It’s important to note that Beta doesn’t need to do the same smog and noise restrictions that KTM and Honda have due to Betas limited production. They don’t have to cork them up.
It is a bit of a myth as to pass euro regulations, there is a super small intake boot, a very long demultiplication, a lambda sensor with a lean map and locked low idling parameter, and a usual things : chain guard, lights, horn etc.... A full box of these things when you get a bike.... on papers, 390 is said to be 17 hp :) we don t get the charcoal canister btw
Wow, I was surprised you’re trying a Beta. I thought you were content fine tuning the KTM, Husky and Gas Gas. With the ‘24 bikes I thought enough changed to keep you tinkering to make these outstanding bikes. You must have wanted a new challenge with the Beta. You saying the stock ECU is great was the thing that impressed me the most. The Beta engineers that developed that should pat themselves on the back as a job well done to get such a high praise from you. Great review, looking forward to future reviews of any kind. I’m just an old man at the tail-end of my riding career and pretty much have always just run stock bikes except stiffer suspension springs for my weight.
Sooo happy you guys got one of these and are doing a build for the RRS500. Can't wait to see what you do to make it a TACO Baja Beast. I will be watching closely!! So, I also have a 2023 Beta RRS500; I've put about 50 hrs on the engine. Including a two-day (40+ miles each day) hard enduro ride in Perry Mountain, AL, where the bike performed superbly in tight technical woods with mud and hill climbs. I have done very little to the bike regarding upgrades and significant adjustments. I did gear it down for the woods. I'm running a 14/50, and it is the best combo for my usual riding. I ride this bike from my house to where I like to get it dirty. I find myself in 2nd and 3rd while mainly in the woods, and then I can still run 55-60 on the hwy and not feel like it's buzzing. The stock Maxxis tires are good and grip well, however, they are pretty soft and get chewed up quickly. I'm running a 110/100 IRC on the rear and it has held up excellent and does well in the sandy conditions we have down here in NW Florida. One issue that came up during the break-in period was some boiling with the stock coolant. I noticed it after the third ride at about 5-10 hrs on the engine. I did a coolant swap to Engine Ice and the issue persisted on one more ride. So back in the garage, it took me two more run-ups using a funnel to bubble all the air out of the system. I haven't had the issues since then and the bike has never overheated. One last thing I've learned about the bike is that the starter/battery relationship on cold starts is this: If you "blip" the start button to where it just turns the motor over once but doesn't start, this will sort of "wake up" the battery. Then press and hold the starter like normal and the bike will fire up almost immediately every time, instead of taking 3 and 4 turns of the motor before firing up. I have no idea why or how this helps or works or what is going on electrically, but it works. Thanks again for all you guys do in the Moto World. Keep up the good work.
Cool video! It’s great to see Beta getting some attention and love. I have a 2022 Beta 500 and absolutely love it. I ride 90% dirt in the desert and this bike is such a blast. The kickstart option is huge. It’s saved me a few times in the middle of nowhere. Sure it has it’s quirks - but new battery, kickstand, tail tidy, wrap around hand guards, proper suspension set up and go rip the hell out of it. Hell of a dual sport bike! 👍✌
I had a bad battery too with my 22 rrs430. It’s nice to see you interested in Beta! Seems like you’ve always been balls deep with the KTM and husky’s. And even when I called you to ask if the ktm tidy tail would fit on my beta and you had no input and said you only work on ktm/husky, my tidy tail fits perfect!
So happy you finally got to do a beta review. I love my 21' 500 rrs. All the points that you talked about are legitimate. I upgraded my battery first thing, since the stock one shorted out on the first ride. Then added a full skid plate, taco tidy tail, wrap around turn signals, better handgaurds, changed out the gearing to a 14-48, tuned the suspension, and a bigger tank. Best bike iv ridden so far.
It’s amazing the person differences we all have. I have a 23 500 RRS. I went 14/48 that’s the happy medium I ride mainly single track and it works flawlessly and still has good hwy speed. I also raised the forks in the clamps all the way up till the last groove to help lower it this bike is tall and has not effected the handling in a negative way and no wobble at all on the hwy. and yes new fastway kickstand-larger tank-300 rr tail section just mounted the shorty blinkers. This is by far the most fun bike I have ever ridden in every aspect for me it suffers no where
I bought my Beta at a California dealership (since they were the closest to Oregon that actually had one in stock). Since it was a Cal model, it had the purge canister. I removed that canister, took the bracket that it was mounted to, flipped it backwards, cut a little of the wire looming so I could pull some slack out of the harness so I could run the regulator/rectifier wires far enough back so that it could be relocated to the previous purge canister location. Been riding like that for almost two years now. When I first relocated it, I was very watchful with an infrared thermometer on hand to make sure temperatures were good, indicating that the unit was receiving proper air flow.
Really happy to see some heat put on the other European manufacturers. Sherco and Beta make incredible bikes that have some standout features/characteristics/components that should really do well for the enduro and dual sport category. Would love to see TM jump in the ring a bit more as well.
I have the 2023 Beta 500 RRS and you can turn in those steering restriction screws to give you a better turning radius. This is my first Beta and I absolutely love this bike! I would have to say that your pros and cons and overall assessment is bang on. One thing I would mention is changing the plastic oil pump gear. Keep up the great videos … can’t wait to see the Beta build, you are going to love this beast!
Good on Beta for including a kick start back up option. Would love to see them release a "dual sport" edition that comes with the kick start, big tank and big seat. With Beta not needing a fuelling solution that would really lower cost of ownership.
