I had ridden a fleet of beta motorcycles at a demo day, the 480 & 390 performed the best in the slippery wet off road conditions, just tractored so well ! I have recently picked up a 2019 swm500 for a bargain price which also has simular characteristics, only time will tell how reliable they will be, though I don't think you can beat those old Japanese style bikes for reliability!
COB , I'd love to know what BYOB costs! I've gotten vague responses from dealers and Beta. For example, how much is it to say, lower an RRS an inch, add a luggage rack, etc? The dealers I've asked have no clue.
Have a 13 520rr/s the best bike ever. ,,60 yrs old 5'8" 170lbs yeah still side saddle at stops but will go n get it shimmed front n rear and drop afew inches, it is a keeper no doubt,,now that JW #23 is with Beta your going to see them soar in popularity
Great video and review. I have been pulling hair deciding between the Beta and KTM 500. The Beta seems like an incredible bike and I know/knew so little about them. One of the key points you made for me is in regard to the ADV aspect. That is a huge part of what I want to do and really helped clear the waters a little bit. I want the dirt bike "feel" but I want to be able to venture out into the unknown and camp a day or two as well. Thanks again for the great video and keep it up! I'm in the CO Springs area and would love to tag along on a ride sometime.
I'm not sure the KTM 500 is a great option for ADV riding either, if you mean an EXC. It's also a very lightweight, narrow "dirt bike" sort of dual sport. But having said that, you could strap on some bags etc and make it work, but I think there are more comfortable to ride options out there for ADV type stuff. My long term plan is to have one of each: a trail bike like my Beta, and an ADV bike as well. 😊
Great Review - thank you for an honest common sense approach to relaying your impressions of this bike. I also live in the mountains at elevation - near Banff Alberta; therefore, short ride up into the hills and mountains. Similar in stature to yourself, the weight of the bike is important plus it seems that it is not necessary to spend money on an aftermarket ECU as confirmed by Taco Moto Mike. As an ordinary mere mortal age 70 who enjoys the dirt, needs to ride on the roadways to get to the trails, your review was very helpful.
I'm glad it helped. I'm now coming up on three years of owning it, and I've been very happy with it, and it has given me zero problems. It does everything I've ever asked of it. 😊
Many thanks! I just put out two "One year review" videos where I talk about the things I like and the things I don't like about it after owning it for a year. Feel free to check those out as well. 😊👍
I ordered the exact same bike in November. March is the delivery date. Bought a ktm790 adventure r last year. I love it also,BUUUUUUUT it’s heavy , 450 wet. That is why I’m trying a beta
I have a 2020 790 R and yes picking up 450lbs is not fun. Talk too. Had an 2011 Beta 450rr and would love to try newer 500rrs. Heard gas mileage could be better otherwise pretty nice.
Cool video man! I just picked up a 390 Race Edition from Apex a couple days ago. I went in looking for a Husky or KTM and bought the Beta instead. I'm still on the break-in period and haven't ripped it up yet so I'm wasting time watching videos :-) Take care!
Oddly enough, I think the outcome of overdubbing your narrative, worked to raise the quality of this presentation - making this one of the better bike review/presentations I have had the pleasure of watching lately - in it's own way ps. this may also be due in-part to your voice and tone, which is reminiscent of a radio host ;)
Thanks! I used to be a radio host for about 14 years. It was the only talent I was born with, a solid voice. Maybe I should do more voiceovers instead of the camera audio, you're not the first one to mention the narration was better because of it. 🤔😊
Going to the Beta dealer tomorrow to test a PR7 and the Beta 500. I'm much like yourself, but closer to 60 than 50, and want a light trail bike that I can take on the highway if necessary. I would certainly get an aftermarket seat. I have a WR250R currently, and would appreciate the extra power in a lighter bike. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
PR7, as in AJP? That's a totally different type of bike from a Beta. More of an adventure type bike. I imagine it's much heavier, less at home on the trails?
Great video. I am going to be selling my Husqvarna 701. It is way too heavy for my liking. Even after riding/racing KTM's for the last 12 yrs Beta is the route I plan to go.
Thanks, Tim. I haven't spent many hours on mine yet, but I sure like how light it is so far. I hope you enjoy the new Beta. Do you know which one you'll go for?
