We’ve always called the big-bore four-stroke enduro bikes the V8s of the dirt bike world, and the name still fits. They’re big, torquey, ridiculously fast and have enough grunt to make a 450 feel almost sensible, yet the modern versions have become remarkably easy to ride. They’re also sitting right at the pointy end of the enduro price list, all three bikes here are around the $19K mark before on-road costs.
Every time we head overseas to launches with these European manufacturers, there’s another thing we continually hear: these big-capacity bikes are built with Australia in mind. Our open terrain, desert races, long distances and appetite for big-bore enduro bikes make the Australian market more important to this category than just about anywhere else in the world. Finke, Hattah and Don River immediately spring to mind, but pigeonholing these things as desert weapons misses half the point because plenty of Aussie riders are punting them through the bush, trail riding them on weekends and even setting them up as lightweight off-road adventure bikes to explore the country.
That makes this shootout a little different. We’re not simply looking for the bike with the biggest top-end or the one we’d choose for Finke; we want to know which is the best bush racer, which is easiest to trail ride, which would eat big kilometres and which offers the most complete package straight off the showroom floor. We wanted a KTM in the mix too, but couldn’t get our hands on a brand-new one in time for the test, so its Swedish cousin, the Husqvarna FE501, has been tasked with representing that side of the V8 family. Against it are Beta’s RR 480 Race and Sherco’s 500 SEF Factory.
At 478.22cc, the Sherco is technically the smallest-capacity bike here by a whisker, but you certainly wouldn’t know it from the throttle. The DOHC four-valve engine is fed by Synerject EFI and backed by a six-speed transmission, while the Factory spec brings some serious gear straight out of the crate, including a full Akrapovič exhaust system, Brembo brakes, Excel rims and KYB suspension.
Up front is a 48mm KYB closed-cartridge fork with 300mm of travel, matched to a KYB 50 rear shock. The chrome-moly steel chassis has a 1490mm wheelbase, 355mm of ground clearance, a 950mm seat height and a relatively generous 9.8L fuel tank. At $19,299 plus on-road costs, it’s not cheap, but there’s also not much left on the shopping list.
I found the Sherco the most responsive and hardest-edged bike of the three. It’s not impossible to ride, none of these 500s are because you can run them all a gear tall and let the torque do the work but it definitely felt like the raciest of the group. When I say racy, though, I mean it felt the most suited to bush racing rather than necessarily being the outright desert-racing pick.
When we were running up and down the fire road, I felt like the Sherco 500 and Beta 480 didn’t quite lug the top-end speed as effortlessly as the Husqvarna did. Once you were winding it on in fifth and getting past the halfway point in the revs, the Sherco didn’t feel like it kept stretching its legs as easily as the Husky. For a seriously fast desert rider chasing a top-10 or top-20 result, that difference in how effortlessly the bikes carries top speed might become noticeable. But hey, tell David Walsh and his Honda CRF450R that.
But throw the Sherco into the trees and it absolutely flies. It feels planted in ruts, the front stays low and the whole bike encourages you to attack. Of these three, it was the one that most made me want to race rather than simply go for a ride.
GEOFF BRAICO
The Sherco 500 SEF Factory came out swinging. Its smaller bro, the 450 SEF Factory, won our 2026 450 shootout, so we had high hopes for the five-hunge. The motor is very strong and has a real bark to it, I would say it’s the barkiest of the lot with that full Akrapovič system contributing to the strength of the engine. Epic value having that system standard, by the way.
There’s great bottom-end power and the mid-range is strong too, while it’s fast up top as well. It’s livelier than the other two overall without becoming a handful. Like the Beta, the KYB suspension is top-notch, and I reckon the Sherco has the best fork of the bunch. It’s very plush and manageable while still holding up when you start pushing at my speed.
The balance is nice and I really like this suspension package and it’s probably my favourite of the three. The bike looks mint too and, as I said up top, the Akro system sounds great. Brembo brakes are super strong and the bike is also really comfortable to sit on.
JEFF BRIGGS
The Sherco was probably my pick of the three. I really enjoyed the firmer suspension and the seating position, where you sit on the bike and feel a little more over the top of it. It’s a familiar setup for me too, having been on the Sherco 300 this year, but the ergos, suspension and brakes immediately stood out.