I have the same bike w the 14t sprocket which seems to be a good compromise. The taco moto has really cleaned up the tail. The suspension breaks in and has gotten much better in the woods. I had to go up a few spring weights as I'm 235lbs. It took me some time to get dialed in on this bike, but at 32 hrs, I love it. It's a beast for sure. Power wheelies whenever you need them through all the gears
We added BETA and SHERCO to our line up (Husky and GG Dealer). These are awesome bikes! I had a 19 Taco GET ECU equipped Austrian bike and loved it. Looking forward to seeing what Mike does with this bike before I pick one up at some point.
This has a YEAR warranty! That is huge. Gearing is just a sprocket change. Minor.. Of course you have to make adjustments to gearing and suspension. . It’s more powerful. It’s a grand cheaper. The bike handles good. I’m more interested in what you have for the fuel injection and what to add to improve ??
Nice bike. I'm still rolling on my 2012 Beta 498 (520RS) dual sport. It has proven to be a very solid and reliable platform. And mine screams if you twist the throttle. You might want to set your sag at 105mm. It is a dual sport so the highway ride is going to be twitchy. I also run a Scott's damper. 13/48 is perfect for off road. 14/48 will be good for overall dual sport.
my BMW and my Honda Cbr1000 did not like the rain grooves at all. Change front ties on both to a different tread and had no problem with grooves., so it is possible it is the tread design (knobby) that could be causing the wiggles .Very good video.
Mike, nice to see you trying new bikes, i have a 300rr AND had a 390 the chassis Is great For the slow stuff, i recommend you try 110mm rear sag, AND rebound one click slower than manual, front, try 1 or 2 clicks rebound slower than compression with cero o 1 click preload
Looking forward to your build out. Recently bought a 390RR, softening the suspension settings, changing the rear gearing to 52t, and adding mousse balls completely transformed the bike for me. I get a lot of decel popping though and lean out issues in low to mid range. When I pin it, no lean out issue, it just takes off. Not sure what's going on there. Plan on taking it back to the dealers as soon as I get some time try to figure out what's going on.
I was informed by my dealer there is a remap for the 390, at least on my '22. I have yet to take it back because I'm not having the issues you are mentioning on mine. The remap is gratis.
Nice review, I own a 22 and have the same love & hates. I’ve outfitted mine for lite ADV use. With the bike all geared up the shortish kickstand can definitely be scary. Added a Warp 9 Cush drive/rim, for anyone that wants to smooth gear lash and transitions and overall operation as well as extending the life of output shaft splines W9 CD works fantastic and was worth every penny. As far as the plastic (?) oil pump drive gear is concerned, I certainly hope it’s an advanced polymer or of nylon construction. Back in the day I remember stripping the teeth off many oil injection pump gears.
Regarding the Trailtech unit on the Beta. Beta offers the voyager pro u it if you preorder the bike for only $200 more (2022) The bikes are sold with a 13 tooth front sprocket as well as the 15 tooth that is installed at the factory. The wobble you felt on freeway is more likely a tire issue, not geomrtry. My 2022 500rrs is stable at high speed. I have after market dot tires
Mike, another great video. I especially enjoyed the honest comparison to the KTM Co. bikes. It's good to know there might be other choices that are equal or better. Only negative comment is the Trail Tech Vorager is not the "Pro" version. It's the the base "Voyager" level. Looking forward to next amount of info.
I’m glad you mentioned the twitchiness on the highway I purchased one of these brand new 2019 and ended up getting very sick with advanced stage 4 however now I’m beating that . I’m just now getting this bike out 5 years later within the past few months I’m trying to correct this . I’m curious if you think a steering stabilizer would help or maybe degreed triple trees may help (head tube angle issue) ? I did snug the head tube bolt a little, but still twitchy Do you think maybe it’s just because the bike is so lightweight ? I did do Warp9 supermoto wheels and still no luck . Set up sag and all that as well . I weigh 165 and stock springs seem fine . Any info would be appreciated
Curious what the Beta parts supply and reliability looks like from their arrival in the US to now. Suddenly seems like a true player in the race for my next bike. What a great time to be alive!
RE: concrete highway rain grooves - front tires make a big difference in this, so I wonder if the front end twitchiness experienced on rain grooves goes away with using a known rain groove solid front tire ... like the Motoz Dual Venture?
Mike! We’d all love to hear an update on this Beta. I’m sure I’m not the only one, but I would also love to see more videos on other models of Beta’s. Seems like they have a great platform and I would love to see you take a deep dive.
I have a 23 390rrs and I love it, essential to dialing it in is the 14 tooth CS,and maybe a 50 tooth rear, pull all the connectors and add dialectric grease to all contacts, use a toothpick to not over do it, The stock battery sucks, replace immediately, if the suspension spring rate is correct, set sag, and then drop rear 1/2 to full turn to eleviate twitchy front (YMMV), Many Beta riders get a stabilizer. Replace seat if doing BDR type riding, Tires are ok, but installed Motoz Desert tractionators with moose balls front UHD tube rear and never had an issue, and never looked back.. Then ride the S#!T out of it. Great bike, engine tractors up anything, great over rev. Once dialed in it Starts quick, runs flawlessly, adjusts to altitudes, OH yea, and I removed the hideous rear sub fender and installed the standard RR rear sub fender, plug and play for brake light, and installed some low profile turn signals direct to the top of the over fender, real clean results.Great bike...
The theory behind piston speed is simply a ratio of stroke and RPM. Last I saw the beta peak power was around 8100rpm. At a stroke of 60.8mm This would be a peak piston speed of 16.4M/s. If the ktm 500 peak power is at 8400rpm with a 72mm stroke it’s peak piston speed is 20.2M/s. Longer stroke is always a higher piston speed at the same RPM. The beta would have to make peak power at around 10,000 rpm or something close to see the same peak piston speed at peak power. But comparing RPM to RPM a longer stroke is always a higher peak piston speed. The piston has to travel a greater distance with a longer stroke for the same revolution of the crankshaft For this reason the power hit and feel you describe is actually for the opposite reason.