@@timholtzclaw2224 If my elevation was lower I would have chosen the 390. I hear it's just about perfect in it's combination of power and feel. I was just worried about losing that 18-20% power at elevation, which is why I chose the 500. Sounds like you have the same thought process as I do about it. I almost got a 430, thinking it might be a good "middle" compromise, but in the end I figured I'd never complain about having too much power. 😬
I don't think it vibrates much at all. I have had it up to 75 for short periods. There is some, all those single cylinder bikes do, but it isn't bad to me.
Can you tell something about the traction control ? I want to know if the throtle is still abrupt withe the mildest setting. Can ABS be instaled ? Do you know if the piston has 3 rings , as Honda CRF450L has ?
I am not aware of an ABS system being able to be installed. I imagine you could if you wanted, and the throttle response on the mild mapping is reduced until the rpms get high. To me, this isn't the sort of bike you would want to have equipped with ABS and traction control. This is first and foremost a dirt bike, and those electronic systems usually should be turned off when off road. And as I said before when you asked about the piston rings, I don't know how many it has, I haven't taken it apart yet. 😊
@@rockymountainlife Thank you very much ! I am thinking about making it more secure for the street , hence the ABS question. I hate abrupte throtle response in the low speeds.
Hey there live in Castlerock I’ve been trying all year to find a Beta. Can you please let me know where you purchased this. Or any information that could help.
I got mine at Apex Sports in Colorado Springs. Back in late August I think, when the 2021's were about to come out, I asked Apex to put my name on one. I happened to be the first one who reserved a 500, so I got the first one that they got in. That was late November. I was just in the dealership a few days ago, and they had just a 2 stroke race edition. All the other ones were sold out, but I didn't ask about when they will get more. My best advice is to contact Randy at Apex and see what he can do. I know there's a dealer up in Loveland as well, but I don't know about inventory up there. I know it's not much info, but that's how I got mine.
Aside from the Husqvarna 701 (Enduro or Supermoto), the Beta 500 is a bike i would love to own! But i decided to look elsewhere. The thing is the bike is high maintenance (hourly oil and valve checks), compared to the other dual-sports out there: Yamaha wrr, Kawasaki klx, Honda crf, Ktm, etc. That would be too much for me. Maybe sometime in the future?
The Husky 701 is way too heavy for what I want, as is the KLX and Honda (also underpowered for what I want). And the high maintenance schedule is for racing. Everyone I spoke to and everything I could find about the Beta maintenance (including the service guys at my dealer who make money by servicing my bike) all said that it doesn't need valve checks and oil changes as often as the manual suggests. That doesn't mean you change the oil every 5,000 miles, but it is about the same sort of schedule as the KTM and Husky. The CRF has pretty aggressive maintenance intervals as well, but ultimately it all depends on what each person wants and how they would use it. I'm not making sales videos for the Beta, just trying to share my adventures with it as well as what my experience is like owning it. If the maintenance ends up being a big pain and expense, or I have reliability problems, I'll share that as well. I fully support people buying whatever bike they prefer. 😊👍
@@rockymountainlife Both the bike and the areas you ride in are beautiful!! To bad there's nothing like that near me in New York. Anyway, enjoy the bike and keep the videos coming!
You Toober , the maintenance on a Beta is the same for a KTM, Husky, Honda 450, WR450, etc. They are all high-maintenance, being high-compression with small, compact engines with small oil pans. For sure if riding on dusty roads. But the crazy schedules are based on MX / Enduro racing. For a weekend rider on a mix of paved and gravel roads here in WI it isn't bad at all.
@@waylonswaycraps I have a local dealer here in Southern Colorado where I live, so it was easy. I just made a reservation and waited a few months for it to arrive. S&T Cycles in Clanton, Alabama looks like the closest one to you. 😊
Badass bike. I've been looking at a few bikes for the past month and this one just made it on my watchlist (saw that it won dual-sport of the year on dirtbike magazine). The KTM 500 exc-f and Honda 450L were my top two picks. Decided to scratch off the 450L since it weighs 40lbs more and I don't ride on the pavement enough. Currently riding a 2006 ktm 525xc-g, awesome bike for the trails and handles 50mph road speeds just fine (does pretty much everything I want to do). Really hope the newer bikes would cruise at 65 mph without any issues. On average, I ride about 70% dirt and 30% road. Occasionally, I may need to ride a small stretch of freeway to get back on a trail. What are your thoughts on this bike in terms of road and off-road performance? Would you say this machine is capable of short-medium distance on pavement travel? +1
Totally. I've had mine up to 65 with no problem. I think it would hit 80 without much trouble. I wouldn't like long pavement runs due to the hard seat, but it would do medium or short runs just fine.