The power is really smooth and pulls right through the rev range, but I’d still say the Sherco is probably the most aggressive of the three, especially with the bung out of the exhaust. It’s not difficult to ride, though. You could use it for desert-style racing at Don River, Hattah or Finke without any top-speed concerns, but it’s also a bloody good all-round bike and works really well in the bush.
WES MILLS
I really liked the entire package of the Sherco. Having that Akrapovič exhaust standard gives it this nice, quiet bark, and the seating position and lower bars gave it a bit of a motocross feel that I found really comfortable. Surprisingly, it was also very easy to ride across all sorts of terrain, tracks and trails.
Power-wise, it was awesome. It had power everywhere, from right at the bottom through to the top, and I felt like it revved out more than the others. Being a motocross rider, I liked the response, but what really stood out was that you could still ride it through tight sections without it wanting to flame out.
It had a great-feeling front-end too, with plenty of feedback through the bars. You could ride it aggressively or just smooth everything out and lug it along. It was my favourite of the three.
Beta’s contender might say 480 on the sidecover, but its 477.5cc DOHC four-valve single puts it right alongside the Sherco in capacity. It uses Elldor dual electronic injection through a 42mm Synerject throttle body, a six-speed transmission and a molybdenum-steel double-cradle frame.
The Race also brings 48mm KYB USD suspension up front with 295mm of travel and 290mm at the rear on a KYB shock, while the dry weight is quoted at 107.5kg. Fuel capacity is 9L, seat height is 950mm and ground clearance sits at 335mm. At $19,470 plus on-road costs, it’s actually the most expensive bike here by list price.
I reckon this is the best-looking bike of the bunch and it actually produces a really easy, luggy sort of power down low, but that’s not a bad thing. It still has plenty of pull and a very sensitive throttle, yet it felt the most like a mid-capacity bike of the three. That’s not to say it’s slow, it’s still very bloody fast, but the way it produces its power is different.
I wouldn’t call the power curve completely linear. It starts off luggy down low like you’d expect from a big torquey four-stroke, then turns a corner and rips into the top-end. That transition gives it a different personality to the Husky in particular, which feels like it simply keeps building and building.
I actually liked the suspension. Some of the other guys thought it was soft, but I thought it was good and the gear ratios were excellent. When smashing into bumps it held up well, although, like the Sherco, there was still a slightly harsh feeling for someone at my speed when charging into dry, rough, square-edged bumps. I did find the handlebar bend a little taller than I’d like too, as I generally prefer something flatter.
GEOFF BRAICO
Beta has come a long way with its four-stroke machines over the years and the 480 is a super-fun bike to ride. What it lacks a little in outright power compared with the others, it makes up for with its trail feel. I thought the motor revs up a little faster thanks to the slightly smaller engine mass, yet it’s still very manageable, so I reckon just about any rider could handle it.
The added response off the bottom gives you a little excitement at slower speeds compared with the others, although, as expected, it is slightly slower up top. The engine is a really rider-friendly package and we agreed that faster trails are where this motor shines. It never feels like you’re wrestling a massive V8 around just for the sake of saying you’ve got one.
The KYB suspension is damn good as well, with the closed-cartridge fork providing fantastic feel through your hands and great feedback on the trails. It’s firm enough to provide support on faster tracks but plush enough to soak up the smaller stuff and give you confidence to push, while the KYB shock provides excellent drive. The ergos and brakes are solid too, and the Beta looks fast with its blue-and-red colourway.
JEFF BRIGGS
The Beta was probably my least favourite, but a lot of that came down to the ergos. The suspension was still really nice, although a little softer and more enduro-focused than the Sherco. It worked well, but when you started pushing I felt the fork was just a little softer than the Sherco’s.
There’s also something in the Beta’s handlebar bend that doesn’t quite suit me. It feels a little less refined personally, but that is obviously very rider-specific rather than some massive flaw with the bike. The brakes were great and the motor was very linear; I wouldn’t say it was slower, just smoother and a little gentler in the way it delivered its power.
I don’t think the Beta is lacking the top-end required to race something like Hattah, Finke or Don River either. An exhaust, ignition work or gearing could find more if that was your priority, but it’s every bit as capable as a big-bore enduro bike. It just delivers everything in a softer way.
WES MILLS
I really, really liked the Beta. It was very nimble for a big bike and felt taller and a fair bit narrower than the other two. It didn’t feel like it had as much power as the Sherco and didn’t rev as high, but it was much easier to navigate through tight trails.
