If you’re old enough, you might remember that SWM was once a big name in the trials world, actually winning the World Championship in 1981. This company has little to no relationship with that one. The original SWM blinked out of existence in 1984. The name was resurrected in 2014, but its products are actually more closely related to Husqvarna than to the original SWM. With heavy investment from China, the new company purchased the old Husky factory in Varese, Italy, when KTM took the brand to Austria. It also inherited the rights and the tooling to produce all the Italian Husqvarna models made prior to 2013. The current SWM RS300 can trace its roots back to the 2006 Husqvarna TE450. That bike was the holy grail of dual-sport bikes back then. It was the first real dirt bike that qualified for a license plate.
The RS300 has pretty much the same motor and frame as the original Husky, but the bore and stroke have changed to arrive at 298cc. The motor is now fuel injected, but most of the internal parts are the same. The components and bodywork are all new, and all of the components are modernized. Beyond that, most of the new parts are the best available. The fork and shock are KYB, the brakes are Brembo, it has a hydraulic clutch, a radiator fan and DOT-legal Michelin tires. Somewhere along the way, it got a stainless steel dual-exhaust system.
The real accomplishment is that SWM has withstood the worst punishment that the U.S. government can dish out. It is fully compliant with all the regulations set forth by the EPA, DOT and 50 state codes to be legitimately street-legal across the U.S. The noise and emission requirements have scared away many contenders over the years, but SWM has emerged from it all and still kept the price under control. The RS300 retails for $7,999. For comparison, the 2024 Husqvarna FE350S is $12,599. The Kawasaki KLX300, on the other hand, is $6,199.
The SWM is the only bike that fills the gap between elite European 350cc dual-sports and Japanese 300s
MIDDLE GROUND
SWM has placed the RS300 perfectly in that vast space between the two extremes. Up front, you should know that the RS is no Husqvarna FE350S. It has less power and more weight. But, it can do some things every bit as well as the Husky or any of the other high-end dual-sport bikes. The suspension is tops on the list. The KYB fork and shock soak up little bumps and rocks surprisingly well. Both ends are soft compared to full-time off-road bikes, but the SWM gets away with it by being well balanced and having a wide range of adjustability.
You can probably give part of the credit to the frame as well. We remember this chassis from the Husky days. It’s the same one that Antoine Meo used to dominate the World Enduro Championship 15 years ago, and it has aged well. It’s compliant, and overall geometry is excellent. We always felt that this frame had an excellent balance between cornering manners and straight-line stability, and even with the passage of time, good handling is still good handling.
The only real downfall in this area is the SWM’s weight. At 270 pounds, it’s a good 30 pounds overweight. Some of that is in the afterthought emission equipment; the charcoal canister hangs off the side of the motor like a big coffee can. And, the dual-muffler design almost certainly adds over 10 pounds. Even in the Husky days, though, we remember this was no featherweight. You feel that when you get on a really tight trail and have to manhandle the bike. You can also lock up the wheels easily because the brakes are so good and momentum is what it is.
In outright power, the RS300 is nothing special. It might be a little faster than the Japanese 300s, but that’s a very low bar. It takes a big handful of throttle to get the motor’s attention, and even then it struggles with steep hills and sinks in deep sand. The powerband reminds us of old-timey thumpers; it’s very linear and takes its time to build up revs. The bike will actually keep on revving and revving, and in that way, it has a broad operating range. That gives it a certain efficiency when it comes to finding traction. When you need to maintain your speed on marbles and rolling rocks, the SWM’s linear personality is ideal. Back in the day, all four-strokes were like this, and we loved them for it.
The SWM uses Mikuni fuel injection.
Look familiar? SWM acquired the rights to Italian Husqvarna motors manufactured prior to 2013.
The RS also reminds us of those early fuel-injected dual-sport bikes that were crazy lean to pass U.S. emissions. The SWM feels like it needs more fuel in the mix. It takes forever to warm up and actually runs at its best when it’s on the verge of overheating. Until then, it pops on deceleration and surges even when the throttle is held steady. We know this can be solved, but if we told you how, black helicopters would descend and you would never hear from us again.
A CLASS APART
The SWM RS300 might not be a cutting-edge dirt bike anymore, but it is a legitimate dirt bike and can carry a legitimate license plate. You can’t get any dual-sport bike that approaches this level of competency for this price. And then there’s the fact that we loved the Italian Husky four-strokes back in the day. So did a lot of other people. They’re still out there, and they still know all those Husky tricks and tweaks. This is a very rare case where a new brand has a hungry fan base. And, they’ve been waiting for a long time.
Source : DirtBikeMagazine