Beta RR 2019 Enduro range – Tested
By Team TMX on 27th Jun 18
When the invite to test the MY19 Beta Enduro range at Il Ciocco in Italy the home of Hells gate Extreme Enduro landed in my inbox there was only ever one answer; Hell yes, Ill pack right away!
Having reviewed my notes on the changes made to the 2018 range, my curious side wondered what the engineers would have changed on the 2019 production bikes? Could they get them any better without adding any useless gimmicks aimed at a shallow showroom wow factor?
Well the answer is a big fat YES, and with the addition of another new model Beta now has an even four each of four and two stroke machines on the market.
Producing around 20,000 motorcycles per year Beta is still a relatively small family-run manufacturer, extremely proud of the Made in Italy power plants, all brought to market by around just 155 employees with just over 10,000 off-road competition machines produced annually.
With plenty of press bikes ready to be tested I got the day up and running with the two-strokes. A five-minute test lap was laid on using some of the rock-strewn Hells Gate trails, some nice woodland, and a small, flat grass test area as well as some old fire roads to pile on the speed.
First up was the 300 RR, sporting nice new graphics of just the B of Beta, the bikes are pleasing to the eye, not too busy, an almost factory bike looking. One of the big changes to the 300 is that only this machine comes with two power valve spring options.
The standard set-up was tested first and as with most 300s the bike produced plenty of torque throughout the test.
Beta are known for making bikes which are very user friendly and the standard trim 300 is just that. Revised Mapping for 2019 means that even when I opted to wring its neck and have a couple of full-on, caution-to-the-wind) laps, the bike was never getting too much to hold on to.
For the average user there is no hidden agenda and this bike engine-wise is very easy to ride thanks to the newly-redesigned power valve.
I did get a chance to ride a 300 with the optional aggressive power valve spring fitted. Initially it felt faster and was noticeably livelier. Having spun a few laps on this bike I had a short break then tested the stock bike again and I can honestly say that the stock bike is much easier to ride fast than the bike fitted with the aggressive power valve spring.
There will be some riders who prefer the hard hitting power; this is totally a personal set-up option. The new ZF front forks now have all adjusters on the top of the forks, so theres no kneeling down to change anything.
The right fork leg has a spring pre-load adjuster and the compression clicker, while the left leg has the rebound adjuster. New internals are used which in particular improve the compression side of things. Re-designed fork leg ends are a nice rounded shape and shave off even more weight.
On most forks compression adjusters alter the final part of the stroke, but the new ZF forks compression system works from much higher in the stroke, meaning the rider gets a far more progressive feel on high-speed sections or when hitting braking bumps.
Small rocks and loose stones didnt prove an issue with any front-wheel slides. In fact throughout the test on the very mixed terrain I never lost the front once.
I changed the rebound setting on the 390 because I felt the front end was too fast and just three clicks transformed the way it rode, such is the efficiency of the new ZF fork internals.
A new rear shock is used on all the 2019 bikes and designed with a compact 46mm piston the shock is 300g lighter and operation is improved and stabilised over a range of temperatures.
During acceleration on bumpy fire roads the bike never once wanted to step out and bite back, in fact the feeling was that the shock was dealing with everything from tree roots, stony tracks, and hard rocky gulleys in a very efficient way.
Obviously the stock bikes are sprung to an average-weight rider, so always consult the rider operation manual to ensure the correct spring rate is fitted to your bike. Its very often overlooked when riders start messing with damping adjusters to get the bike set up and sometimes struggle to get the right feel.
As a test rider I take an average view on all bikes, so if you are larger or smaller than average dont expect the stock bike to work perfectly right away on standard springs. Next up was the 250 two-stroke and there was a very nice free-revving loose feel to this bike.
It is perhaps a little more responsive than the 300 initially, and then there is a very nice spread of power available. In my humble opinion Id recommend this as the perfect sprint enduro bike and equally a nice bike to ride for those who simply dont want the extra torque the 300 produces.
The larger clutch slave cylinder means constant clutch operation doesnt leave you with arms like Popeye. The 250 likes to be pressed on, its a racers bike and it certainly delivers an awesome fun ride.
The big headline act of this new MY19 range presentation was the new 200 RR.
At last years press launch I noticed the crankcases on the then-new 125 had been machined to accommodate an electric start and when I asked the engine designer why, the answer was simply, for the future.