FANTASTIC video.. love to see beta getting a little attention.. watch they do have plastic oil pump gears, I've heard, went out.. beta does make the steel ones you can buy... im not sure about the 2 sump oil, if i like that, yes ktm did do that but went back to a single sump.. cant wait for more feedback on this bike... thanks
My buddies 2017 RS 500s battery (Earth X) died week one. The Earth X replacement lasted 3 years and was replaced with a YUASA, it died after 3 years. Of course my buddy blamed Lithium for 3 years in spite of me telling him it’s an electrical problem. BETAS are awesome stock bikes, their weak point comes down to electrical issues. IMO, those demons are tough to deal with because they usually leave you stranded. All of the handling attributes are things that an MX racer is comfortable tweaking and worth the price of the entry ticket. I’m not sure what happened, but this one doesn’t look as Sexy as the used to. As for the twitchy front, Call in to Jimmy’s Tuesday show and let us be the fly on the wall about this bike. 🏁
This was definitely an issue with the Beta four strokes, 2019 and before. The current gen went with an entirely new wiring harness with less connections and thicker gauge wires. My 19 did the same for a while, but Beta will give you a better harness for your older model, and they do it for free. Let your buddy know if he still has the issue.
Mr taco moto , in a drag race between the ktm 500 and beta 500 how would predict the race would be ? Ktm uncorked with ecm ? I haven’t really seen people race those animals . Makes me wonder how different they are in brute power .
I’ve been intrigued. Thanks for the review. Currently in the market for a fivehundy. Prob still end up with orange (my friend is the dealer), but the bikes coming out of Europe these days are the only ones on my radar anymore.
Please share your experience changing the front sprocket. My bolt took some work to remove. Some people have broken theirs during removal. Also curious if you experience any fuel boil issues after you change the fuel tank.
you talked about a twitchy front end. Is this bike a good candidate for a steering damper? also, as you get more familiar with betas, I would be interested in your impressions of the 430 and the 390.
🌮 🔨….. 👌🏼😁 Great video. Can’t wait to see what you guys do with this. I love how beta has the trail tech dash stock and wish Ktm did something similar. I’m planning on getting a new dual sport at the end of the year. Waiting on the new excf to come out and see how they compare.
shorter stroke = slower piston speeds, longer stroke = higher piston speeds. This is one reason why high rpm engines are always short stroke and low rpm chuggers are long stroke. Otherwise, thanks for the thoughts/review
Great stuff as usual, VERY informative and well thought out. As for programmable ECUs and your "best of stock", what about the tunability of the Yamaha system? Keep it coming.
Yes that’s true but Yamaha doesn’t have anything that competes in the dual sport category and my focus is specifically on that class, should have been more clear.
Since you sell the Bajaworks windscreens do you think it will work well on the beta. Already have the taco side vent on mine with a overiszed tank. I cosider it my best luxury!
Good in-depth review on some of the specifics on the differences between the KTM and Beta. I chose a Beta 390RRS as my form of "dualsporting", which is aggressive off road in woods terrain with occasional shorter stints on roads and no hwy use. Beta's have notoriously needed a stronger CCA battery and to be kept fully charged. I'm considering a new KTM 500excf or a new Beta 500RRS. Definitely some considerations and pros and cons to each.
Man, I'm in decision paralysis right now. I'm looking to get into Dual Sports, moving out of pure trail riding, and I just can't make up my mind on KTM 500 EXCf, Beta 500rr-s, or the Honda 450rl. All have pros, all have cons, all are great bikes. It is a good problem to have, but I just can't make up my mind. haha
Honda VS KTM is an easy decision. If you want the best off road. and want to ride single track with it the 20% lighter KTM wins my a mile. If you want to ride easier terrain, BDR, and want low maintenance the Honda wins by a mile. This beta does make it hard to decide
Based on demoing all of them the 390 would be my suggestion. It's a stroked motor so more torque and linear based feeling. Put it in rain mode earlier on if necessary. Least fatiuging and most fun to ride out of the bunch IMO. Like the goldilocks of Beta 4 strokes. Handles lighter than the 430 and 500 and less tiring than the 350.
Not sure any of the cons was worth mentioning. Standard stuff that gets replaced on every bike. They keep on making ever more impressive machines each year.
One test I like to do when I ride motorcycles is ride at ~50mph or so, and tap the handlebars like you want to turn. If they start to feel the death woble, no bueno. This bike does have that effect. The crf450L did not. I do LOVE both bikes however, so don't let this little issue cause you not to buy the 430rrs (best version) swap to a 13t or 14t front (depending on how much you just ride single track vs some road and single track) 15t, 6th is so high it isn't useable. BUY TACO MOTO tail tidy! Best one on the market!
Why nothing more about the Beta for 7 months? That's a little "worrying". I'm trying to decide between KTM, Beta and Sherco. What happened to the Beta? Did it turn out to be a poor machine?
