Sherco bring tiny trials based trail bike to market, ready to play, commute or even compete

French trials and enduro specialists, Sherco are offering a learner-legal trials bike with a mild-mannered twist.  

The £4799 air cooled 125 TY Long Ride offers casual riders a relaxed experience miles away from the hyper-focused world of flighty competition bikes. 

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Sherco have pitched the Long Ride at a broad customer base, opting for usability and practicality over performance. Versatility is the name of the game here, and Sherco have created a bike that should be equally at home tackling a short morning commute as it is zapping and splatting away – or whatever other trials-based jargon you can muster for negotiating seemingly impossible terrain. 

The 123.7cc motor propelling the TY is good for 7.3bhp and thanks to frugal fuelling, its 4.2 litre fuel tank should just about squeeze 100 miles of gentle use.  

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Although hardly a powerhouse of performance, the little Sherco is plenty light, tipping the scales at a lithe 85kg – meaning it should be exceptionally easy to muscle around.  

Both kick and electric start are in place to fire the motor into life, which itself is a copy of Yamaha’s stone reliable YBR 125 motor, sharing the same capacity, bore and stroke. Thanks to its road bike derived engine, the Long Ride’s five speed gearbox should have an ample spread of cogs for mixed use. 

Spares should therefore be plentiful, and the engine is unlikely to have any problems eating up road miles, whether that’s popping to the shops or heading off in search of off-road fun.   

The TY may be about as minimalist as bikes get, but it still comes with a horn, as well as lights front and rear – the bare minimum needed for a road legal machine. Spoked 18/21” wheels feature at both ends and basic suspension provides 170mm of bounce at the front, whilst offering 165mm of travel for the rear wheel. 

Compared with Montesa’s more premium £6399 4Ride, or the £11,370 electric KTM Freeride and Electric Motion Escape models, which start at £8999, it’s certainly among the most affordable of the ‘play bike’ bunch.  

That said, despite the wallet friendly price, Sherco have included an aluminium engine guard as standard, as well as a semi-hydraulic clutch for precise operation and easy action.  

As well as the base model Long Ride, Sherco have released a Limited Edition version featuring an uprated Grey Tech suspension fork, Reiger rear shock absorber, Galfer wavey discs, Michelin tyres and a tubeless rear wheel. However, at the time of writing, Sherco were unable to provide a price for this more premium version. 

Both models share an 860mm seat height. Whilst this may sound lofty, it’s considerably lower than most rival ‘play bikes’ on offer. Its narrow seat and low weight should make it suitable for a wide range of riders. 

Want one? Visit the Sherco website for dealers.