Well at least we have seen a prototype, and don't forget that this is aprils version.

As you well know Marky, I can be as sarcastic as the next twaaat, but after 5 sherco's and not one has shed the mains or needed any cylinder work or anything major really so I can only assume its a phallacy.(Sp?)

If the rattle and clatter, you can hear in the video, is the norm, I would guess it would not be for very long!

I guess shanny that the fact there is an engine noise is probably due to the prototype being a prototype and sherco do not have a bottomless pit of money or time for development. Critisise all you want but what Sherco have done since the formation only a few years ago is nothing except worthy of admiration and praise. When was the last trials bike made in Texas? Glass houses and stones?

Edited August 11, 200422 yr by Nigel Dabster

Ouch

ps. Dabster you didnt mean phallic did you ??

You're getting there...

I guess shanny that the fact there is an engine noise is probably due to the prototype being a prototype and sherco do not have a bottomless pit of money or time for development. Critisise all you want but what Sherco have done since the formation only a few years ago is nothing except worthy of admiration and praise. When was the last trials bike made in Texas? Glass houses and stones?

Likewise, I think Sherco had done an incredible job of making their mark in the trials world since 1999. Their bikes seem to be a quality item, they have offered a wide range of displacements, and are seemingly on their way to success as a manufacturer of other types of bikes, as well.

The noise may very likely be due to being a prototype. This distinct possibility is exactly why I placed the word "IF" at the beginning of my sentance:

"If the rattle and clatter, you can hear in the video, is the norm..."

No recent trials bikes made in Texas, but nothing of impact recently from your place of residence either, so I'm not sure why you bring it up. Regardless, it likely doesn't effect the ability for you and I to make some assessments from the photos, videos and information.

In fact, I think you have made a great assessment yourself:

"Sherco do not have a bottomless pit of money or time for development."

You have provided a great point to consider for those that will attempt to make a desicion between the first model year of the new Honda/Montesa vs. the Sherco.

Whatever..........

I don't really want to get into a hypothetical argument about which bike is best, so give the Sherco factory a break and if its crap when it comes out that's probably the time to say so.

My guess is the bike will be sound, more powerful than the Honda and available sooner.Any bets?

Dabster, you sound like a Sherco sales man"!! are you?

If only, it would have saved me alot of money these last few years.

Its my brand of bike, but unlike some others I could mention it is not blind faith, simply based on personal experience rather than the anecdotal "facts" of others.

I hope you dont include me in that Dabster is i have and do ride all sorts of shi-te!!

Edited August 12, 200422 yr by Marky boy

Oh no, I know you are a fair minded tree hugger.

You can be at this years crackpot again if perce doesnt cut down the offending tree beforehand.

Being a sherco rider myself I cannot see that the sherco 4 stroke will be more powerful (bottom end power) and better designed than the mont (hrc) 4 stroke.

My opinion is based on the fact that Honda's resources are far greater than Sherco's and that in terms of research and development funds their budget will be bigger.

Also they have more experience in the 4 stroke field due to the fact they make many bikes already with 4 stroke technology.

Being a Sherco fan myself, I hope I am wrong, but I cannot see it.

Edited August 13, 200422 yr by sherco99

There is no substitute for engineering genius, cleverness, inginuety call it what you like. Not directly relating it to anything Sherco were would Issigonnis, lotus, John Cooper have produced brilliant things if money was the only factor. How much time and money did Sammy miller have to build the first Sherpa?

If you cannot see that a 320 will be more powerful than a 250 both single cylinder 4 stroke with similar valves then I can't help you. 70ccs the sherco would have to be nearly 30% worse,are you sure Paxau is that bad an engineer, no way!

How much time and money did Sammy miller have to build the first Sherpa?

Don't know how much time and money he had, but the history books show that he certianly didn't take long to pull it off.

In contrast, when the same "engineering genius" of Sammy Miller was applied to the challenge of the 4-stroke in the TL250, it proved to be a different animal and the results didn't come so quickly. He invested years of time and money in research, prototypes, variations on long stroke vs short stroke, larger displacement vs smaller displacement, etc.

We may never really find out, but it would be interesting to know how much of the design knowledge Sammy helped develop back then has gone into the development of the new engine.

But where is the most creative, imaginative, technically most advanced country in the world? (Ssshhhh I think it's Japan folks).

I do not doubt Joseph Paxau's engineering ability but against a team of like minded people can he come up with the better goods? The odds are stacked against him.

It's David vs. goliath (and David doesn

"be prepared to eat your words and a big slice of humblepie soixant nuef".

As you are not up on your trials history sammy spent a matter of weeks producing a pre production bike from a basic prototype, not alot of money and went out and won the following years SSDT.

Now as the honda was supposed to be ridden this year and was then mysteriously withdrawn all those Superb Japanese trials experienced engineers with unlimited time and cash (I doubt it) haven't as yet come up with the goods.

If Dougie says its "soft" thats a pretty good indication to me..........

and thats it I'm not debating this any further.........