The guy has ridden it for two freaking hours and already has electrical gremlins, and stranded twice on a new bike!!!!!!! Every Beta I've been around has electrical problems. A no go for me, never will buy a Beta just because of the constant electrical problems
Don’t get me started on the electrical horror stories on the KTM’s! Oh and that Honda RL the other day that needed an entire new harness. The failed battery is something that can happen. I should have replaced before the second ride so that’s on me
I have 2 2022 ktm's 500 excf and 300 xcw and a 2022 beta 390 race. Things you aren't seeing yet with the beta is the plastics are junk. they have terrible attachment points and break. Nutserts in the gas tank strip easily and fuel leaks, electrical gremlins everywhere, not a single bolt stays tight on them. seat is the worst ever. rr and re taillight gets ripped off every time you bottom suspension off a jump "on 4th one". trying to sell mine with 40 hours for 7500 and not a single bid in two weeks. Will never buy another beta.
the only boring thing with Continental synerject is not to be able to do basic reset of stepmotor and tps. The Beta service tool odb2 is mandatory... Yes there is the passive reset ( warm it up idiling to adjust parameters ), Tps adjust can be ok too with ohm meter. they double excursion +/- of stepmotor on this last euro 5 generation. Still too bad that T° sensor, tmap sensor and tps are just on right side upon super hot exhaust which shortens their life... BTW these beta 4s stand craey crashes as good as the past Big red pig. !!! Take care too of intake boot in between body throttle and engine. Heat tends to soften rubber and weight of body throttle on it ( and not the best clamps ) can give some air leak.
No motorcycle does well on rain grooves, or surface grind when DOT is about to resurface, and it’s also exaggerated by the type of tire that your running… those knobby’s will never perform well at Hiway speeds, & can be extremely dangerous at modern 70-75 mph interstate speeds… talk to some experienced riders.
Have always been sideline interested in the Beta vs. KTM 500 compo as Beta is a lower output manuf. and supposedly (?) not subject to the same EPA/CAFE restrictions that KTM enjoys. '17 KTM 500 EXC-F, uncorked/tuned. Went from 13x45 (100mph w/ balanced Scorp/D606... fun but sketchy), to 13x48 (comfy 80mph). Much better control on the janky stuff and just fine for UT/ID tarmac transitions. Finally installed RekCX from you, going be a fun summer.
Awesome review! I am looking forward to seeing how you set it up for a BDR. I just put a deposit on a 390 RR-S that I intend to use the same way. It’s funny, I bought a 2021 KTM 890 Adventure R and everything I read or heard was how unreliable KTMs are. 13,000 miles later I have had zero issues. I think a properly set up, properly maintained bike will do you right. My son will ride the Beta when we go together. The lower ride height and traction control were major factors in choosing it over the KTM. Hopefully I’ve chosen wisely.
@@F1since79 The 890 series seems to be a great adv bike. Two of my friends have one and they are very versatile, user friendly and low maint (so far). If I wasn't so in love w/ my 990A it would be an easy decision. Your 390RRS will be a great addition!
It’s important to note that Beta doesn’t need to do the same smog and noise restrictions that KTM and Honda have due to Betas limited production. They don’t have to cork them up.
It is a bit of a myth as to pass euro regulations, there is a super small intake boot, a very long demultiplication, a lambda sensor with a lean map and locked low idling parameter, and a usual things : chain guard, lights, horn etc.... A full box of these things when you get a bike.... on papers, 390 is said to be 17 hp :) we don t get the charcoal canister btw
Wow, I was surprised you’re trying a Beta. I thought you were content fine tuning the KTM, Husky and Gas Gas. With the ‘24 bikes I thought enough changed to keep you tinkering to make these outstanding bikes. You must have wanted a new challenge with the Beta. You saying the stock ECU is great was the thing that impressed me the most. The Beta engineers that developed that should pat themselves on the back as a job well done to get such a high praise from you. Great review, looking forward to future reviews of any kind. I’m just an old man at the tail-end of my riding career and pretty much have always just run stock bikes except stiffer suspension springs for my weight.
Sooo happy you guys got one of these and are doing a build for the RRS500. Can't wait to see what you do to make it a TACO Baja Beast. I will be watching closely!! So, I also have a 2023 Beta RRS500; I've put about 50 hrs on the engine. Including a two-day (40+ miles each day) hard enduro ride in Perry Mountain, AL, where the bike performed superbly in tight technical woods with mud and hill climbs. I have done very little to the bike regarding upgrades and significant adjustments. I did gear it down for the woods. I'm running a 14/50, and it is the best combo for my usual riding. I ride this bike from my house to where I like to get it dirty. I find myself in 2nd and 3rd while mainly in the woods, and then I can still run 55-60 on the hwy and not feel like it's buzzing. The stock Maxxis tires are good and grip well, however, they are pretty soft and get chewed up quickly. I'm running a 110/100 IRC on the rear and it has held up excellent and does well in the sandy conditions we have down here in NW Florida. One issue that came up during the break-in period was some boiling with the stock coolant. I noticed it after the third ride at about 5-10 hrs on the engine. I did a coolant swap to Engine Ice and the issue persisted on one more ride. So back in the garage, it took me two more run-ups using a funnel to bubble all the air out of the system. I haven't had the issues since then and the bike has never overheated. One last thing I've learned about the bike is that the starter/battery relationship on cold starts is this: If you "blip" the start button to where it just turns the motor over once but doesn't start, this will sort of "wake up" the battery. Then press and hold the starter like normal and the bike will fire up almost immediately every time, instead of taking 3 and 4 turns of the motor before firing up. I have no idea why or how this helps or works or what is going on electrically, but it works. Thanks again for all you guys do in the Moto World. Keep up the good work.
Now that Beta will be joining supercross in 24'. It will be nice to see them shine and gain some popularity in the usa.
