• Economy: often over 100mpg so 300km range from the 9.3-litre tank
• 19hp was never really an issue, even at 11,000′ (when it became 12hp)
• Looks good
• As light as you’ll get for a regular trail bike
• Windscreen frame enabled near eye-level Garmin mounting which made a difference
• Came well equipped with racking and TL rear wheel
• Seat is low
• Starts and fuels with no fuss whatsoever
• No vibration through bars or pegs
• Mosko bags did the job unobtrusively
• Something was wrong with the front end
• I’m too big for this bike and couldn’t stand comfortably (common issue)
• Seat (or pants) needs added padding
• Some days the TL rear tyre lost air, some it didn’t
• Ultra basic and barely legible LCD display
• Bigger footpegs needed a longer shifter with big boots/feet
• Front TL Kenda Big Block too stiff for this light bike
Review
On reflection, I was a bit slack preparing my Serow. It ticked so many boxes and was a ‘XT’ after all, so I assumed it would do the job, like most XTs do. But after 10 days on the High Atlas Traverse (H.A.T) I can see how it could be improved for off roading.
Ascending the first dirt track – one I’ve done many times on many bikes – I could feel something was wrong. The front end flapped around rather than tracked straight like the Him 450 I last rode. It took a while to work out it was probably a combination of too stiff Kenda TL tyre at too high psi, plus probably what’s left of decade old fork oil.
They say 250 Serow forks in particular are not so hot, but I was fooled by them being firm (they never bottomed out). They also say a $400 Cogent spring, oil and valve kit fixes that and – as a Serow owner I know will affirm – add their $800 shock and you’re sorted.
I now see RaceTech (also in the US) sell just the cartridge emulating valves (left) for around $230 + all the usuals, while in the UK Brooks sell similar Thai YSS valves for £84. I’ve read of these emulators without actually understanding exactly how they work but after watching this RT installation vid, I get it. Seeing as the forks are apart for a new seal and gaiter, I may give the YSS valves a shot.
Back in Morocco, even once the front tyre was dropped to 19psi, a lot of energy was spent keeping this thing on line on the steep, loose climbs of the H.A.T. Luckily, minimal weight and the easy-going motor producing its own ‘traction control’ made this possible. And elsewhere the Serow was fine.
I have to say the explanation still sounds a bit thin. I’m sure I’ve ridden ill-damped and poorly tyred bikes before, but something – maybe rearward weight distribution or my weight overall? – was off, though I was nowhere near the 160kg max payload stated in the manual. I see one bloke fitted an ebay steering damper to his Serow. They do say pricey off-road dampers like the Scott are enhancements rather than there to disguise unstable steering. I dismissed the notion that the weight of the hefty front rack and screen were an issue (that wrapped bundle is only a 500g bike cover, fyi). Really, it’s got to be a grand of Cogent springing that transforms the Serow – as did a grand’s worth on the CRF 300L.
Still, it’s amazing how adequate 19hp turned out to be – especially when vanned all the way down to KM Zero! Even up in the H.A.T Death Zone where only hardy microbes survive, the XT was never left wanting, even if it couldn’t pull beyond first at 10,000′. All motors lose power at altitude, but I like to think it’s the reliably even fuel injection which makes the scant power effective.
This lowly output must have contributed to economy of up to 108mpg or over 38kpl. An all-time record for me. The worst was about 88/31 and the average was 98/34.7, though exact figures probably got muddied by village fuel top-ups.
The soft, low-down power meant the gearing didn’t feel under any strain, though 1st to 2nd had a bit of a gap and a 6th would have been nice. The narrow rear Anakee Wild was well matched for the pace and load and probably helped keep the mpg in three figures.
Having ridden ABS for years, I think my once finely honed braking finesse has suffered. Part of the problem was I was so squashed up that, unless sitting right back and upsetting the ride balance even more, my feet point down so that accurately modulating the rear brake was more than my Sidi clad ankles could do. Well, that’s my excuse. Were the seat a lot taller the knee angle would open up and go back and the feet would level off. And though I rarely stand, when you need to you must, but even with the risers fitted the stoop was not sustainable. Higher bars would need longer cables – a faff. And along with the stoop the suspension probably didn’t inspire confidence to stand up and attack (that and a very sore leg from a needless lowside).
Another ergo problem I’ve never had before was caused by fitting bigger pegs for better standing support. It reduces the peg to shifter space (below) which, with brick-like Sidi Adventures, makes up-shifting awkward. But it seems I’m not the first to notice this and adjustable shifters are available (below right). My oh my it’s amazing what you learn after a few full days on the trail!
As noted on previous AMH project bikes, stock suspension is commonly only adequate and technically dead simple to improve, compared to a motor. But I think I prefer the feel of a low-comp but injected air-cooled engine over a CRF, just like I preferred the CRF over the highly strung WR250R. The Serow has a mellow donkey feel which suits my slow/remote exploring prefs these days.
Shaky front end apart, the Serow fulfilled its intended purpose: an easy bike to manage the unknown trails of the H.A.T. It started on the button, fuelled cleanly and never missed a beat, like all good Yams. In places on the H.A.T, last year’s 450MT would have too much to handle. But while it could be easily improved, the Serow’s still a bit small for me.
Quo Vadis
Quo what? A KTM 490 X or R perhaps? or I wonder if I should take another spin on a Himalayan 450, a bike I expected to like but didn’t. It’s certainly my size and has great range, but manages to clock in with nearly 50% more weight. Not much you can do about that and it does take it out of you over a day on the piste (improved suspension might ease the beating). I may try and rent one again. At least by this time the stock CEAT tyres ought to have been replaced.
A more stupid idea is adapting Honda’s air-cooled and injected GB350S (above left) into a travel bike. Everyone seems to love this 21-hp, Indian-built Honda ‘Bullet’. But I can guaran-damn-tee, I won’t be able to stand up on that without apehangers. And while supposedly as economical as the Serow, it weighs 178kg. I’ve never actually seen one; maybe it’s also too small for me.
That motor’s been around for years but when hiding behind retro styling you can get away with a low output. So not much chance of them spinning off a soft Adv, like Triumph have done with the more highly strung Scrambler 400XC (above right). The XC is also tubeless but is only 10kg lighter than a Him 450, won’t have anywhere near the economy or range and costs nearly double the GB. Both are tubeless. How lucky we are to have all these choices.
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook 