Beta quality, Beta value
By TMX Archives on 10th Dec 09
The Beta EVO range was brand new for the 2009 season when the Italian factory sprung the surprise of the all-new model which gave an entirely new take on its trademark aluminium chassis. Out went the old shapely twin top sections to be replaced by a skinny single beam that obviously shaved a bunch of weight and from the right place, high-up as well as looking a lot more skinny. The new top beam still contained the fuel.
Having lost the area behind the headstock that is so handy for 'hiding' ancillary components, the Beta engineers had to come up with some pretty cunning design but they succeeded in finding homes for all the 'stuff' that you don't normally see. The new chassis is pretty adaptive as well and as well as working fine for the little 125 two-stroke motor it also managed to house the meaty 250/300 four-strokes as well.
So for 2010 not a lot has had to be done, nor was it expected to, apart from some minor tidying and a set of bright new clothes which make for an even lighter look - the rims with the black centres but ally sides are a neat design touch. The radiator filler has been transferred from its side mount, which looked vulnerable, to a new centre mount under the head-stock. You are in some trouble if you manage to clonk this now!
And of course you are spoilt for choice with 125/ 200/ 250 and 290 two-strokes plus 250/ 300 four-stroke option. WOODY HOLE was kept busy riding the whole lot of them in the pouring rain recently while the worst of the weather, that caused such disastrous flooding oop north, was raging and after he'd dried off came away with some very clear opinions...
EVO 125
TO begin at the end, and I have thought about this, the EVO 125 was my favourite two-stroke in the range. Yes, it really is that good!
The obvious thing is to tackle the 125 as a pure Youth market bike but the fact is that such has been the development in the eighth litre class in recent years, driven by the Youth market rules of course, the bikes are now so impressive that they really ought to be considered by some adult riders.
The Beta is an awesome little bike. Like all 125s it feels as light as a pushbike, which is all down to the reciprocating mass (the stuff that whizzes round and round like crank, con-rod and piston) in the engine. The overall weights of the 125 and its larger capacity siblings are pretty similar but the laws of physics conspire to make the 125 feel like it weighs half what the others do. Which is a huge advantage for smaller riders.
So, if you are a Youth, this bike was of course designed with YOU in mind but if you are an adult of average weight do NOT dismiss this from your list of possible purchases!
The engine genuinely has really good low and mid-range power. It has top-end too but it does not have the kind of mega over-rev that, say, the Gas Gas has. It isn't designed to, the power is deliberately stacked where it is for a reason and that is rideability. Try to forget it is a 125 and just ride it as a trials bike. I used bottom, second and third in sections, even on steep climbs and was genuinely amazed - and I am not a lightweight rider. To me it rides like a 200 with the nimble feel of a 125.
In the stream sections it was simply the best of the two-strokes just steering and gripping all the way. An amazing little bike.
EVO 200
I really don't know what to say about the 200. I have just waxed lyrical about the cracking 125 but I think that the 200 rides like a 125 but feels like a 250!
It does feel that much heavier to ride than the 125 stroker but doesn't seem to have the extra performance to match. To me it confuses a would-be purchaser by not being one thing or the other and sort of sits in no-mans land.Obviously it is not a bad machine, it rides exactly like the other EVOs with good front-rear balance, a nice, natural riding stance and smooth, easy to use controls. I just feel it is an unnecessary model that could be dropped from the range with hardly anyone noticing.
Obviously there are those out there who like the 200 and T+MX staff member and Youth Club compiler Beth Hoggarth is one. As a novice rider, she liked the '09 model so much she bought one herself - and insisted that she still felt it was the best option for her this time round. Beth finds the solid handling reassuring and the power very progressive and unthreatening
It does come with very high gearing as standard and Beth found last year that it benefitted considerably from dropping the gearing - something that John Lampkin and his staff can advise on.
EVO 290
I'M going to break with tradition and skip a model here because I felt that the EVO 290 was the pick of the 250/290 option so let's deal with it first.
There must be something going on with the trials manufacturers because for the past few seasons their 250 models have been the default option, the safest and most obvious choice. But for 2010 I found the big Gas Gas was my pick of the bunch for the first time and now I reckon the same is true of the Betas.
In fact I reckon that the EVO 290 is as good as a modern two-stroke trials bike gets.
It sports a mega engine, it is as smooth and torquey as you like. Big two-stroke trials bikes used to be fiery, lumpy things that were hard work to ride for anyone but an expert but you can forget that now. It just churns out strong but oh-so useable power that is a delight to ride. I did try the two-position ignition control but being honest, I couldn't tell the difference between the settings.
Like all the EVOs the handling is excellent and the steering lock amazing. I tried some full-lock downhill turns and while I'm sure it could catch a beginner out and tuck in, I found that you could virtually turn a circle in the bike's own wheelbase - and that's something.
This model has previously been the one to stick in a big gear and go for it on big hills and muddy slots. Now, it is a much more all round package. Take your pick with gear selection as the engine will pull virtually everything in the box?
EVO 250
YES, this is the one that I expected to settle on but this year, to me, it falls behind the 125 and the 300. Beta have softened the power even further for 2010 and to me they have just lost that fine edge. Sure, there will be plenty of riders who will opt for the 250 because it is a natural capacity class but I'm just saying it as I found it.
The EVOs, like most modern models, really are simple to ride and they flatter the rider no matter what his/her ability. The ridng position is natural and all anyone needs to do is alter the bars and/or the levers to personal preference and that's that.
Anyone who rides trials will know that all new bikes do exactly what it says on the tin. The forks feel plush and don't bottom and brakes do their stuff without you having to even think about it. At the back end, the EVO moved to a link type system after years developing their linkless models, stating that the linkless idea had simply run its course. There was nothing wrong with the system for the majority of riders but there's no doubt that when attacking the big steps the link really does help - which is why the EVO features it! The rear of the
Beta now feels the equal of its similar-kitted rivals in the marketplace.EVO 200/300 FOUR-STROKE
INSTEAD of dealing with these two as separate models it makes most sense to tackle them both in one hit. I'll get straight to what is my main point and that is for me, the 300 is the pick of the pair! Both models are identical apart from the capacity and are tuned exactly the same.
I'll be honest, I just loved the 300. The Beta four-strokes are as close to a two-stroke as you are going to get on a trials bike.
You expect a four-stroke to feel front heavy because of the extra weight and also because of the engine braking effectively forcing the front of the bike down but this just isn't the case. The Beta, unlike most four-strokes, somehow doesn't seem to generate a lot of engine braking so this simply isn't an issue. To me, the four-stroke
EVO is just a great trials bike and very easy to ride although I admit I have become something of a four-stroke fan in recent years as the bikes have developed.
The engine just churns out really silky smooth power, with no discernable power band right through the rev range, from tickover to valve bounce! And these bikes are carbureted, no fancy fuel injection, yet they start and tick-over, hot or cold, as easy as you like.Beta really have done a remarkable job with their four-stroke EVO. Other manufacturers have produced four-stroke trials bikes that attract a certain kind of rider, either four-stroke enthusiasts, older riders, or whatever. To my mind the Beta is the first four-stroke that riders who normally swear by their two-strokes have taken to. The EVO has almost removed the basic two-stroke or four-stroke argument. It just boils down to which model you get on with best. There were actually a lot of '09 model EVO four-strokes in the Scottish
Six Days and they had few problems so reliability obviously isn't an issue.
Apart from the 125 two-stroke I found the four-strokes the easiest to handle in the stream. The engine runs so smooth that you just steer and the bike finds the grip. Just try one, you'll be amazed how much you like it!
Beta EVO all models
New features for 2010
New radiator and new position of the radiator header tank for better ergonomics and efficiency
New rear suspension settings developed to improves the overall working of the shock and makes the bike easier to move at the rear.
New 2T ignition settings to make low-end power more linear
New carburettor setting exclusively for two-stroke models to reduce consumption and improve efficiency
Air-filter box improved to be more efficient
New CDI settings on 4T 250/300 to improve mid to top-end power.
Conclusion
Once again it has proved to be a virtually impossible job picking the 'best' bike of the bunch - there isn't one! All the models have
something going for them, it all depends what you want. And, like with Gas Gas the actual capacity doesn't really come into it.
Not too many years ago we used to have to compare like-for-like models, 125 against 125, 250 against 250 but it isn't like that any more.
You just have to see them as trials bikes and if you get on with one better than the others, then that is the bike for you.
So, 2010 Beta EVO: Personally, I loved both the 125 two-stroke and the 300 four-stroke. Of the rest the 300 two-stroke is my pick but
only a midges behind my top two. Having said that, they are all absolutely first class, state of the art trials bikes - I've done my bit, now it's your choice!
Specification:
ENGINE
Type: Single-cylinder, liquid cooled two-stroke with direct crankcase induction via reed-valve
Bore x Stroke: 54 x 54 mm/ 64 x 60.5 mm/ 72.5 x 60.5 mm/ 78 x 60.5 mm
Displacement: 124 cc/ 194.6 cc/ 249.7 cc/ 289.1cc
Compression Ratio: 14 : 1/ 11.8 : 1/ 8.9 : 1/ 9.5 : 1
Ignition: Electronic AET 12V - 85W system with variable spark advance
Lubrication: Pre-mix fuel/ oil mix at 1.5% (synthetic oil)
Carburettor: Keihin PWK 28mm (125) Mikuni VM26/208 (200) Keihin PWK 28mm (250 & 300)
Clutch: Wet multi-disc clutch with cush-drive rubber
Transmission: 6-speed gearbox
CHASSIS
Frame: Single wave aluminium beam
SUSPENSION
Front: Hydraulic fork with 38 mm diameter shaft
Wheel travel 165 mm
Rear: Monoshock with 60mm stroke
Wheel travel: 180 mm
BRAKES
Front: 185 mm disc with 4-piston caliper
Rear: 160 mm disc with 2-piston caliper
WHEELS AND TYRES
Front rim: 21 x 1.6 - 32-spoke
Rear rim: 18 x 2.15 - 32-spoke
Front tyre: 2.75 x 21"
Rear tyre: 4.00 x 18"
DIMENSIONS
Wheel base: 1,305 mm
Overall length: 1,990 mm
Width: 850 mm
Overall height: 1,115 mm
Seat height: 660 mm
Ground clearance: 310 mm
Footrest height: 345 mm
Fuel capacity: 2.6 litres
Reserve: 0.5 litres
Dry weight: 68 kg (125)/ 69 kg (others)
2010 model Beta EVO 250 & 300cc (4T)
ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, four-valve four-stroke
Bore x Stroke: 77 x 53.6 mm/ 84 x 53.6 mm
Displacement: 249.6 cc/ 297.3 cc
Compression Ratio: 11.5 : 1/ 11.1 : 1
Ignition: Electronic with variable spark advance
Carburettor: Mikuni
Clutch: Wet multi-disc clutch
Transmission: 5-speed gearbox
CHASSIS
Frame: Single wave aluminium beam
SUSPENSION
Front: Hydraulic fork with 38 mm diameter shaft
Wheel travel 165 mm
Rear: Monoshock with 60mm stroke
Wheel travel: 180 mm
BRAKES
Front: 185 mm disc with 4-piston caliper
Rear: 160 mm disc with 2-piston caliper
WHEELS AND TYRES
Front rim: 21 x 1.6 - 32-spoke
Rear rim: 18 x 2.15 - 32-spoke
Front tyre: 2.75 x 21"
Rear tyre: 4.00 x 18"
DIMENSIONS
Wheel base: 1,305 mm
Overall length: 1,990 mm
Width: 850 mm
Overall height: 1,115 mm
Seat height: 660 mm
Ground clearance: 310 mm
Footrest height: 350 mm
Fuel capacity: 2.6 litres
Reserve: 0.5 litres
Dry weight: 72 kg
