I've owned the 2017 Beta 300RR for two years now. I re-springed it for my weight, handguards, radiator guards, and spark arrester muffler. Totally love the bike. It seems like even the roughest ride is a walk in the park for this bike, it is capable of more than most of us (non professional riders) will ever ask it to do, sometimes it will even save you when you screw up. I am 67 and have been riding enduro since the 70's. This a great bike. I find that the power band is so smooth and wide, it's like cheating it's so easy to ride. Well built with quality components and cost less than Husq or KTM, a no brainer.
My front brake is not grabby and i like the kill button location because you don't accidentally shut it off. I love the blinker switch as I put mine on the road here in VT. I installed a 14 countershaft sprocket to address the gearing issue. I also installed a shorter shift lever to make shifting better. The front fork gets much better with time very harsh at first and then it just keeps getting better! Now it is better than any WP fork I have tried.
Nice review man! You talk about a lot of relevant things pertaining to the off road enthusiast and average trail rider as well as being informative enough for seasoned riders which is something that's usually missing in a lot of the magazines reviews and pro rider video reviews . Thanks man.
Very nice review Kyle. I have followed the whole series and am impressed with both the bike and the way you have focused on the various aspects of the bike. I would really like to see the big magazines take more time with each bike and explain how the various aspects are for a particular rider. They do to some extent, but maybe the volume of bikes they test keeps them from going into this detail. Makes for a usable review instead of just entertainment - and your reviews are both. Sounds like it is time to take a look at the new Beta...
From my experience grabby breaks are often a result of pad+rotor combo. As a rider with background in MX I find it necessary to give those grabby breaks a good hard brake-in (hehe).
I’m just amazed how you can go out riding and provide almost professional quality information and camera skills whilst having to ride the bike Some hours must really be spent doing this sort of thing on your own
Good review, I was stuck on either the KTM 300 or the Beta 300 and in the end I chose the Beta mainly because I am short and the lower seat hight of the beta felt great. I love my 300 😊 and as stated in your review the bike is far more capable than my ability and most o t her riders
Good wrap up review Kyle. I know it didn't end up being your cup of tea but I'm glad you kept it real. True the guys at Beta are awesome to work with. Sent an email to Beta USA with an issue and Tim Pilg replied personally and helped me through it. That type of customer service is getting harder to find. I'm sure your videos and reviews have helped get the word out about Beta. Still think you need to take a spin on my Beta 300RR Race edition though...😎 Thanks Kyle
MaverickDH True on the BYOB program. Reelly cool program to allow you to customize and personalize your ride to your liking. I believe you can even have the suspension set up from the factory for your weight. (spring rates). Also knowing he was only able to work with the std. edition he was a little limited in being able to see what the race edition offers in components that would add a substantial amount to the cost of a KTM,Husky or maybe even the Sherco. I know my Race edition isn't really lacking out in the open... plenty fast for me and handles the whoops at speed fine with the Sachs CC forks. Granted I'm not the fastest guy but I've had mine up to 70 in the dirt and regularly get into the 40-50 range on the desert trails and it handled really well.
Dirt Bike Channel Yeah it was a bummer none were available for you. That's why we keep mentioning it in hopes Beta will read these and give you a second ride to test. I think you might dig the 250 Race edition. I hear it's a more lively higher revving engine that may be more up your alley. Also the 2018 are supposed to be about 10 lbs lighter... minus a kick start though😐 We hope to see you on another Beta soon. I'm the mean time were looking forward to your 150xc-w vids!!
MaverickDH he never compared the beta to a 300 Xcw which is the equivalent. The 300xc is a stripped down almost mx bike in terms of accessories and enduro equipment. There is a big difference in weight between a XC and a XCW
You should do some local Enduro race's Kyle. I started this summer for the first time (Im 36) and man its harder than I thought. Speed on a bike isn't so much the problem but stamina. Iam so unfit its unreal! Its fun though! :) 2016 Beta 300rr
bignose140 Good for you. I too did my first hare scramble at the younge age of 36...Way more physically demanding than I thought it would be...So much fun though.
You review competition bikes. Maybe you should try an enduro. There's 4 to 5 riders a row, you won't be eating a lot of dust, maybe not any depending on the weather. I enjoy your videos.
Nice! I just started riding dirt bikes. I have rode a lot of pit bike before but I bought myself a honda cr250 2002 a while ago. Maaaan is that thing fun to ride! Always get itchy to ride when I look at your videos! Great stuff!
