As a carburetted two-stroke , the 300SE is locking horns with fuel-injected machines from Europe , and , by my reckoning , it ’ s deserving of being in that picture . The blue , white , yellow and logos create an appearance that ’ s nothing short of stunning . Maybe not everybody ’ s cup of tea , but a welcome change to the sea of orange that otherwise dominates the parking lot . Firing up the engine , I couldn ’ t help but smile at its rasping two stroke notes . This thing rips . In fact , it ripped far too hard for me on backwood trails , and I rarely found myself getting out of second gear . There ’ s heaps of low end torque , and switching to the softer of the two engine maps toned down the aggression and made it more useable in my average hands . The ‘ hard map ’ option is faster and more aggressive , perfect for those looking to unleash the bike ’ s full potential , and is easily changed using the thumb-switch on the bars . What didn ’ t assist the bike was the tall gearing . I very rarely got out of second , and on a bike with six gears that ’ s leaving a fair bit on the table . I ’ m not sure how open a trail you ’ d need to make proper use of that top gear , but I ’ m picturing something akin to the Autobahn . The brakes are outstanding , providing precision and reliable stopping power . The combination of ample low-end torque and the hydraulic clutch made navigating technical sections a breeze . This is where I thought it might struggle against fuel injected rivals , but I had no problems . The ride is ergonomic and comfortable , particularly perched up on the pegs and , with its relatively light weight , it was a pleasure in the low speed stuff . I found it effortless fanning the clutch with one finger . However , it ’ s not without a few drawbacks . The fuel tap is about 10cm inside the frame , which makes it tricky to use , particularly with gloves on . In addition , the headlight is fairly pitiful , and I ’ d definitely swap it out for an aftermarket bulb if I ’ d be doing any riding in the dark . The compression and rebound settings on the forks can be adjusted , albeit not without taking off the bars , but the settings felt decent enough not to bother . The rear shock compression was similarly adjustable , but was similarly left stock . The overall impression was fairly stiff ; it is certainly not a cushy ride , but rather of a responsive ride . The 300SE is an impressive bike , especially for enthusiasts who appreciate the simplicity of a carburetted two-stroke engine . The power might be a bit overwhelming for trail riding , but the switchable engine mapping and strong low-end torque mean it doesn ’ t have to be revved . It ’ s a credible option for any two-stroke enthusiast . RYAN SUTHERLAND