“Real tall?” I don’t need it. 🏍️💨🏁
Cool video! It’s great to see Beta getting some attention and love. I have a 2022 Beta 500 and absolutely love it. I ride 90% dirt in the desert and this bike is such a blast. The kickstart option is huge. It’s saved me a few times in the middle of nowhere. Sure it has it’s quirks - but new battery, kickstand, tail tidy, wrap around hand guards, proper suspension set up and go rip the hell out of it. Hell of a dual sport bike! 👍✌
I had a bad battery too with my 22 rrs430. It’s nice to see you interested in Beta! Seems like you’ve always been balls deep with the KTM and husky’s. And even when I called you to ask if the ktm tidy tail would fit on my beta and you had no input and said you only work on ktm/husky, my tidy tail fits perfect!
We now have a growing line of beta fitment parts and accessories 🤘🏽
tacomoto.co/search?q=Beta
So happy you finally got to do a beta review. I love my 21' 500 rrs. All the points that you talked about are legitimate. I upgraded my battery first thing, since the stock one shorted out on the first ride. Then added a full skid plate, taco tidy tail, wrap around turn signals, better handgaurds, changed out the gearing to a 14-48, tuned the suspension, and a bigger tank. Best bike iv ridden so far.
It's been almost a year , did you guys ever finish this build?
It’s amazing the person differences we all have. I have a 23 500 RRS. I went 14/48 that’s the happy medium I ride mainly single track and it works flawlessly and still has good hwy speed. I also raised the forks in the clamps all the way up till the last groove to help lower it this bike is tall and has not effected the handling in a negative way and no wobble at all on the hwy. and yes new fastway kickstand-larger tank-300 rr tail section just mounted the shorty blinkers. This is by far the most fun bike I have ever ridden in every aspect for me it suffers no where
I bought my Beta at a California dealership (since they were the closest to Oregon that actually had one in stock). Since it was a Cal model, it had the purge canister. I removed that canister, took the bracket that it was mounted to, flipped it backwards, cut a little of the wire looming so I could pull some slack out of the harness so I could run the regulator/rectifier wires far enough back so that it could be relocated to the previous purge canister location. Been riding like that for almost two years now. When I first relocated it, I was very watchful with an infrared thermometer on hand to make sure temperatures were good, indicating that the unit was receiving proper air flow.
Really happy to see some heat put on the other European manufacturers. Sherco and Beta make incredible bikes that have some standout features/characteristics/components that should really do well for the enduro and dual sport category. Would love to see TM jump in the ring a bit more as well.
All good points. Triumph will be next!
@@TACOMOTOCO I’m here for it. The dual sport, enduro, and mid adv category is getting really exciting to witness!
I have the 2023 Beta 500 RRS and you can turn in those steering restriction screws to give you a better turning radius. This is my first Beta and I absolutely love this bike! I would have to say that your pros and cons and overall assessment is bang on. One thing I would mention is changing the plastic oil pump gear. Keep up the great videos … can’t wait to see the Beta build, you are going to love this beast!
Do you have any more info on the gear?
Good on Beta for including a kick start back up option. Would love to see them release a "dual sport" edition that comes with the kick start, big tank and big seat. With Beta not needing a fuelling solution that would really lower cost of ownership.
I have the same bike w the 14t sprocket which seems to be a good compromise. The taco moto has really cleaned up the tail. The suspension breaks in and has gotten much better in the woods. I had to go up a few spring weights as I'm 235lbs. It took me some time to get dialed in on this bike, but at 32 hrs, I love it. It's a beast for sure. Power wheelies whenever you need them through all the gears
Also added fastway pegs which are phenomenal
We added BETA and SHERCO to our line up (Husky and GG Dealer). These are awesome bikes! I had a 19 Taco GET ECU equipped Austrian bike and loved it. Looking forward to seeing what Mike does with this bike before I pick one up at some point.
Looking forward to some Beta content! Love my 390.
This has a YEAR warranty! That is huge. Gearing is just a sprocket change. Minor.. Of course you have to make adjustments to gearing and suspension. . It’s more powerful. It’s a grand cheaper. The bike handles good. I’m more interested in what you have for the fuel injection and what to add to improve ??
Yes all good points
Man i brought mine home a couple days ago. I’m stoked you got one and are going to be doing some videos on the beta 500
Please make a vid on all upgrades! Thanks for showing this!!!
Nice bike. I'm still rolling on my 2012 Beta 498 (520RS) dual sport. It has proven to be a very solid and reliable platform. And mine screams if you twist the throttle. You might want to set your sag at 105mm. It is a dual sport so the highway ride is going to be twitchy. I also run a Scott's damper. 13/48 is perfect for off road. 14/48 will be good for overall dual sport.
my BMW and my Honda Cbr1000 did not like the rain grooves at all. Change front ties on both to a different tread and had no problem with grooves., so it is possible it is the tread design (knobby) that could be causing the wiggles .Very good video.
Have ridden that section other times on other bikes on other tires without incident but you’re def bringing up solid points
Nice. On my second Beta since 2017. Love my '22 300rr re. I really like those Domino grips...
Mike, nice to see you trying new bikes, i have a 300rr AND had a 390 the chassis Is great For the slow stuff, i recommend you try 110mm rear sag, AND rebound one click slower than manual, front, try 1 or 2 clicks rebound slower than compression with cero o 1 click preload
Looking forward to your build out. Recently bought a 390RR, softening the suspension settings, changing the rear gearing to 52t, and adding mousse balls completely transformed the bike for me. I get a lot of decel popping though and lean out issues in low to mid range. When I pin it, no lean out issue, it just takes off. Not sure what's going on there. Plan on taking it back to the dealers as soon as I get some time try to figure out what's going on.
I was informed by my dealer there is a remap for the 390, at least on my '22. I have yet to take it back because I'm not having the issues you are mentioning on mine. The remap is gratis.