Great honest review. Thanks for doing this for us. After all of your videos and this full review I can say that if my heart was not set on getting a Husky TE250 I would truly consider getting this Beta. Keep up the work Kyle. I always look forward to your videos regardless if its a review, a ride, or anything else
I've had lots of modern bikes as well. Loved my Beta 300. Great bike for 90% of terrain. Next bike for me will be the Beta X-trainer. Ridden it a few times...killer bike for nasty trails. I appreciate your vids Kyle...good stuff
Kyle, you DONT need to turn carburetor on kTm to take needle out. needle and slide comes out easily from the kick starter side with out loosening anything.
Great Review Kyle, I've had this same bike (but the Australian version) for two months and it seems a fairly similar experience to what I have had. Our kill switch is on the other side of the bars and reversed (facing backwards) as it should be. Where I am in the Southern mountainous part of Oz we have similar rocky trails and I get what you mean. On the more open sections it feels like the gears are out of whack. In the tighter slippery stuff it's epic, which is what I like. I rode the whole range early this year and for the stuff you do you should have a go on the 350 4-stroke - I nearly got that because on a track and the more open areas I loved it, but it was very quick and beyond my talent. P.S. The side stand is evil I think Beta stole their grandma's knitting needles to make it.
The Beta's are looking very good for some technically slow riding. Also, the oil tank seems like a cool thing, and maybe a good thing for 2 stroak. Not that it is any problem to mix, but very handy not to have to take with extra oil for filling up at a gas station. makes it a little easier. Awesome video
Thanks for your review Kyle, I had my forks revalved and sprung for my weight o my older 2014 300RR. What I still find strange is fork flex, i.e. forward and backward movement of the forks , the compression and rebound is fine. Apparently BETA says this is a WANTED characteristic.. For the rest--what an awesome bike!. greetings from South Africa.
We dont ride Elephants anymore-you can buy any bike you want. Africa is offroad heaven. Check out Roof of Africa and Wade Young. our factory rider for Sherco France. Yes from Africa!.
I would never buy a bike that is trying to kill me as much as you said this one does. Oh wait I did and I love it. I'm in Vermont where its wet and technical.
You should try the 2018 race addition I did and went out and traded my KTM the next day and if you’re ever considering coming to the north east I would love to show you some serious single track
This is your dude from the ghetto. That will never afford a dirt bike. This was a very enjoyable vid. I love the look of those betas. It was a pleasure to hear your review on performance. Where you ride is a dream land.hahahaha The bike sounds like the one for me since it is slow. Keep up the good work.
The Beta 300rr won the E3 World Championship last year, in one of the write ups online they interview Steve Holcombe, British lad, world champion, and he says what they change on his race bike, you'd be surprised at how similar they are, I have a Racing version and it's only minor differences from this that you've had on test 👍, I race mine in hare and hounds and also hard enduro events ... love it .
Just a heads up. You don't need to remove the tank to swap needles. Tilt the top of the carb to the left side of the bike until the bottom contacts the crank case, and there's enough room. It's tight, but definitely doable.
Wow I misjudged you. I thought you were a KTM guy through and through. I also ride in Utah. I own a beta Xtrainer and love the bike, Perfect for my size. The XTrainer is similar in many ways including the gripes you mentioned. I found that replacing the front tire with a Goldentyre GT216AA "Fatty" solved most of the front deflection problems. kudos for a great review and owning a Beta I feel you are Dead On!
Very good review ,I have this same beta 300 in the uk and here are some things I have tried and that have worked on this bike to make it turn and not have the front washing away on you, first of all junk the standard tyre as there's not enough side grip and it's short of nobles so change it for a better enduro tyre, ,then lower the front forks so that there's 4mm showing through the top of the yolks, Then It's a must to change the fork springs for your correct weight as these betas come from factory with to soft suspension for the average weight rider, when you have changed the springs add 3 more clicks compression and 2 clicks of damping job done, ok now the gearing, yes 1st is low and 2nd is in between most motocross 2nd gears on different bikes I have owned, what I done my beta is to take 1 tooth off the front sprocket and added 2 teeth on the rear sprocket , now I use 1st gear for standing on the pegs in front off say a large tree stump and with one blip of throttle and the front lift like a trials bike straight onto the stump, so from here on I use 2nd as a 1st and bike still tops out at 65 mph in 6th which is well fast off road and riding in the woods, so you end up with one awesome bike that can do so many things, hope this can help others to get their betas sorted as I love my bike now its sorted,,cheers,
Thanks for the video. You get used to the kill switch position, but you make a very good comment re the map switch. There is some engine braking, but the brakes are the weakest part of the bike and boil on big downhills. Also the rotors chew out like plastic. Sprocket change fixes the gearing. I have the Racing version and had to change fork oil and rear spring to get the suspension to work properly. Shame you didn't talk more about the oil injection, as this seems to be unique feature? Cheers.