More than anything, it just felt lighter. I’m not saying it necessarily is on paper, but from the saddle it gave me that impression. The gear ratios were really broad too, so you could lug it right down low and let the motor pull you through rather than constantly chasing revs.
I also really liked the geometry. It made the bike easy to place and easy to ride, which is a pretty impressive trait for something with nearly 480cc beneath you.
If this shootout is about V8s, the Husky brings the biggest cubes. Its 510.9cc single uses a 95mm bore and 72mm stroke, Keihin EFI with a 42mm throttle body and a six-speed gearbox, while the DDS multi-disc clutch is hydraulically operated by Brembo.
The FE501 weighs a claimed 110.6kg without fuel and carries 8L in its tank. It gets a WP XACT 48mm cartridge fork and WP XACT linkage shock, both offering 300mm travel, with a 952mm seat height and 343mm of ground clearance. At $18,755 plus on-road costs, it’s actually the cheapest of these three despite carrying the biggest engine.
This bike is the chameleon of the 500s. It can do so many different genres, from desert racing to trail riding and even adventure riding. The reason I mention adventure is because it has the most linear power delivery and feels like it has the highest top speed, yet it seems to work less hard getting there than the other two.
The Sherco and Beta feel like they’re revving harder to do the same speed that the Husky seems to achieve effortlessly. It also has the most comfortable seat if you’re going to spend all day on the bike and probably the softest suspension of the three, which is another reason I think it would make an excellent big-distance trail or lightweight adventure bike.
Because the power is so linear, it has a really useful mid-range too. You can ride a gear tall, sit in the middle of the revs and just let the thing lug. The flip side is that the Sherco and Beta feel racier because of their firmer suspension, and if I was an A- or B-grade rider planning to race the Husky hard in the bush, I’d probably want to firm up the suspension.
GEOFF BRAICO
If you’re looking for the all-round easy bike to ride of the group, the Husky FE501 is the ticket. The engine is ridiculously linear and deceptively fast, with unbelievably smooth and usable power. In stock trim it doesn’t necessarily feel that lively off the bottom, but make no mistake – you’re moving.
One flick of the clutch and the whole motor lights up and you start smiling from ear to ear. Top-end speed is very impressive as well, the torque is epic and the drive it gets to the rear wheel almost feels like cheating. It’s one of those motors where you’re travelling considerably faster than your brain initially thinks you are.
Suspension-wise, the WP stuff is firm but still rider-friendly. The cartridge fork doesn’t dive like the older XPLOR fork and I appreciate that a lot, especially with the extra inertia of the 501 coming into a corner. The rear shock is predictable and gets great drive, while the ergos are comfortable and the Brembo brakes are rock-solid. For me, there isn’t much more I’d want out of a V8 enduro machine.
JEFF BRIGGS
The Husky is the all-rounder for me. The Sherco feels more set up for the rider who really wants to push, whereas the Husky can still be ridden hard but is gentler and more forgiving over roots and trail chop. The Sherco feels a little more motocrossy and ready to race, while the Husky is happier just doing whatever you ask of it.
The motor is very, very torquey. It isn’t quite as aggressive as the Sherco but feels stronger than the Beta, and it’s incredibly smooth until you wind it on and realise everything is still there. The Sherco feels like it gets there quicker, whereas the Husky builds its speed in a much more relaxed way.
For me, the Husky is probably the all-round pick of the bunch. It’s still more than capable of doing the desert stuff, but it’s also a really good all-round trail bike. The combination of that torque, easy motor and forgiving nature makes it something you could happily ride all day.
WES MILLS
The Husqvarna felt very neutral. Nothing really stood out because everything was so neutral – the power, the feel, the whole package. I’m just not a massive fan of the fork; it wasn’t bad in any sense, but I felt like the KYB forks on the other two were more compliant and gave me more feel.
I reckon it would suit big open areas, desert racing, fast fire trails or even borderline touring and adventure riding. It never felt like it couldn’t do something, but it wasn’t as pleasant for me in the tight stuff and felt a little heavier, with a different flywheel feel compared with the other manufacturers.
As an owner, I’d probably spend a few extra bucks getting the suspension set up exactly how I wanted it. There was nothing scary or particularly bad about the WP fork; it just didn’t give me quite as much feel from the top of the stroke as the firmer KYB setups on the Sherco and Beta.