I don't find the vibration bad at all. There certainly is some, but no more than I expect from a larger single cylinder engine. I found the narrow, hard seat to be more uncomfortable on the pavement than the vibrations. 😬
I road the 2019 Beta 500 last year when I was searching for my next dual sport bike. My top criteria was low engine vibration. I road the Honda 450L and the KTM 500 for comparison. The Beta 500 was by far the smoothest in regards to engine vibrations. The Honda and the KTM were not smooth at all, and quite a disappointment, especially the KTM. The only other bike that was equal to the Beta was the Yamaha YZ450FX which is a race bike. I ended up choosing the YZ over the Beta because of the superior suspension. Although the YZ does not come street-legal from the factory, I was able to make it street legal and get it plated. I am still interested in the Beta but they need to upgrade their suspension before I will seriously consider buying one. The 2019 suspension is ok at slow speed but subpar at best when ridden aggressively. I had thought about putting Ohlins suspension on the Beta but it didn't make much sense to spend that much when the Yamaha was just as good in stock form.
@@Navaho66 I don't know what if anything was changed with the suspension between 2019 and 2021. Probably nothing, I don't recall reading anything about changes to the suspension, although most of the reviews I read and watched about the 2020 models was positive about the suspension. Compared to my old KLR the suspension feels great to me. And no one will ever mistake me for a racer, so I doubt I'll overwork the springs. I do know that KTM made some improvements to their suspension for 2020 after many people complained it was too soft. From my understanding, it was a noticeable difference. Hard to go wrong with a YZ in my opinion, it just wasn't what I needed. More performance than I would ever be able to get out of it with my skill set. :)
@@rockymountainlife Picking up my 21' 480 race version tomorrow and the suspension is the main reason I went with it over the 500. Plus mine get beat up and I saw a lot of those extras getting broke. Love to get together for a ride because I'm in Englewood and love getting to the southern regions. We're almost identical in size and weight, thought that was funny. However I've got you by 10 years but I feel I'm in my 40's😜 This will be Beta #5 and I can't pull myself to sell any of them! 2 Enduro 2T 2 trials Let me know how to get in touch if you want to ride. Hit Penrose often, Texas Creek, Tanner Peak etc. But love to try some new ones! Have a great day 👍
@@jacko4483 I'm always game to meet up with people to ride with, as long as folks don't try and get me killed. 😁 I have bills to pay, have to be able to go back to work after a ride. I very nearly bought a 2020 Race Edition 430 a month before I got my RRS. I mainly opted to wait for the RRS because I wanted a key for the bike (since I don't own a truck I have to ride from my garage), and I wanted the Trail Tech gps unit. Plus, the wife didn't like the color scheme of the race edition. Lol And I figured I'd never test the suspension beyond what these Sachs could handle. My skills are not amazing. 😬
@Winston Smith I know, but all the 4 strokes I saw in the local dealership had them, and the dealer said they didn't add it. That's all the info I have. 😬
Well, I haven't had it long enough to really know for sure, but I haven't been able to find much online about people having a lot of reliability issues. I made the choice to buy it based in part on not finding much in the way of poor reliability. 😊👍
My google research found the same .. only negative I found is electrical gremlins on 2019 and older bikes . Regarding other bikes, I’m in the same boat as you ... looked at the Honda but the weight is a turn off and I would need to spend another 2k getting it to beta specs .. another interesting bike I’m considering is the SWM RS500 .... it has good reviews and you can’t beat the price ... but concerned about aftermarket support... so it looks like the beta wins
@@Lucky_Moe The SWM is a great option, but you are right, it is limited on aftermarket parts. It's also heavy, and more street oriented than the Beta. It's basically a slightly reworked 2006 Husky. But the price is awesome. It was mainly the weight I was afraid of. And from what I can tell, the electrical gremlins on the Betas are pretty much fixed, they increased the gauge of wire on them for 2020 which seems to have fixed most of the issues.
If one of the reasons you bought the Beta is because you thought that the Honda suspension or the KTM suspension wasn't going to be as good or as supportive as the Beta (out of the crate), you completely missed it. I've ridden all of them. The Honda is superior in comparison to the KTM, and the KTM is superior to the Beta with regard to how well it performs at speed. I don''t own any of these bikes because I wanted something even more capable at faster speeds. That's not to say that my bike is a better all-around dual sport. I just want to point out that what you here about suspension on the internet is very subjective, especially in the dual sport community. I think that Dirt Bike Magazine did a great job at reviewing the strengths and weaknesses of the high-performance dual sport bikes in there 2020 Dual Sport Shootout videos.