Zero issues with the front brake on my 300rr... Maybe the pads in there are quite grabby ;-) Surprised about the hand guards too, my 14 had them from factory. Additionally, gearing is easily raised at the sprockets.
Thanks for the honest opinion about the Beta! I do have a question about the wrap up though. Why didn't you take it to the trail, that you take all your other bikes to, and do the timed comparison?
Just added FMF shorty and opened power valve--Turned docile BETA into ripsnorting moster!. The Loooong muffler canister was getting hit in technical rides all the time.
Excellent full review Kyle! Very well put together with awesome footage and talking points, both negative and positive. Hopefully you can continue to work with Beta and test more of their offerings like their other 2 strokes, 4 strokes and race editions of each. Really sounds like even tho it didn't fit all of your needs as a rider, you still enjoyed it and were impressed with it. Like someone else had said earlier tho, you don't need to take the tank off to pull the needle out. But it certainly does make it easier. Great video man, well done. Btw when are the next batch of shirts shipping out?
I have a '15 Beta 300rr and taking the top off the carb to change the needle even without tipping the carb is easy, it just comes straight up off and out, no problem, is there more of an obstruction with the oil injection system?
Yup might be a perfect bike for me I’m short I suck at riding but love to ride and want to try a 2 stroke and I don’t care for crazy power just want something for technical single tracks and I love to climb hills.
Thanks for the review. Sounds like a great bike but the lack of predictability in the front end would scare me. I'm not a great dirt rider and would be on edge all the time with this bike's weird shock and front brake.
I also agree with you on the gearing, my 2015 TE300 is like a ktm 300xcw. Even for tight single track 1st gear is useless, Unusually ride a gear higher to maintain momentum without loosing traction.
Obed M. I would rather have a first gear that is too low than one that is too high. You can always shift up but if you want something lower and you're already in first then it's clutch abuse time. I have a '14 WR450 and the transmission is one of my least favorite things about the bike. Tall first gear and the rest of them are stacked up pretty close. Way to similar to a mx trans.
My 2016 300 race edition is the best bike I’ve ridden by far, and as far as geared a bit lower: top speed is 82mph across flat dry lake bed at 200ft above sea level
Nice review. I've traded in my 300rr for an x-trainer with an upgraded fork kit. Super light and fun to ride, quite a different bike to the 300rr. If you get a chance have a go on one. KTM 150 in the works? I've ridden a 17 model, also super light and fun to ride :)
just did a Beta ride day 2019 models, they had the 200,250,300 & all the 4 strokes as well. i was looking at transitioning from my 2010 te450, to a two stroke, first impressions on the 2 strokes were, man this things are mental, but as i was going along i changed my riding style a bit, and begun to be yeah i need one, after this i tried a new 4 stroke, 350,390,430, did not bother with the 480, and just found out that pushing these bikes just took it toll on me, while pushing the 2 stokes i could of kept going (maybe not the 300, i found that power to be quite useless in the technical rough ruts on the trail) the 250 was my pick, 200 was nice and punchy, 300 was just trying to kill me, while i just found the 250 to handle the best, turn better, and its the only bike i did not stall, the 4 strokes has awesome plush suspension, you could hit any obstacles on the trail and not feel a thing,, but there was no real improvement from these to riding my old te450,
@Dildo Baggins It's the off idle torque that I'm referring to. Bikes of 400cc and above is where good starts, then afterwards can have 600cc performance, all in a very light package. 😈😈😈
The brake thing could just be the pads. Sometimes they take a sec to heat up and then are quite grabby, could try going to something harder like the EBC ceramic pads.
The reason they put the kill switch on the front side of the switch block is so you dont accidentally push it off .exactly what you complained about diong with the map switch.You can't have it both ways mate.