Nice review, I own a 22 and have the same love & hates. I’ve outfitted mine for lite ADV use. With the bike all geared up the shortish kickstand can definitely be scary. Added a Warp 9 Cush drive/rim, for anyone that wants to smooth gear lash and transitions and overall operation as well as extending the life of output shaft splines W9 CD works fantastic and was worth every penny. As far as the plastic (?) oil pump drive gear is concerned, I certainly hope it’s an advanced polymer or of nylon construction. Back in the day I remember stripping the teeth off many oil injection pump gears.
Regarding the Trailtech unit on the Beta. Beta offers the voyager pro u it if you preorder the bike for only $200 more (2022)
The bikes are sold with a 13 tooth front sprocket as well as the 15 tooth that is installed at the factory.
The wobble you felt on freeway is more likely a tire issue, not geomrtry.
My 2022 500rrs is stable at high speed. I have after market dot tires
From my own experience I agree with you about the wobble being tyre related.
Mike, another great video. I especially enjoyed the honest comparison to the KTM Co. bikes. It's good to know there might be other choices that are equal or better. Only negative comment is the Trail Tech Vorager is not the "Pro" version. It's the the base "Voyager" level. Looking forward to next amount of info.
I’m glad you mentioned the twitchiness on the highway
I purchased one of these brand new 2019 and ended up getting very sick with advanced stage 4 however now I’m beating that .
I’m just now getting this bike out 5 years later within the past few months I’m trying to correct this .
I’m curious if you think a steering stabilizer would help or maybe degreed triple trees may help (head tube angle issue) ?
I did snug the head tube bolt a little, but still twitchy
Do you think maybe it’s just because the bike is so lightweight ?
I did do Warp9 supermoto wheels and still no luck .
Set up sag and all that as well . I weigh 165 and stock springs seem fine .
Any info would be appreciated
Curious what the Beta parts supply and reliability looks like from their arrival in the US to now. Suddenly seems like a true player in the race for my next bike. What a great time to be alive!
RE: concrete highway rain grooves - front tires make a big difference in this, so I wonder if the front end twitchiness experienced on rain grooves goes away with using a known rain groove solid front tire ... like the Motoz Dual Venture?
Mike! We’d all love to hear an update on this Beta. I’m sure I’m not the only one, but I would also love to see more videos on other models of Beta’s. Seems like they have a great platform and I would love to see you take a deep dive.
I have a 23 390rrs and I love it, essential to dialing it in is the 14 tooth CS,and maybe a 50 tooth rear, pull all the connectors and add dialectric grease to all contacts, use a toothpick to not over do it, The stock battery sucks, replace immediately, if the suspension spring rate is correct, set sag, and then drop rear 1/2 to full turn to eleviate twitchy front (YMMV), Many Beta riders get a stabilizer. Replace seat if doing BDR type riding, Tires are ok, but installed Motoz Desert tractionators with moose balls front UHD tube rear and never had an issue, and never looked back.. Then ride the S#!T out of it. Great bike, engine tractors up anything, great over rev. Once dialed in it Starts quick, runs flawlessly, adjusts to altitudes, OH yea, and I removed the hideous rear sub fender and installed the standard RR rear sub fender, plug and play for brake light, and installed some low profile turn signals direct to the top of the over fender, real clean results.Great bike...
Nice to hear your comment i like Beta too i have a xtrainer 300.
The theory behind piston speed is simply a ratio of stroke and RPM. Last I saw the beta peak power was around 8100rpm. At a stroke of 60.8mm This would be a peak piston speed of 16.4M/s. If the ktm 500 peak power is at 8400rpm with a 72mm stroke it’s peak piston speed is 20.2M/s. Longer stroke is always a higher piston speed at the same RPM. The beta would have to make peak power at around 10,000 rpm or something close to see the same peak piston speed at peak power. But comparing RPM to RPM a longer stroke is always a higher peak piston speed. The piston has to travel a greater distance with a longer stroke for the same revolution of the crankshaft
For this reason the power hit and feel you describe is actually for the opposite reason.
Well noted and a great explanation 👌🏽🤜🏽🤛🏽
@@TACOMOTOCO I’m a big fan and customer of your hard work 👍
Sort of wish I had chosen this bike over my KTM , love the beta debt free business model and they leave a spot for a kick start 👍
Any update video coming??? Love the overview!
More on the Beta 500RR-S, please!
I’m really loving my 2022 Beta 500 RRS. I’m looking forward to seeing your modifications and your opinions on this bike.
Love it. Nice work breaking down the Italian Princess. You know I’m a Beta fan, so it’s good to see you experimenting with them.
Late to the game but we’re jumping all in
Look forward to build keep Us updated
My favorite part is the 2005 year tags on the test run plates
What are service intervals on this engine?
perhaps taco moto can make a wiring extension to allow movement of the reg to the head light area?
So have you had Beta fuel injection issues with Beta? Any mods or upgrades??
Any update on the beta build and long term review?
Have you messed around with mapping on the 500RRS? Mince seems a bit lean on the bottom
FANTASTIC video.. love to see beta getting a little attention.. watch they do have plastic oil pump gears, I've heard, went out.. beta does make the steel ones you can buy... im not sure about the 2 sump oil, if i like that, yes ktm did do that but went back to a single sump.. cant wait for more feedback on this bike... thanks
the 2 sump oil system is amazing honestly. my transmission oil always comes out looking brand new after 25 hours
My buddies 2017 RS 500s battery (Earth X) died week one.
The Earth X replacement lasted 3 years and was replaced with a YUASA, it died after 3 years.
Of course my buddy blamed Lithium for 3 years in spite of me telling him it’s an electrical problem.