Well I can confirm we have in some ways gone back to the future without the use of a Delorean! What an awesome bike the 200 is. Based on the 125 engine with a brand-new piston, cylinder and head, as well as a weighted crank and re-worked con rod and with electric start!
I had one lap to get used to the smaller capacity engine and feel what was there, then it was playtime. Beta UK importer John Lampkin always attends Beta tests, and always rides all the bikes to familiarise himself with them.John headed out on his test lap at just the wrong time sorry for the roost John but that 200 was howling.
Lap two on the 200 was probably the most fun Ive had testing the Betas. The lightweight feel and lower power delivery than its larger capacity stable-mates means you can really rattle along on this bike effortlessly.
It can be ridden like a 125 or a 250, the best result is when you send it on, its so easy to ride fast and will make any rider smile listening to the sweetest engine and exhaust note chiming though the trees.
Theres no need to be super-precise on this machine, just fire it along and it will deal with whatever you can throw at it.Its like a 125 on a high protein diet washed down with a fine Italian double espresso to stop it getting tired.
We viewed the dyno readings during the press launch and the paper view of torque translates perfectly to the feel riding the bike.
My final two-stroke test ride was the 125. I always knew this bike wouldnt be as fun to ride as the 200 for me. It is, however, a much more refined 125 than I tested in 2018.
The bike is more like it should be, obviously aimed primarily at the under-21 market. Id say the 125RR ought to be a serious contender for anyone who is in the market for a 125 Enduro bike.
To sum up the two-stroke range, whilst the big manufacturers are setting new goals in terms of TPI and electronic component development, Beta are happy to keep things traditional for the time being.
All the options have been improved in many ways and in particular when you ride a Beta hard it doesnt feel like hard work.
The engineers have worked hard with test riders and enduro GP factory rider Steve Holcombe to create a bike which thankfully still sports a carburetor and is capable of winning world titles, as well as being a popular choice at club level.
Their aim is to provide a rider-friendly bike at the most competitive price. Well done Beta, the hammer has hit the nail square-on for 2019.
As a self-confessed lover of four-stroke enduro bikes I felt at home straight away on all the four-stroke options. Subtle updates to the range include a new throttle assembly, lighter clutch operation and as with the two strokes the new ZF forks and shock.
The RR 350 gives a super neutral feel to any level of rider, the bike delivers more than enough power while still having an almost 250F feel in at lower RPM. On this bike you can create your very own style whether you want high RPM action or a steady, green-lane-friendly ride.
Its big brother the 390 was my personal favourite, like the 350 its easy to ride on mixed terrain, I found the extra power meant that I could short shift sooner and the bike pulled away out of any corner with little or no when spin.
Its true you do need time to adjust to a 4 stroke especially if you have ridden two-stokes for a long time, but they really do handle and track well when you know how to ride them.
The two larger capacity four-strokes the 430 and 480 are a hard sell for me.Im thinking now about the UK market, as more and more closed-course and hare and hounds events are available on any given weekend most of which are relatively small technical laps its hard to see where a big capacity bike will ever be a big seller when the 350/390 options are so good.
Im sure Beta have markets where the bigger four-strokes are big sellers, but for me the UK isnt one of them. I will say however that the idea that the 480 is an arm-wrenching animal is totally wrong, its a nice long-stroke-feeling engine with enough grunt, torque, and power to challenge any other enduro bike.
This is best suited to a rally format enduro or hill-climb type event where you can unleash its potential power. It still brings a smile to your face although I have to say its better suited to riders with a larger frame and build who can do it justice.
The final test ride of the day was on the 430, again this bike sits in the old school 450 class, an awesome bike to ride with loads of available power, which when ridden well gives great rider pleasure.
Beta take their 4 stroke Enduro programme very seriously and with Christophe Charlier using the 390 to great effect they will sure be working hard to keep sales going and continue to improve the Beta offerings.
Finally, I got a few laps on the X Trainer, available in 250 and 300cc two-strokes only, this bike is the perfect green-lane bike for those who want only a steady ride.
Quiet and extremely easy to ride, this almost trials/trail machine makes you want to stand up a lot and ride the terrain in front of you.Not an out-and-out competition machine, dont expect to out-drag a full-on enduro machine across a stubble field.
However, this bike is a great seller in the UK to a wide range of off-road customers.