Euro bikes come with hand guards over this side of the pond, standard front tyre is awful and is removed almost immediately over here in the UK .... 👍👍
Great review Kyle. So Kyle just a thought if you can tweak a 'Easy To Ride' bike such as this into a strong enduro bike does it stand to reason that you can take a 'Ready To Race' enduro bike and tweak it into a easy to ride woods/trail bike?
Higher first gear? Not even sure why you are worrying about 1st gear. I can tell you the solution? Learn to ride a bit faster!! Hehehehe. Great review. KTM 300xcw rider but always liked the Betas. Problem is, I'm 6 ft 5in and feel they are built for the smaller guys. I'm wondering if the Beta is just designed to be in super slow single track. Thing is, those are my favorite trails but I'm typically riding in 2nd and 3rd gear on my KTM. Not sure if the Beta is built for faster, technical riders? Thoughts?
i thought u were more interested in the sx thou ? put a flywheel weight (10 oz) , unplug the mapping wire for softer hit , and do the suspension and its a right fun bike in the woods, the xcw is going to feel alot slower, obv thou if ur not going to keep it long then get xcw but if ur planning on keeping it for a while and want to put some money in it the sx has way better power.
you prob going to need the lectron thou , the 150s are worse then the 250s and 300s in terms of terrible jetting , rmatv got a 150 and the jd jet kit barely helped they said and went to the lectron , i put a lectron on mine soon as they came out and vforce 4rs and the bike runs amazing , jetting the 250s and 300s are way easier then the 150s , 150s are way off from the factory and run stupid rich.
Hey Kyle, I have been torn between the xtrainer and the 300RR. I ride in Utah as well, mostly trails like AF Canyon, 5 mile pass, down in Southern Utah, ect. I like the concept of the xtrainer for that type of riding, but wonder if its lack of adjustability is worth it. I do not care about top end hit, but the reason I like the 2 stoke is for the distinct weight advantage. If you keep the PV on the 300 rr at factory settings, or even in more, how well will it still lug these types of trails? Any thoughts on the xtrainer vs the 300rr?
Hello super nice reviews thanks they help a lot, question about the 2018 KTM 300 xc the starter system is not failed like the 2015-2016?? Is the 2018 KTM 300 xc fuel injection system? In California the local dealer told me they gonna have the only the 2018 250 xc-w only with fuel injection?? The 2018 Beta 300 RR Factory Race bike the suspension had the same problem like the 2017 review you did???
Good review. Are you sure the front end wash isn't from the crap stock front tire? Second, I race my Beta 3rd and 4th gear all day and don't get the same feeling you do. I only weigh 165lbs though, and you are probably heavier than me. Third, a little surprised you didn't touch on handling. In my experience, and some of my buddies, the Beta handles way differently. It turns slower, but is way more stable
It's not the tire. It's the fork and the brake that I have the issue with. This is the 3rd bike bike this year I have reviewed with the exact same tire. Both Shercos had that same tire and I was able to ride the 300 SE-R back to back with the Beta on those tires. I have talked at length about handling in other vids, and I did talk about it in this video. Didn't want to beat a dead horse that I didn't care for the handling on this bike as much as some of the others I have ridden.
Dirt Bike Channel yeah you either love or hate the way a Beta handles. Didn't know you had ridden that front tire before. I took mine off right away. It's terrible on the east coast
so would you say a beta300 or just any beta more rider friendly? rode a ktm 2T and tbh what a bit nerve wrecking. I have a klx250, but want something more now
Idk why you didnt get handguards im pretty sure betas come with handguards and also the killswitch doesnt bother me bc i just clutch kill my bike most of the time anyway and what my dad did he just took that whole thing off and replaced it with one killswitch button bc he diesnt need a horn or lights
isnt the new Husqvarna and KTM 300 Te better with the new TPI technology so u dont have to worry about carbs and needles? its self adjusts itself automatically depending your altitude etc..
hello. do you have the opportunity to COMPARE the BETA 300 to a GAS GAS 300? (based on real life experience?) I would be really interested at that. lovely, how you go to small details like switches etc. I appreciate the effort in this vid. thx.