Yeah, I was aware of all these things prior to buying the Beta, and I know I wasn't very clear in the video. Everything I could find about the Honda suspension was good, I wasn't worried about performance, I was more worried about longevity. I saw videos of guys bottoming out the Honda forks pretty easily (larger guys like me) and I was worried about how long they would hold up under my weight, not about performance. Mix in the stalling issue the Honda has and it's much higher weight and I stopped considering it. I also saw the Dirt Bike Magazine videos about all the bikes, I learned a lot from them. I mainly chose the Beta over the KTM because of the higher initial cost of the KTM, by the time I outfitted it with the changes I made to the Beta it would have cost quit a bit more and come with poorer OEM tires. Suspension performance wasn't much of a consideration for me. I initially had planned on ordering stiffer springs from Beta as well, with a BYOB option, but ended up not going that route as it would have delayed the arrival fo the bike another couple of months. But again, I was thinking of the stiffer springs just so they'd last longer under me, not to change the performance aspect. Plus, with my limited skills, I doubt I could tell the difference between the different suspensions of any of the brands. I wanted something that would be light and powerful, and the Beta fit the bill there. If I were 20 years younger I may have made a different choice, but as I age, I am less interested in heavier bikes, the Honda is quite a bit heavier, and the KTM has a higher seat height by almost an inch, and that was also a factor. And lastly, my local dealer who sells Honda, KTM, Sherco, Kawasaki and Beta - pretty much all the employees ride Betas when they could ride any of them, and I thought that was a pretty good indication of how good a machine they are. :)
@@rockymountainlife I was looking for a lightweight dual sport in 2019 when I compared Honda, KTM and Beta. I rode all three and then decided to build a dual sport based on a new YZ450FX. The reasons I did not like the others: Beta had internal fork coating issues that were very expensive to fix, and the bike was expensive already. The Sachs suspension was not up to the task for how I ride. The build quality of the Beta was questionable, and fuel mileage was poor. Those things could be addressed with mods but it would have been the most expensive build. KTM engine was very buzzy. That was a deal killer for me because that could not be remedied. Honda 450L was too heavy and a little bit buzzy. Fueling issues, too. What I loved about the Beta was the super smooth engine (no vibes). What I loved about the KTM was the great fuel mileage (in the 50's) and the torquey motor. What I loved about the Honda was the forks. What I love about my Yamaha is the suspension and the free phone app that allows me to program the ignition and fueling for the different types of riding I do. What I hate about the Yamaha is the 5-speed transmission.
As a general statement, there is not a single Japanese dual sport that even comes close to competing with any of the European models. If you want motocross capability it’s hard to beat the Japanese bikes. There is a reason NOBODY who has ever made podium in an enduro race is on a European bike. At the end of the day you have to buy what works best for you as an individual. Anybody with an ounce of technical skill and desire to ride single track should avoid Japanese dual sports. They are reliable but just aren’t NEARLY as capable as KTM, Beta, Husky, Gas Gas.
Yep. I don't think the OEM ones would hold up to any sort of roost. Even the mounting brackets are plastic. First hill climb in traffic and I think they would both break.
Very nice and very professional review. I actually like the voice over better than the ride audio! Enjoy, ride safe!
Nice well thought out thorough review. More info gleaned from your answers below. Well done mate, look forward to more.
Thank you, Steve, much appreciated. 👍
I had ridden a fleet of beta motorcycles at a demo day, the 480 & 390 performed the best in the slippery wet off road conditions, just tractored so well ! I have recently picked up a 2019 swm500 for a bargain price which also has simular characteristics, only time will tell how reliable they will be, though I don't think you can beat those old Japanese style bikes for reliability!
Good video! Ordered my BYOB and patiently waiting! Hope to have it before Christmas. Cheers!
Congrats! I hope you enjoy it as much as I am. 👍
COB , I'd love to know what BYOB costs! I've gotten vague responses from dealers and Beta. For example, how much is it to say, lower an RRS an inch, add a luggage rack, etc? The dealers I've asked have no clue.
