Beta things to come
By TMX Archives on 20th Sep 07
HOT on the heels of Beta's REV3 two-stroke mods for 2008, which we featured last week on Page 3 and illustrated with a pretty cool pic, comes news of the eagerly awaited '08 REV3-4-stroke model!
When introduced last year the REV4 - as it wasinstantly dubbed - the 250 four-stroke received rave reviews fromvirtually everyone who rode it. Beta appeared to have pulled-off a bitof a miracle, a four-stroke 250 that felt almost like a two-stroke toride! The Italians managed to shoe-horn their four-stroke motor intothe well-established and beautifully crafted aluminium chassis - and itall gelled like a dream.
But they played it very carefully and only builtand released a limited number of 2007 REV4 models, making those whomanaged to grab one very envied persons indeed!
The four-stroke has proved to be pretty much onthe button first time out and for 2008, with the addition of a fewtweaks which are listed below, it is ready to rock.
A new hot-start knob on the carb is probably themost noteworthy and is claimed to help that old bogey, thefour-stroke's reluctance to start when hot, become a thing of the past.
The biggest change you will actually notice is themove away from the standard REV3 colours so that you know it isactually a REV4! Black plastics rather than the standard two-stroke redmake the four-stroke stand out in the section queue.
Importer John Lampkin tells us that for real powerjunkies, a 280cc kit is currently under development at the factory butyou haven't to get too excited yet as it is unlikely to be availableuntil well into 2008.
The good news on the price front is that John says he is hoping to peg REV3 and REV3 4-stroke prices to the 2007 level.
Delivery of the 2009 Betas is expected to begin in early October.
REV-3 4-STROKE - TECHNICAL MODIFICATIONS 2008
* New fork settings.
* New dedicated shock absorber settings.
* New electric fuel tap.
* New hot start knob integrated into thecarburettor union: improves practicality in starting the engine fromhot. Less cumbersome and less vulnerable to crash damage than theearlier handlebar lever.
* New pressure-cast casings.
* New outer clutch cover with five-bolt fixing for a better seal. New position for the oil filler plug.
* New design for the clutch cover with the addition of lateral grooves to facilitate removal of the clutch.
* New exhaust pipe with reduced metal thickness (1mm): greater performance under acceleration together with a substantialweight reduction (150 grams).
* Euro3 homologation.
* New colour-scheme: a brand-new mix of black and fluorescent red.
