SWM Silver Vase 440, the scrambler within everyone's reach [ROAD TEST]

The relaunch of SWM formally began with the international presentation in which we participated last May (here is our complete article of the Gran Milano tests and the Superdual), now we have had the opportunity to try in depth another of the most important models of the new range, the Silver Vase which fishing from the past, with a name that takes you back to the origins of the Varese company. The first was in fact a 1976 motorbike, among the most famous of SWM. The Italian house, we remember, is in the process of relaunch thanks to fresh capital from new Chinese partners (Shineray Group), in an attempt to bring back into vogue the brand that Fausto Vergani and Pietro Sironi had founded at the beginning of the 70s, also achieving success and world titles in competitions.

The events then intersect with another brand that remained linked to Italy for several years, Husqvarna, whose factories remained in headquarters in Biandronno from the acquisition by Cagiva at the end of the 80s, until 2013, when BMW sold the brand to KTM. Former headquarters and part of the staff of the Swedish house are now involved in the new SWM project. In the range, the Silver Vase is one of the most important and captivating models, together with its sisters Gran Milano and Gran Turismo, all 440s, but which cost a little more. The Superdual 600 becomes a bit demanding with its 8.200 euros, while remaining an alternative with an attractive price, when compared to the best competition.

Aesthetics and finishes:

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Refined details, but also others that are a little subdued

High exhaust, spoked wheels and knobby tyres, all united in a look with a retro flavor. These are the ingredients for one of the most successful genres of recent years. Born in a now distant era, as a re-adaptation of road models for off-road use, they then made a comeback among the specials, to also end up in the official price lists of the manufacturers, which today produce them in a good number.

We remember, among many, one of the first, the Triumph Scrambler, but BMW have also recently ventured into the R nineT Scrambler and Ducati with a model so important that it has become a brand within a brand, with an increasingly diversified range, available today on 6 models. However, being fashionable almost always comes at a price, given that all the motorbikes we have mentioned have prices close to or often above double figures. Thinking of a Scrambler offered at half these prices makes the public quite enticed, especially those who don't expect exaggerated performance from their two wheels.

So SWM enters this segment "with a straight leg", with a product with a pleasant look, even if not everything is praiseworthy (considering the price, the opposite would be surprising). Some details, however, are of notable workmanship and good aesthetic impact, we are referring to the high double exhaust, for example, or the pair of spoked wheels, of which the front is 19" to wink at off-road driving , which fit tyres Pirelli MT60, one of the most popular covers even by the famous opponents we mentioned.

Not even one is missing protective metal plate under the engine, or the upside down fork combined with rubber bellows which are very retro. Other details are more essential and very simple, perhaps too simple in some cases.

We are talking about the instrumentation, or the headlight support, an area in which the passage of the electrical cables sheds light with less than impeccable care. Even the brake compartment and the rear swingarm appear economical and basic, certainly up to the task, given that the Silver Vase is a motorcycle with around thirty horsepower. Overall it is pleasant and well done, with the tank dividing the public between those who appreciate a slightly particular aspect and those who, precisely because it is a little outside the box, find it not very pleasant, but it is also an attraction to its past and the 70s models.

Engine and performance:

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A small and simple mono for three interesting models

The heart of the Silver Vase is the same single-cylinder from 445 cc, which it shares with the Gran Turismo and the Gran Milano, which we had the opportunity to try, albeit rather quickly, at the presentation of the 2017 range. It is a unit capable of 30 horses, approved Euro 4 (from this year), with a maximum torque of 36 Nm delivered at 5.500 rpm, equipped with a cooling system air and oil (in fact you can see the small radiator), with a dry sump system. It has a single reed shaft for distribution to 4 valves, while the electronic ignition is of the digitally controlled variable advance type.

They are 5 gears, testifying to the essentiality and simplicity of the Silver Vase engine. It's certainly not a lightning bolt of war, but its very simplicity and absence of electronic sophistication makes it excellent for a motorbike that certainly doesn't focus on performance, but rather on reliability and low fuel consumption. Above 100 km/h the vibrations become significant, suggesting maintaining a "cruising" speed of around 90 km/h on longer journeys, while in the city it blends well and the light clutch makes it perfect for the urban context. The mono pushes well from around 3 thousand rpm, giving its best in the range up to 5-6 thousand rpm, while it extends up to the limiter, located just below 9.000 (the analogue instrument provides a red zone located between 10 and 11 rpm , but if you get there you are probably causing some trouble while climbing).