Have a 13 520rr/s the best bike ever. ,,60 yrs old 5'8" 170lbs yeah still side saddle at stops but will go n get it shimmed front n rear and drop afew inches, it is a keeper no doubt,,now that JW #23 is with Beta your going to see them soar in popularity
Great video and review. I have been pulling hair deciding between the Beta and KTM 500. The Beta seems like an incredible bike and I know/knew so little about them. One of the key points you made for me is in regard to the ADV aspect. That is a huge part of what I want to do and really helped clear the waters a little bit. I want the dirt bike "feel" but I want to be able to venture out into the unknown and camp a day or two as well. Thanks again for the great video and keep it up! I'm in the CO Springs area and would love to tag along on a ride sometime.
I'm not sure the KTM 500 is a great option for ADV riding either, if you mean an EXC. It's also a very lightweight, narrow "dirt bike" sort of dual sport. But having said that, you could strap on some bags etc and make it work, but I think there are more comfortable to ride options out there for ADV type stuff. My long term plan is to have one of each: a trail bike like my Beta, and an ADV bike as well. 😊
great review thanks for the insight
Great Review - thank you for an honest common sense approach to relaying your impressions of this bike. I also live in the mountains at elevation - near Banff Alberta; therefore, short ride up into the hills and mountains. Similar in stature to yourself, the weight of the bike is important plus it seems that it is not necessary to spend money on an aftermarket ECU as confirmed by Taco Moto Mike. As an ordinary mere mortal age 70 who enjoys the dirt, needs to ride on the roadways to get to the trails, your review was very helpful.
I'm glad it helped. I'm now coming up on three years of owning it, and I've been very happy with it, and it has given me zero problems. It does everything I've ever asked of it. 😊
Great review, and great bike!
Thanks, Shane! 👍
Very good video, thank you!
I absolutely loved this review - perhaps one of the overall best impression/review for a bike that I've ever had the pleasure of watching :)
Many thanks! I just put out two "One year review" videos where I talk about the things I like and the things I don't like about it after owning it for a year. Feel free to check those out as well. 😊👍
Great video 👌🏾
Great review brother. I'd like to drive down and ride with, I'm in gj so not far away. I'm hoping to get a 500 beta so I thank you for the review
Absolutely, let me know when you're heading over the mountains, we'll figure something out. 👍
I ordered the exact same bike in November. March is the delivery date. Bought a ktm790 adventure r last year. I love it also,BUUUUUUUT it’s heavy , 450 wet. That is why I’m trying a beta
Yep, the weight was a major factor for me as well. Congrats! I hope you love it! 👍👍
I have a 2020 790 R and yes picking up 450lbs is not fun. Talk too. Had an 2011 Beta 450rr and would love to try newer 500rrs. Heard gas mileage could be better otherwise pretty nice.
Cool video man! I just picked up a 390 Race Edition from Apex a couple days ago. I went in looking for a Husky or KTM and bought the Beta instead. I'm still on the break-in period and haven't ripped it up yet so I'm wasting time watching videos :-) Take care!
Congrats! I think you'll love it!
I initially went into Apex looking for a Honda and ended up getting a Beta. I think it happens a fair bit. 😁
nice machine!
Oddly enough, I think the outcome of overdubbing your narrative, worked to raise the quality of this presentation - making this one of the better bike review/presentations I have had the pleasure of watching lately - in it's own way
ps. this may also be due in-part to your voice and tone, which is reminiscent of a radio host ;)
Thanks! I used to be a radio host for about 14 years. It was the only talent I was born with, a solid voice. Maybe I should do more voiceovers instead of the camera audio, you're not the first one to mention the narration was better because of it. 🤔😊
You have a great voice, you should tell scary stories 😀
Thanks! I used to be on the radio for many years. 😊
@@rockymountainlife hehe nice!
Going to the Beta dealer tomorrow to test a PR7 and the Beta 500. I'm much like yourself, but closer to 60 than 50, and want a light trail bike that I can take on the highway if necessary. I would certainly get an aftermarket seat. I have a WR250R currently, and would appreciate the extra power in a lighter bike. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
PR7, as in AJP? That's a totally different type of bike from a Beta. More of an adventure type bike. I imagine it's much heavier, less at home on the trails?
Great video. I am going to be selling my Husqvarna 701. It is way too heavy for my liking. Even after riding/racing KTM's for the last 12 yrs Beta is the route I plan to go.
Thanks, Tim. I haven't spent many hours on mine yet, but I sure like how light it is so far. I hope you enjoy the new Beta. Do you know which one you'll go for?
@@rockymountainlife I would go with the 390 here in Georgia. But I will be taking the new bike to our Montana house the 500 is on top of the list.