I've owned the 2017 Beta 300RR for two years now. I re-springed it for my weight, handguards, radiator guards, and spark arrester muffler. Totally love the bike. It seems like even the roughest ride is a walk in the park for this bike, it is capable of more than most of us (non professional riders) will ever ask it to do, sometimes it will even save you when you screw up. I am 67 and have been riding enduro since the 70's. This a great bike. I find that the power band is so smooth and wide, it's like cheating it's so easy to ride. Well built with quality components and cost less than Husq or KTM, a no brainer.
Should have mentioned the Beta won the Enduro world championship last year and is about to do it again this year.
My front brake is not grabby and i like the kill button location because you don't accidentally shut it off. I love the blinker switch as I put mine on the road here in VT. I installed a 14 countershaft sprocket to address the gearing issue. I also installed a shorter shift lever to make shifting better. The front fork gets much better with time very harsh at first and then it just keeps getting better! Now it is better than any WP fork I have tried.
i was laughing when he said they should switch the 2 buttons..."its a dirtbike". No its not, its a dual sport. it comes street legal from the factory.
I just sign the paperwork today on a 250 rr . Picking it up Friday with my son's drz 70 . Your show help me decide what to buy . Love your show .
Nice review man! You talk about a lot of relevant things pertaining to the off road enthusiast and average trail rider as well as being informative enough for seasoned riders which is something that's usually missing in a lot of the magazines reviews and pro rider video reviews . Thanks man.
Very nice review Kyle. I have followed the whole series and am impressed with both the bike and the way you have focused on the various aspects of the bike. I would really like to see the big magazines take more time with each bike and explain how the various aspects are for a particular rider. They do to some extent, but maybe the volume of bikes they test keeps them from going into this detail. Makes for a usable review instead of just entertainment - and your reviews are both. Sounds like it is time to take a look at the new Beta...
From my experience grabby breaks are often a result of pad+rotor combo. As a rider with background in MX I find it necessary to give those grabby breaks a good hard brake-in (hehe).
awesome review ,i really like the way they tuck up the pipes i wish some of the other manufacturers would take notes
I’m just amazed how you can go out riding and provide almost professional quality information and camera skills whilst having to ride the bike
Some hours must really be spent doing this sort of thing on your own
Good review, I was stuck on either the KTM 300 or the Beta 300 and in the end I chose the Beta mainly because I am short and the lower seat hight of the beta felt great. I love my 300 😊 and as stated in your review the bike is far more capable than my ability and most o t her riders
Good wrap up review Kyle. I know it didn't end up being your cup of tea but I'm glad you kept it real. True the guys at Beta are awesome to work with. Sent an email to Beta USA with an issue and Tim Pilg replied personally and helped me through it. That type of customer service is getting harder to find. I'm sure your videos and reviews have helped get the word out about Beta.
Still think you need to take a spin on my Beta 300RR Race edition though...😎
Thanks Kyle
MaverickDH
True on the BYOB program. Reelly cool program to allow you to customize and personalize your ride to your liking. I believe you can even have the suspension set up from the factory for your weight. (spring rates). Also knowing he was only able to work with the std. edition he was a little limited in being able to see what the race edition offers in components that would add a substantial amount to the cost of a KTM,Husky or maybe even the Sherco. I know my Race edition isn't really lacking out in the open... plenty fast for me and handles the whoops at speed fine with the Sachs CC forks. Granted I'm not the fastest guy but I've had mine up to 70 in the dirt and regularly get into the 40-50 range on the desert trails and it handled really well.
The Race Edition was the bike I wanted to get. They sent the standard to me instead. Next time...
Dirt Bike Channel
Yeah it was a bummer none were available for you. That's why we keep mentioning it in hopes Beta will read these and give you a second ride to test. I think you might dig the 250 Race edition.
I hear it's a more lively higher revving engine that may be more up your alley. Also the 2018 are supposed to be about 10 lbs lighter... minus a kick start though😐
We hope to see you on another Beta soon. I'm the mean time were looking forward to your 150xc-w vids!!
Phillip Bell I didn't hear Kyle quote a weight or compare the weight to a comparable KTM. This is important info for many riders.
MaverickDH he never compared the beta to a 300 Xcw which is the equivalent. The 300xc is a stripped down almost mx bike in terms of accessories and enduro equipment. There is a big difference in weight between a XC and a XCW
You should do some local Enduro race's Kyle. I started this summer for the first time (Im 36) and man its harder than I thought. Speed on a bike isn't so much the problem but stamina. Iam so unfit its unreal! Its fun though! :)
2016 Beta 300rr
I'm not a huge fan of eating dust from 300 other riders. I try to go to places where people aren't :)
bignose140 Good for you. I too did my first hare scramble at the younge age of 36...Way more physically demanding than I thought it would be...So much fun though.