THREE V8s, THREE PERSONALITIES
What became obvious after swapping between these things all day is that calling them simply ‘500s’ doesn’t tell you much. They’re all enormous-capacity European four-stroke enduro bikes costing roughly the same money, but each manufacturer has arrived at a noticeably different interpretation of what a modern V8 dirt bike should be.
The Sherco 500 SEF Factory is the aggressive one. Its responsive motor, firmer KYB package, planted front-end and race-ready feel had Geoff, Jeff and Wes all particularly impressed, and it’s the bike that most encourages you to charge through the bush. The fact it rolls out with the full Akrapovič exhaust, KYB suspension, Brembo brakes and Excel rims only reinforces that race personality.
The Beta RR 480 Race feels smaller and more nimble from the saddle. Wes loved how easily it navigated tight trails, Geoff praised its rider-friendly engine and KYB suspension, while Jeff and I both noticed the taller-feeling bar bend. It gives away a little of the effortless top-end sensation of the Husky and some of the Sherco’s aggression, but replaces it with a light, manageable trail-bike character that makes you forget you’re riding one of the biggest enduro bikes Beta makes.
Then there’s the Husqvarna FE501, which does its best impression of three motorcycles at once. The enormous 510.9cc engine produces smooth, deceptive speed and effortless torque, the chassis is comfortable enough for a day in the saddle and its long-legged nature immediately had us talking about desert racing, fire roads and lightweight adventure builds. Its softer, more relaxed setup didn’t give every tester the same confidence as the KYB-equipped bikes when pushing hard through the bush, but that same trait helps make it such an easy bike to live with.
The Sherco’s responsive engine, planted chassis and KYB package consistently stood out when the pace increased. Want a big-bore that disguises its size and feels nimble through tighter trails? That’s where the Beta impressed, particularly for Wes and Geoff.
If your riding involves huge days, open terrain, fast fire roads, desert work or turning a big enduro into a lightweight adventure bike, the Husqvarna’s lazy torque, long-legged motor and comfortable nature make a compelling case. And if outright desert racing is your priority, we’d still set any of them up specifically for that job rather than pretending a showroom shootout can replicate hammering across the desert at race pace.
THE NUMBERS
SHERCO 500 SEF FACTORY
Engine | 478.22cc DOHC four-stroke
Bore × Stroke | 98 × 63.4mm
Fuel System | Synerject EFI
Transmission | Six-speed
Clutch | Hydraulic multi-disc
Fuel | 9.8L
Chassis & Suspension
Frame | Chrome-moly steel
Front | 48mm KYB closed cartridge, 300mm travel
Shock | KYB, 330mm stroke
Brakes
Front Brembo, 260mm front
Rear Brembo 220mm rear
Dimensions
Seat Height | 950mm
Ground Clearance | 355mm
Wheelbase | 1490mm
Weight \ 109kg dry
RRP & Warranty
RRP | $19,299 + ORC
Warranty | 6 months
BETA RR 480 RACE
Engine | 477.5cc DOHC four-stroke
Bore × Stroke | 100 × 60.8mm
Compression | 11.86:1
Fuel System | Elldor dual EFI, 42mm Synerject throttle body
Transmission | Six-speed
Clutch | Wet multi-disc
Fuel | 9L
Chassis & Suspension
Frame | Molybdenum-steel double cradle
Front | KYB 48mm USD, 295mm travel
Rear | KYB monoshock, 290mm travel
Brakes
Nissin 260mm front
Nissin 240mm rear
Dimensions
Dry Weight | 107.5kg
Seat Height | 950mm
Ground Clearance | 335mm
Wheelbase | 1480mm
RRP & Warranty
RRP | $19,470 + ORC
Warranty 6 months
HUSQVARNA FE501
Engine | 510.9cc SOHC four-stroke
Bore × Stroke | 95 × 72mm
Compression | 12.75:1
Fuel System | Keihin EFI, 42mm throttle body
Transmission | Six-speed
Clutch | DDS wet multi-disc, Brembo hydraulic
Fuel | 8L
Chassis & Suspension
Frame | 25CrMo4 steel central double cradle
Fork | 48mm WP XACT cartridge, 300mm travel
Shock | WP XACT linkage, 300mm travel
Brakes
Front | Braktec hydraulic, 260mm front
Back | Braktec hydraulic, 220mm rear
Dimensions
Seat Height | 952mm
Ground Clearance | 343mm
Wheelbase | 1489mm
Weight | 110.6kg (dry)
RRP & Warranty
RRP | $18,755 + ORC
Warranty | 6 months