@@timholtzclaw2224 If my elevation was lower I would have chosen the 390. I hear it's just about perfect in it's combination of power and feel. I was just worried about losing that 18-20% power at elevation, which is why I chose the 500. Sounds like you have the same thought process as I do about it. I almost got a 430, thinking it might be a good "middle" compromise, but in the end I figured I'd never complain about having too much power. 😬
How much does it vibrate at highway speed’s rode a husky 350 felt like it vibrated a lot compared to my Sherco 300
I don't think it vibrates much at all. I have had it up to 75 for short periods. There is some, all those single cylinder bikes do, but it isn't bad to me.
Can you tell something about the traction control ? I want to know if the throtle is still abrupt withe the mildest setting. Can ABS be instaled ? Do you know if the piston has 3 rings , as Honda CRF450L has ?
I am not aware of an ABS system being able to be installed. I imagine you could if you wanted, and the throttle response on the mild mapping is reduced until the rpms get high. To me, this isn't the sort of bike you would want to have equipped with ABS and traction control. This is first and foremost a dirt bike, and those electronic systems usually should be turned off when off road. And as I said before when you asked about the piston rings, I don't know how many it has, I haven't taken it apart yet. 😊
@@rockymountainlife Thank you very much ! I am thinking about making it more secure for the street , hence the ABS question. I hate abrupte throtle response in the low speeds.
Hey there live in Castlerock I’ve been trying all year to find a Beta. Can you please let me know where you purchased this. Or any information that could help.
I got mine at Apex Sports in Colorado Springs. Back in late August I think, when the 2021's were about to come out, I asked Apex to put my name on one. I happened to be the first one who reserved a 500, so I got the first one that they got in. That was late November.
I was just in the dealership a few days ago, and they had just a 2 stroke race edition. All the other ones were sold out, but I didn't ask about when they will get more. My best advice is to contact Randy at Apex and see what he can do. I know there's a dealer up in Loveland as well, but I don't know about inventory up there. I know it's not much info, but that's how I got mine.
Aside from the Husqvarna 701 (Enduro or Supermoto), the Beta 500 is a bike i would love to own!
But i decided to look elsewhere. The thing is the bike is high maintenance (hourly oil and valve checks), compared to the other dual-sports out there: Yamaha wrr, Kawasaki klx, Honda crf, Ktm, etc. That would be too much for me. Maybe sometime in the future?
The Husky 701 is way too heavy for what I want, as is the KLX and Honda (also underpowered for what I want). And the high maintenance schedule is for racing. Everyone I spoke to and everything I could find about the Beta maintenance (including the service guys at my dealer who make money by servicing my bike) all said that it doesn't need valve checks and oil changes as often as the manual suggests. That doesn't mean you change the oil every 5,000 miles, but it is about the same sort of schedule as the KTM and Husky. The CRF has pretty aggressive maintenance intervals as well, but ultimately it all depends on what each person wants and how they would use it. I'm not making sales videos for the Beta, just trying to share my adventures with it as well as what my experience is like owning it. If the maintenance ends up being a big pain and expense, or I have reliability problems, I'll share that as well. I fully support people buying whatever bike they prefer. 😊👍
@@rockymountainlife Both the bike and the areas you ride in are beautiful!! To bad there's nothing like that near me in New York.
Anyway, enjoy the bike and keep the videos coming!
You Toober , the maintenance on a Beta is the same for a KTM, Husky, Honda 450, WR450, etc. They are all high-maintenance, being high-compression with small, compact engines with small oil pans. For sure if riding on dusty roads. But the crazy schedules are based on MX / Enduro racing. For a weekend rider on a mix of paved and gravel roads here in WI it isn't bad at all.
IT DOES NOT HAVE "ABS" WITH
SWITCH OFF...
OR HYDRALIC CLUTCH ?
The clutch is hydraulic, no ABS at all.
What did that rig set you back? I love it
All together with my alterations and aftermarket parts, about 12,600. 😳
Where did you buy it if you don't mind me asking? I'm from Mobile Alabama and I don't know of anywhere around here that sells them
@@waylonswaycraps I have a local dealer here in Southern Colorado where I live, so it was easy. I just made a reservation and waited a few months for it to arrive. S&T Cycles in Clanton, Alabama looks like the closest one to you. 😊
@@rockymountainlife ok man that's great to know thanks
Badass bike. I've been looking at a few bikes for the past month and this one just made it on my watchlist (saw that it won dual-sport of the year on dirtbike magazine). The KTM 500 exc-f and Honda 450L were my top two picks. Decided to scratch off the 450L since it weighs 40lbs more and I don't ride on the pavement enough. Currently riding a 2006 ktm 525xc-g, awesome bike for the trails and handles 50mph road speeds just fine (does pretty much everything I want to do). Really hope the newer bikes would cruise at 65 mph without any issues. On average, I ride about 70% dirt and 30% road. Occasionally, I may need to ride a small stretch of freeway to get back on a trail. What are your thoughts on this bike in terms of road and off-road performance? Would you say this machine is capable of short-medium distance on pavement travel? +1
Totally. I've had mine up to 65 with no problem. I think it would hit 80 without much trouble. I wouldn't like long pavement runs due to the hard seat, but it would do medium or short runs just fine.