You review competition bikes. Maybe you should try an enduro. There's 4 to 5 riders a row, you won't be eating a lot of dust, maybe not any depending on the weather. I enjoy your videos.
Dirt Bike Channel that's why you have to make it so they are eating your dust😜
just go faster...lololol
Nice! I just started riding dirt bikes. I have rode a lot of pit bike before but I bought myself a honda cr250 2002 a while ago. Maaaan is that thing fun to ride! Always get itchy to ride when I look at your videos! Great stuff!
Great honest review. Thanks for doing this for us. After all of your videos and this full review I can say that if my heart was not set on getting a Husky TE250 I would truly consider getting this Beta. Keep up the work Kyle. I always look forward to your videos regardless if its a review, a ride, or anything else
Always look forward to your reviews and videos. I found the log jump video to be very helpful. Keep up the good work.
I've had lots of modern bikes as well. Loved my Beta 300. Great bike for 90% of terrain. Next bike for me will be the Beta X-trainer. Ridden it a few times...killer bike for nasty trails.
I appreciate your vids Kyle...good stuff
Kyle, you DONT need to turn carburetor on kTm to take needle out. needle and slide comes out easily from the kick starter side with out loosening anything.
This channel deserves a lot more credit
Just a straight up awesome review!! Keep it up Kyle!
Great Review Kyle, I've had this same bike (but the Australian version) for two months and it seems a fairly similar experience to what I have had. Our kill switch is on the other side of the bars and reversed (facing backwards) as it should be.
Where I am in the Southern mountainous part of Oz we have similar rocky trails and I get what you mean. On the more open sections it feels like the gears are out of whack. In the tighter slippery stuff it's epic, which is what I like.
I rode the whole range early this year and for the stuff you do you should have a go on the 350 4-stroke - I nearly got that because on a track and the more open areas I loved it, but it was very quick and beyond my talent.
P.S. The side stand is evil I think Beta stole their grandma's knitting needles to make it.
The Beta's are looking very good for some technically slow riding. Also, the oil tank seems like a cool thing, and maybe a good thing for 2 stroak. Not that it is any problem to mix, but very handy not to have to take with extra oil for filling up at a gas station. makes it a little easier. Awesome video
Thanks for your review Kyle, I had my forks revalved and sprung for my weight o my older 2014 300RR. What I still find strange is fork flex, i.e. forward and backward movement of the forks , the compression and rebound is fine. Apparently BETA says this is a WANTED characteristic..
For the rest--what an awesome bike!.
greetings from South Africa.
William Van Coller all forks flex a little. You should check some of the threads out in the Beta forum about suspension "flex"
William Van Coller how do you get bikes like that in Africa? What, I thought you guys would have like klx140s cause they are found very universally
imilarlobster 8
RobertKehl thanks dad
We dont ride Elephants anymore-you can buy any bike you want. Africa is offroad heaven. Check out Roof of Africa and Wade Young. our factory rider for Sherco France. Yes from Africa!.
I would never buy a bike that is trying to kill me as much as you said this one does. Oh wait I did and I love it. I'm in Vermont where its wet and technical.
You should try the 2018 race addition I did and went out and traded my KTM the next day and if you’re ever considering coming to the north east I would love to show you some serious single track
This is your dude from the ghetto. That will never afford a dirt bike. This was a very enjoyable vid. I love the look of those betas. It was a pleasure to hear your review on performance. Where you ride is a dream land.hahahaha The bike sounds like the one for me since it is slow. Keep up the good work.
The Beta 300rr won the E3 World Championship last year, in one of the write ups online they interview Steve Holcombe, British lad, world champion, and he says what they change on his race bike, you'd be surprised at how similar they are, I have a Racing version and it's only minor differences from this that you've had on test 👍, I race mine in hare and hounds and also hard enduro events ... love it .
Just a heads up. You don't need to remove the tank to swap needles. Tilt the top of the carb to the left side of the bike until the bottom contacts the crank case, and there's enough room. It's tight, but definitely doable.
