Australasian Dirt Bike – June 2019

SO FAR

HOURS

12

MODS THIS MONTH

None

MODS NEXT MONTH

Tyres, maybe new grips

1. Grabbo likes the clear tank because it
   allows him to see how much he has left
   2. After more than a month
   on the sidelines the only thing the
   500SEF Factory needed was a little
   air in the rear tyre

SHERCO 500SEF FACTORY

RRP

$15,990

WARRANTY

Six months, parts & labour

DISTRIBUTOR

Sherco Australia

INTERNET

sherco.com.au

IAMHAPPYtoreportthat
thearmIbrokeafterfallingoff
aladder(ADB#476)has
healedupwell.Aftergetting
theall-clearfrommysurgeon
atmyfinalcheck-up,Iraced
homeandimmediatelybegan
dustingofftheSherco500SEF
Factory.EditorMitchreckonsI
havesupernaturalhealing
powersbecauseIcutthe
recoverytimeinhalf.Maybe
mybodyisjustsousedto
beinginjuredit’sworkedout
thequickestwaytoheal!
Ihadn’tbeenridinginavery
longtimesoIwasitchingtoget
backonthe500SEF.Having
notstartedtheShercofora
fewmonthsIwasimpressed
whenitfiredupfirstgo.The
newlithiumbatterythatcomes
intheShercoheldperfect
chargethewholetimeIwas
bedriddenandtheonly
maintenanceIhadtodobefore
myfirstridebackwastoputa
bitofairinthereartyre.
Knowingmyarmwasstill
veryweakfromtheinjury,I
headedforsomeeasy
singletrackaroundSunny
Corner,NSW.Settingoffonmy
firstrideIwashopefulmyarm
wouldfeelsimilartohowitdid

beforetheaccident.Only

secondsintotherideIrealised

myarmwasn’twhereIIwanted

ittobe.Myarmwaseven

weakerthanIthought.My

savinggracewasbeingableto

switchthepowermodefrom

HardtoSoft.AtleastinSoft

modemyfragilespaghetti-

sizedarmfeltalittlemorein

controlofthebike.

Itdidn’ttakelongtowork

outthelimitsofmyarm.Even

thoughIwasridingveryslowly,

itwasagoodfeelingtobeback

onthe 500 again.Becausemy

armissoweakIdidnotstand

atallasmyarmdoesnotfeel

comfortablewithanyrealforce

onit.So,asaresult,Igota

chancetotesttheseatcomfort

andIcanconfirmit’sgot

plentyofpaddingforlongdays

onyourarse.

Becausemyridingwasso

slow(Ed:WhenGrabbosays

slow,forusmeremortalsthat’s

stillreallyfast),Iexpectedthe

KYBsuspensiontonotwork

thatwell.Theshockfeltalittle

firmatsuchslowspeedsbut

theforkstillworkedreallywell.

AfewtimesIcringedasI

headedintologsorsquare-

edgedbumpsbecauseI

expectedtheShercotojar

throughthehandlebarand

sendmypainlevelintoorbit.

Buttheforkdidnotgiveme a

nastyfeelingevenonce.

The500SEFFactorywas a

lotmoreforgivingand

friendlierthanIexpectedit to

beformyfirstridebackand

especiallywhenIwassoweak.

I’vemanagedtogetoutfor

threemoreridessincemy

return.Trailrideshavebecome

agoodpartoftherehabfor my

arm.EachtimeIhaveimproved

alittlebitwhilepushingmy

armtonewlimits.

AsIwritethisI’vejust

returnedfromanotherride and

itwasthefirsttimeIfeltlike I

couldtrailrideatagoodlevel

again.Ihaveevenmanaged to

switchthemapswitchback

ontoHardonsomeopen

sectionsandenjoyallthe 500

hastooffer.

NowthatIcanactuallyride

fastenoughtowearoutthe

standardtyresI’lllookat

gettingsomefreshrubberon

thebike.Andifmydishwashing

handsdon’tstarttotoughen

upImighthavetogetsome

softerhandgrips.

BenGrabham

EASY

DOES

IT

GRABBOGETS

COMFORTABLEAGAIN

ONTHESHERCO

500SEFFACTORY

AFTERALONGSTINT

ONTHESIDELINES

1

2

REAR GUARD

HOW TO RIDE / ADBGARAGE / WE RECOMMEND / TECH / KIDZ KORNER / USED RIDE / FACTORY RIDE / READERS RIDE / HERITAGE / ACTION / OAS / BUYERS GUIDE

SHERCO

500SEF

FACTORY

116 |JUNE 2019 http://www.adbmag.com.au