@@rockymountainlife Thank you! This will most likely be my next machine!
@@fynn8252 I am loving mine! Wish it wasn't winter. 😬
Good stuff, how are the vibrations on-road doing 55mph? thanks
I don't find the vibration bad at all. There certainly is some, but no more than I expect from a larger single cylinder engine. I found the narrow, hard seat to be more uncomfortable on the pavement than the vibrations. 😬
I road the 2019 Beta 500 last year when I was searching for my next dual sport bike. My top criteria was low engine vibration. I road the Honda 450L and the KTM 500 for comparison. The Beta 500 was by far the smoothest in regards to engine vibrations. The Honda and the KTM were not smooth at all, and quite a disappointment, especially the KTM. The only other bike that was equal to the Beta was the Yamaha YZ450FX which is a race bike. I ended up choosing the YZ over the Beta because of the superior suspension. Although the YZ does not come street-legal from the factory, I was able to make it street legal and get it plated. I am still interested in the Beta but they need to upgrade their suspension before I will seriously consider buying one. The 2019 suspension is ok at slow speed but subpar at best when ridden aggressively. I had thought about putting Ohlins suspension on the Beta but it didn't make much sense to spend that much when the Yamaha was just as good in stock form.
@@Navaho66 I don't know what if anything was changed with the suspension between 2019 and 2021. Probably nothing, I don't recall reading anything about changes to the suspension, although most of the reviews I read and watched about the 2020 models was positive about the suspension. Compared to my old KLR the suspension feels great to me. And no one will ever mistake me for a racer, so I doubt I'll overwork the springs. I do know that KTM made some improvements to their suspension for 2020 after many people complained it was too soft. From my understanding, it was a noticeable difference. Hard to go wrong with a YZ in my opinion, it just wasn't what I needed. More performance than I would ever be able to get out of it with my skill set. :)
@@rockymountainlife
Picking up my 21' 480 race version tomorrow and the suspension is the main reason I went with it over the 500. Plus mine get beat up and I saw a lot of those extras getting broke.
Love to get together for a ride because I'm in Englewood and love getting to the southern regions. We're almost identical in size and weight, thought that was funny. However I've got you by 10 years but I feel I'm in my 40's😜
This will be Beta #5 and I can't pull myself to sell any of them!
2 Enduro 2T
2 trials
Let me know how to get in touch if you want to ride.
Hit Penrose often, Texas Creek, Tanner Peak etc. But love to try some new ones! Have a great day 👍
@@jacko4483 I'm always game to meet up with people to ride with, as long as folks don't try and get me killed. 😁 I have bills to pay, have to be able to go back to work after a ride.
I very nearly bought a 2020 Race Edition 430 a month before I got my RRS. I mainly opted to wait for the RRS because I wanted a key for the bike (since I don't own a truck I have to ride from my garage), and I wanted the Trail Tech gps unit. Plus, the wife didn't like the color scheme of the race edition. Lol And I figured I'd never test the suspension beyond what these Sachs could handle. My skills are not amazing. 😬
Where did the exhaust insert come from??
From the factory. It's standard this year, to help prevent melting the turn signal.
@Winston Smith I know, but all the 4 strokes I saw in the local dealership had them, and the dealer said they didn't add it. That's all the info I have. 😬
Great review !! How’s the reliability?
Well, I haven't had it long enough to really know for sure, but I haven't been able to find much online about people having a lot of reliability issues. I made the choice to buy it based in part on not finding much in the way of poor reliability. 😊👍
My google research found the same .. only negative I found is electrical gremlins on 2019 and older bikes .