BETAS are awesome stock bikes, their weak point comes down to electrical issues. IMO, those demons are tough to deal with because they usually leave you stranded.
All of the handling attributes are things that an MX racer is comfortable tweaking and worth the price of the entry ticket.
I’m not sure what happened, but this one doesn’t look as Sexy as the used to.
As for the twitchy front, Call in to Jimmy’s Tuesday show and let us be the fly on the wall about this bike. 🏁
Great insights, thanks 💪🏽
This was definitely an issue with the Beta four strokes, 2019 and before. The current gen went with an entirely new wiring harness with less connections and thicker gauge wires. My 19 did the same for a while, but Beta will give you a better harness for your older model, and they do it for free. Let your buddy know if he still has the issue.
When will you be posting more content on this 500?
Mr taco moto , in a drag race between the ktm 500 and beta 500 how would predict the race would be ? Ktm uncorked with ecm ? I haven’t really seen people race those animals . Makes me wonder how different they are in brute power .
I’ve been intrigued. Thanks for the review. Currently in the market for a fivehundy. Prob still end up with orange (my friend is the dealer), but the bikes coming out of Europe these days are the only ones on my radar anymore.
Just ordered one. Subbed 👍👍😆
The 2024 500exc has 64hp here apparently. So not sure what they do to bikes in your country if you're only getting 38...
Please share your experience changing the front sprocket. My bolt took some work to remove. Some people have broken theirs during removal. Also curious if you experience any fuel boil issues after you change the fuel tank.
Will do
I have the ims 3.5 gallon tank and have put 1400 miles of trouble free riding 👍
you talked about a twitchy front end. Is this bike a good candidate for a steering damper? also, as you get more familiar with betas, I would be interested in your impressions of the 430 and the 390.
Yea, put one on my 2022
Nice video Mike. Enjoy it
Any vibration?
🌮 🔨….. 👌🏼😁
Great video. Can’t wait to see what you guys do with this. I love how beta has the trail tech dash stock and wish Ktm did something similar. I’m planning on getting a new dual sport at the end of the year. Waiting on the new excf to come out and see how they compare.
Great review mike! How do you compare the maintenance intervals on this bike to the Ktm/husky
Great question and that’s something that will be discussed in follow ups
shorter stroke = slower piston speeds, longer stroke = higher piston speeds. This is one reason why high rpm engines are always short stroke and low rpm chuggers are long stroke. Otherwise, thanks for the thoughts/review
Do you do suspension tuning? Getting a 17 beta 500rrs and need to dial the shocks in for my light ass
Yes we do, info@tacomoto.co
KTM has always rounded the cc.'s of their engines up or down over the years,but they have been well built excellent motorcycles period..
Feature for feature - and for the money, this bike puts pressure on the Austrian machines
@@TACOMOTOCO That's what they need to do! Keep the pressure on other brands & hopefully we get even better off-road motorcycles out of that.
Great stuff as usual, VERY informative and well thought out. As for programmable ECUs and your "best of stock", what about the tunability of the Yamaha system? Keep it coming.
Yes that’s true but Yamaha doesn’t have anything that competes in the dual sport category and my focus is specifically on that class, should have been more clear.
@@TACOMOTOCO I assumed that was the case. Thanks for the clarification.
Since you sell the Bajaworks windscreens do you think it will work well on the beta. Already have the taco side vent on mine with a overiszed tank. I cosider it my best luxury!
We know if riders who successfully adapt it
High RPM engine (short stroke) - low piston speed. Low RPM engine (long stroke) - high piston speed.
Good in-depth review on some of the specifics on the differences between the KTM and Beta.
I chose a Beta 390RRS as my form of "dualsporting", which is aggressive off road in woods terrain with occasional shorter stints on roads and no hwy use.
Beta's have notoriously needed a stronger CCA battery and to be kept fully charged.
I'm considering a new KTM 500excf or a new Beta 500RRS.
Definitely some considerations and pros and cons to each.
Betas look sweet. Would probably have one if local dealers weren't scumbags. Really wanted a 300 RR but I am not paying $14k for one 😂
Reach out to gary at Sportsmans cycles in Vegas. He’s the bomb dot com
(702) 641-6401
Man, I'm in decision paralysis right now. I'm looking to get into Dual Sports, moving out of pure trail riding, and I just can't make up my mind on KTM 500 EXCf, Beta 500rr-s, or the Honda 450rl. All have pros, all have cons, all are great bikes. It is a good problem to have, but I just can't make up my mind. haha
What kind of rider
What kind of riding
Honda VS KTM is an easy decision. If you want the best off road. and want to ride single track with it the 20% lighter KTM wins my a mile. If you want to ride easier terrain, BDR, and want low maintenance the Honda wins by a mile. This beta does make it hard to decide
Sounds like you need wind shock spring back n ease comp damping to make it steer like it should
Blue plastics?
Look cool
As a new rider do you think I should look into the 350 instead?
Based on demoing all of them the 390 would be my suggestion. It's a stroked motor so more torque and linear based feeling. Put it in rain mode earlier on if necessary. Least fatiuging and most fun to ride out of the bunch IMO. Like the goldilocks of Beta 4 strokes. Handles lighter than the 430 and 500 and less tiring than the 350.
Not sure any of the cons was worth mentioning. Standard stuff that gets replaced on every bike. They keep on making ever more impressive machines each year.
This is how first ride impression videos work
I honestly think my next dirtbike will be a Beta 250/300rr or an RRS model
I think that’s a smart choice
Contact gary at Sportsmans if you have any questions about them (702) 641-6401
No mention the seat’s lack of comfort. Probably goes without saying, but it needs to be upgraded.