On his side he also has the pleasant sound which comes out of the double exhaust, while its manufacturing origins recall in some aspects the Japanese engines of the past, but it is produced in China and ends up equipping the SWM precisely because of the Italian-Chinese partnership which supports the relaunch of the Lombard company. The performance is lively and up to the level of urban use, as mentioned, or for some not too demanding trips, perhaps avoiding long motorway journeys, where the Silver Vase is not in its best habitat. The gearbox has fairly precise, but not praiseworthy, engagements, while the effort on the command is very low.

Ride and handling:

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More at ease on asphalt than off

The Silver Vase, with that high and wide handlebars, the 19" wheel and the spoked rims promises to be at ease on dirt roads, and in fact he faces them with a certain ease, although with a good dose of relaxation and tranquility as we will see. However, its perfect context of use is the city, where lightness and easy handling are among its best qualities, capable of putting anyone at ease on its saddle, placed 820 mm from the ground. The Silver Vase is based on the single-spar frame, with a double steel cradle made of circular-section tubes, which contains the overall weight of the motorbike in just 151 Kg.

The fork is type with upside down stems, 43 mm, as well as being adjustable. The travel is 125 mm, while at the rear we find a double hydraulic shock absorber, which leaves the rear wheel with a travel of just 99 mm.

Here lies the greatest limit for those who want to do a bit of off-roading, because beyond its easy handling and low weight, characteristics that make it excellent for putting the wheels off the asphalt, if you want to dare more, the simplicity of the chassis and the limited travel, especially of the rear suspension, mean that it goes into crisis rather quickly. The brake compartment features a single floating disc with hydraulic control and ABS, the diameter of 260 mm, behind the rear brake it is always disc, but fixed and 220 mm. The bite, especially for the front, could be better, but overall the braking deserves a full pass. The arrival of ABS in 2017 definitively solved the blocking problem, particularly felt by systems that can easily go into crisis. The tires, as already mentioned, are the excellent Pirelli MT60, in "slim" sizes, given that we find a 100/90 on a 19" rim at the front and a 130/80 on a 17" rim at the rear. In driving the Silver Vase is simple and immediate, always light even when maneuvering from a standstill, while it does not excel in stability when driving at higher speeds, but it is obvious that the compromise is pushed in the direction of offering the best with a quieter and more relaxed.

Price and consumption:

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The price is one of its best qualities, consumption is low as expected

The single cylinder keeps its promises and delivers very low consumption, in the order of 25-30 km/day depending on driving style. The angular tank of the Silver Vase, with a very personal style, puts everyone in agreement when it comes to autonomy. With a capacity close to 23 litres (22,5 to be precise) and the consumption we mentioned, it promises to take you for a ride several kilometers away from a petrol station! Potentially we could do a Milan – Rome or almost!

As for the price, of the three models in the Classic line, the Silver Vase is the cheapest, with its 5.150 €, while the other two sisters 440 see attestation the GRAN TURISMO 200 euros higher, the Gran Milano costs an additional 200 euros, reaching 5.550 euros. Price which is therefore undoubtedly one of the elements that most pushes you to evaluate the purchase of this small but fascinating Scrambler, the only offer at the moment in this range. The sales and assistance network of SWM, a brand perhaps still less well known to most people, is already quite widespread. From the website of the Varese company we found 24 in Lombardy alone, just to give an example, of which 3 in Milan and 2 in nearby Monza. The province of Varese reigns supreme, for obvious reasons, with 7 points of sale.

PROS AND CONS
We like it:
Style and some elements such as the spoked wheels or the high double exhaust, attractive price
We do not like it:
Brake compartment, some economical elements and finishes

SWM Silver Vase 440: the Motorionline Report Card

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Gianluca Cuttitta collaborated

Jacket: Mtech Superaxe Café Racer
Trousers: Mtech Kenim h20
Gloves: Mtech Daytona Café Racer
Technical shoes: Dainese Street Rocker D-WP
Helmet: Nolan N40-5 GT