailed but I would like a bit more stopping power from the front brake as I needed to squeeze the front brake lever to get the stopping power I needed at speed. With the forks having no preload adjusters and being quite soft, the front end dived a lot at speed over rough terrain. No map switch means no playing with optional maps.
Neutral observations I made:
High footpegs and the linkage shock can handle much bigger bumps than what the forks can.
Who it suits:
The way this is setup makes it feel small. This bike works well for riders around my height allowing them to feel like they are in total control and because of its soft suspension and smooth engine it produces a low energy taxing ride. I liked this bike for the fact I felt like I was always taking it for a ride and not the other way round. Of this group the GasGas comes with the least bells and whistles, so you can either look at that as a negative or think of it as a blank canvas you can add too
Josh Evans
Within 100 metres I loved it. The suspension seemed to be dialled in for me, and the throttle was perfect. Then the guys said it’s aimed at the intermediate rider. Ego aside, GasGas picked me well. My confidence and speed picked up on this bike, and even better, I started playing around on the single track. Interestingly, later on in the ride after multiple bike swaps, I felt the Gasser was a bit fluffy, in a forgiving way. I still felt great on the bike, but it didn’t have the razor’s edge handling of the others.
Mitch Lees
This is the hero bike for GASGAS as it is their biggest four-stroke and it is an excellent entry-level trailbike. It has the mellowest power and the plushest suspension. The seat has heaps of padding so is comfortable sitting down and the gearing forces you to cruise. This bike can be turned into a racer with some easy mods but as the cheapest bike that was the easiest to ride, it’s perfect as a trailbike.
GASGAS EC350F
ENGINE
Type 4-stroke single cylinder
Displacement 349.7
Bore & Stroke 88mm 57.5mm
Cooling liquid cooled
Compression ratio NA
Fuel metering Keihin EMS
Tank capacity 8.5L
Transmission 6-speed
Clutch DDS wet multi-disc clutch, Braktec hydraulics
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase N/A
Seat height 960mm
Ground clearance 360mm
Claimed Weight 106.4kg dry
SUSPENSION
Front WP XPLOR-USD 48mm
Rear WP XACT Monoshock with linkage
BRAKES
Front Braktec 260mm disc
Rear Braktec 220mm disc
RUNNING GEAR
Handlebar Neken
Front tyre Maxxis enduro 90/90-21
Rear tyre Maxxis it 110/100-18
PRICE & CONTACTS
RRP $14,490
GasGas.com
1800 644 771
Warranty 1 month
SHERCO vs BETA vs KTM vs GASGAS: FINAL WRAP UP
I often hear people saying how similar new bikes are too each other these days. As much as this may be the case when comparing specifications, it didn’t take long for all of us testers to realise this couldn’t be any further from the truth with this bunch of bikes.
With vastly different riding techniques I could get a similar result speed wise on any of these bikes. If you don’t know how to adjust your riding style to capitalise on these bikes strengths you could be in for one very unenjoyable ride if you choose the wrong one for your riding style. Off the showroom floor not one of these bikes has every feature that I would require to make it my perfect ride, but all four of them are not that far off either.
In the specification I rode them I would happily take either the Sherco or KTM if I was heading to a race track as they both felt best to me when I was riding aggressively and hitting trails as fast as I could. Then for a long days trail ride I would happily jump on either the Beta or GasGas for the softer more forgiving ride they provided me. Both of these bikes would have me smiling all day as they roll across the nastiest of terrain like it’s a cloud.
Now the trick for anyone reading this and trying to decide what model they should get is to work out what traits they like best and leaves them wanting to ride more. These are all very impressive enduro bikes that behave very differently to each other, depending on where you are sitting, how much you twist the throttle and how much effort you like to put into your riding.