Regarding other bikes, I’m in the same boat as you ... looked at the Honda but the weight is a turn off and I would need to spend another 2k getting it to beta specs .. another interesting bike I’m considering is the SWM RS500 .... it has good reviews and you can’t beat the price ... but concerned about aftermarket support... so it looks like the beta wins
@@Lucky_Moe The SWM is a great option, but you are right, it is limited on aftermarket parts. It's also heavy, and more street oriented than the Beta. It's basically a slightly reworked 2006 Husky. But the price is awesome. It was mainly the weight I was afraid of. And from what I can tell, the electrical gremlins on the Betas are pretty much fixed, they increased the gauge of wire on them for 2020 which seems to have fixed most of the issues.
Well you helped me make up my mind,,, heading to beta dealer Tuesday . Cheers
@@Lucky_Moe Grats! I hope you love it! 👍
If one of the reasons you bought the Beta is because you thought that the Honda suspension or the KTM suspension wasn't going to be as good or as supportive as the Beta (out of the crate), you completely missed it. I've ridden all of them. The Honda is superior in comparison to the KTM, and the KTM is superior to the Beta with regard to how well it performs at speed. I don''t own any of these bikes because I wanted something even more capable at faster speeds. That's not to say that my bike is a better all-around dual sport. I just want to point out that what you here about suspension on the internet is very subjective, especially in the dual sport community. I think that Dirt Bike Magazine did a great job at reviewing the strengths and weaknesses of the high-performance dual sport bikes in there 2020 Dual Sport Shootout videos.
Yeah, I was aware of all these things prior to buying the Beta, and I know I wasn't very clear in the video. Everything I could find about the Honda suspension was good, I wasn't worried about performance, I was more worried about longevity. I saw videos of guys bottoming out the Honda forks pretty easily (larger guys like me) and I was worried about how long they would hold up under my weight, not about performance. Mix in the stalling issue the Honda has and it's much higher weight and I stopped considering it.
I also saw the Dirt Bike Magazine videos about all the bikes, I learned a lot from them. I mainly chose the Beta over the KTM because of the higher initial cost of the KTM, by the time I outfitted it with the changes I made to the Beta it would have cost quit a bit more and come with poorer OEM tires. Suspension performance wasn't much of a consideration for me. I initially had planned on ordering stiffer springs from Beta as well, with a BYOB option, but ended up not going that route as it would have delayed the arrival fo the bike another couple of months. But again, I was thinking of the stiffer springs just so they'd last longer under me, not to change the performance aspect. Plus, with my limited skills, I doubt I could tell the difference between the different suspensions of any of the brands. I wanted something that would be light and powerful, and the Beta fit the bill there. If I were 20 years younger I may have made a different choice, but as I age, I am less interested in heavier bikes, the Honda is quite a bit heavier, and the KTM has a higher seat height by almost an inch, and that was also a factor. And lastly, my local dealer who sells Honda, KTM, Sherco, Kawasaki and Beta - pretty much all the employees ride Betas when they could ride any of them, and I thought that was a pretty good indication of how good a machine they are. :)
@@rockymountainlife I was looking for a lightweight dual sport in 2019 when I compared Honda, KTM and Beta. I rode all three and then decided to build a dual sport based on a new YZ450FX. The reasons I did not like the others:
Beta had internal fork coating issues that were very expensive to fix, and the bike was expensive already. The Sachs suspension was not up to the task for how I ride. The build quality of the Beta was questionable, and fuel mileage was poor. Those things could be addressed with mods but it would have been the most expensive build.
KTM engine was very buzzy. That was a deal killer for me because that could not be remedied.
Honda 450L was too heavy and a little bit buzzy. Fueling issues, too.
What I loved about the Beta was the super smooth engine (no vibes).
What I loved about the KTM was the great fuel mileage (in the 50's) and the torquey motor.
What I loved about the Honda was the forks.
What I love about my Yamaha is the suspension and the free phone app that allows me to program the ignition and fueling for the different types of riding I do.
What I hate about the Yamaha is the 5-speed transmission.
As a general statement, there is not a single Japanese dual sport that even comes close to competing with any of the European models. If you want motocross capability it’s hard to beat the Japanese bikes. There is a reason NOBODY who has ever made podium in an enduro race is on a European bike. At the end of the day you have to buy what works best for you as an individual. Anybody with an ounce of technical skill and desire to ride single track should avoid Japanese dual sports. They are reliable but just aren’t NEARLY as capable as KTM, Beta, Husky, Gas Gas.
Wind protector lol...
Yep. I don't think the OEM ones would hold up to any sort of roost. Even the mounting brackets are plastic. First hill climb in traffic and I think they would both break.