I have 850 hours on my stock beta seat, everyone told me that would be the first thing I upgrade :) it's not as bad as ppl say
It’s not quite as bad as the Austrian bike seats but is getting swapped out for a Seat Concepts comfort unit
Thingverse has a bunch of "feet" to solve the kickstand length issue.
Very hard hitting very fun.😂
Lost the left rear blinker... lol... unless that's "stock" :)
I think I'm gonna get one and super moto it
One test I like to do when I ride motorcycles is ride at ~50mph or so, and tap the handlebars like you want to turn. If they start to feel the death woble, no bueno. This bike does have that effect. The crf450L did not. I do LOVE both bikes however, so don't let this little issue cause you not to buy the 430rrs (best version)
swap to a 13t or 14t front (depending on how much you just ride single track vs some road and single track) 15t, 6th is so high it isn't useable.
BUY TACO MOTO tail tidy! Best one on the market!
Great test idea, will try that the next time out. Thanks 💪🏽
Why nothing more about the Beta for 7 months? That's a little "worrying". I'm trying to decide between KTM, Beta and Sherco. What happened to the Beta? Did it turn out to be a poor machine?
Would love to hear an update too!
Time for an update please.
Blame that front tire!
I think a part of it for sure
The guy has ridden it for two freaking hours and already has electrical gremlins, and stranded twice on a new bike!!!!!!! Every Beta I've been around has electrical problems. A no go for me, never will buy a Beta just because of the constant electrical problems
Don’t get me started on the electrical horror stories on the KTM’s! Oh and that Honda RL the other day that needed an entire new harness.
The failed battery is something that can happen. I should have replaced before the second ride so that’s on me
I have 2 betas a 500 and a 300 and have had no electrical issues at all 🤷♂️
@@walterschwarz5579 good for you, the guys I have ridden with have had problems
Looks like you turned left a little hard there ;)
Bump
I have 2 2022 ktm's 500 excf and 300 xcw and a 2022 beta 390 race. Things you aren't seeing yet with the beta is the plastics are junk. they have terrible attachment points and break. Nutserts in the gas tank strip easily and fuel leaks, electrical gremlins everywhere, not a single bolt stays tight on them. seat is the worst ever. rr and re taillight gets ripped off every time you bottom suspension off a jump "on 4th one". trying to sell mine with 40 hours for 7500 and not a single bid in two weeks. Will never buy another beta.
i'll buy it!
Battery/charging issues?2023?
I'll pass thanks.
Sounds like a visit to a BMW shop.Every bike was on a drop cord and charger.
Electrical Gremlins.........the reason I will never buy a Beta
KTM’s have a few of those too
What year was the Beta that had electrical issues? The new gen has an entirely new overbuilt wiring harness because of that issue.
Whoops , just noticed this is a year old...
the only boring thing with Continental synerject is not to be able to do basic reset of stepmotor and tps. The Beta service tool odb2 is mandatory... Yes there is the passive reset ( warm it up idiling to adjust parameters ), Tps adjust can be ok too with ohm meter. they double excursion +/- of stepmotor on this last euro 5 generation. Still too bad that T° sensor, tmap sensor and tps are just on right side upon super hot exhaust which shortens their life... BTW these beta 4s stand craey crashes as good as the past Big red pig. !!! Take care too of intake boot in between body throttle and engine. Heat tends to soften rubber and weight of body throttle on it ( and not the best clamps ) can give some air leak.
All great tips. Thanks so much 🤜🏽🤛🏽
😂
never rode it
Try one
No motorcycle does well on rain grooves, or surface grind when DOT is about to resurface, and it’s also exaggerated by the type of tire that your running…
those knobby’s will never perform well at Hiway speeds, & can be extremely dangerous at modern 70-75 mph interstate speeds… talk to some experienced riders.
Aggressive hard hitting power? On a Beta 4 stroke? 😂😂
Impressive motor and power delivery
Definitely not a ride review, should be called first impression
Sorry to disappoint
@@TACOMOTOCO other than that, good info, would've liked to see some pov footage and hear what the motor sounds like
seriously ? you ride with a 15/48 put for homologation ??? These tests make me piss of laugh, are sprockets soldered ??? ;) anyway, thanks for review
The point of a first impressions review is to test a product as it’s delivered
Have always been sideline interested in the Beta vs. KTM 500 compo as Beta is a lower output manuf. and supposedly (?) not subject to the same EPA/CAFE restrictions that KTM enjoys.
'17 KTM 500 EXC-F, uncorked/tuned. Went from 13x45 (100mph w/ balanced Scorp/D606... fun but sketchy), to 13x48 (comfy 80mph). Much better control on the janky stuff and just fine for UT/ID tarmac transitions.
Finally installed RekCX from you, going be a fun summer.
Awesome review! I am looking forward to seeing how you set it up for a BDR. I just put a deposit on a 390 RR-S that I intend to use the same way. It’s funny, I bought a 2021 KTM 890 Adventure R and everything I read or heard was how unreliable KTMs are. 13,000 miles later I have had zero issues. I think a properly set up, properly maintained bike will do you right. My son will ride the Beta when we go together. The lower ride height and traction control were major factors in choosing it over the KTM. Hopefully I’ve chosen wisely.
@@F1since79 The 890 series seems to be a great adv bike. Two of my friends have one and they are very versatile, user friendly and low maint (so far). If I wasn't so in love w/ my 990A it would be an easy decision. Your 390RRS will be a great addition!
They deliver it with a 13th sprocket for a reason. You should try that.
can you fill it up and give us the wet weight. Beta won't tell me what it is :(