I've rejetted many times without removing anything other than the 2 clamps on the carb. The air box is soft and moves easy enough to pull the carb out
Wow I misjudged you. I thought you were a KTM guy through and through. I also ride in Utah. I own a beta Xtrainer and love the bike, Perfect for my size. The XTrainer is similar in many ways including the gripes you mentioned. I found that replacing the front tire with a Goldentyre GT216AA "Fatty" solved most of the front deflection problems. kudos for a great review and owning a Beta I feel you are Dead On!
Great review mate. That bike does seem very appealing. Love your in depth review.
Very good review ,I have this same beta 300 in the uk and here are some things I have tried and that have worked on this bike to make it turn and not have the front washing away on you,
first of all junk the standard tyre as there's not enough side grip and it's short of nobles so change it for a better enduro tyre,
,then lower the front forks so that there's 4mm showing through the top of the yolks, Then It's a must to change the fork springs for your correct weight as these betas come from factory with to soft suspension for the average weight rider, when you have changed the springs add 3 more clicks compression and 2 clicks of damping job done,
ok now the gearing, yes 1st is low and 2nd is in between most motocross 2nd gears on different bikes I have owned, what I done my beta is to take 1 tooth off the front sprocket and added 2 teeth on the rear sprocket , now I use 1st gear for standing on the pegs in front off say a large tree stump and with one blip of throttle and the front lift like a trials bike straight onto the stump, so from here on I use 2nd as a 1st and bike still tops out at 65 mph in 6th which is well fast off road and riding in the woods, so you end up with one awesome bike that can do so many things, hope this can help others to get their betas sorted as I love my bike now its sorted,,cheers,
Thanks for the review. I have been checking out betas. They are pushing them in South Africa
Thanks for the video. You get used to the kill switch position, but you make a very good comment re the map switch. There is some engine braking, but the brakes are the weakest part of the bike and boil on big downhills. Also the rotors chew out like plastic. Sprocket change fixes the gearing. I have the Racing version and had to change fork oil and rear spring to get the suspension to work properly. Shame you didn't talk more about the oil injection, as this seems to be unique feature? Cheers.
Awesome mate. Great video, obviously a lot of effort went into making it.
These full reviews are more work than most people can imagine.
Zero issues with the front brake on my 300rr... Maybe the pads in there are quite grabby ;-)
Surprised about the hand guards too, my 14 had them from factory. Additionally, gearing is easily raised at the sprockets.
Probably had a sticky caliper; remove and clean!
Nice comprehensive review. Thanks.
Thanks for the honest opinion about the Beta! I do have a question about the wrap up though. Why didn't you take it to the trail, that you take all your other bikes to, and do the timed comparison?
Just added FMF shorty and opened power valve--Turned docile BETA into ripsnorting moster!.
The Loooong muffler canister was getting hit in technical rides all the time.
Great review, I wount get a leg over next for another 10 years wen I can afford it, but excellent points, well thought out and executed.
Excellent full review Kyle! Very well put together with awesome footage and talking points, both negative and positive. Hopefully you can continue to work with Beta and test more of their offerings like their other 2 strokes, 4 strokes and race editions of each. Really sounds like even tho it didn't fit all of your needs as a rider, you still enjoyed it and were impressed with it. Like someone else had said earlier tho, you don't need to take the tank off to pull the needle out. But it certainly does make it easier. Great video man, well done. Btw when are the next batch of shirts shipping out?
I have a '15 Beta 300rr and taking the top off the carb to change the needle even without tipping the carb is easy, it just comes straight up off and out, no problem, is there more of an obstruction with the oil injection system?
No the oil injection does not add any obstructions above the carburetor.
Yup might be a perfect bike for me I’m short I suck at riding but love to ride and want to try a 2 stroke and I don’t care for crazy power just want something for technical single tracks and I love to climb hills.
Thanks man I am looking at an 18beta and this was so helpful
Thanks for the review. Sounds like a great bike but the lack of predictability in the front end would scare me. I'm not a great dirt rider and would be on edge all the time with this bike's weird shock and front brake.
My next bike. I have a 300 EVO and absolutely love it. My wife wouldn't approve but what's a guy to do?
Late reply but remember it’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission
Beg for forgivnese rather than ask for permission
Great review. It would be awesome if Beta would send you a 250 rr race.
Should go for a KTM '17 250 xcf next. I think that would be pretty interesting.
I also agree with you on the gearing, my 2015 TE300 is like a ktm 300xcw. Even for tight single track 1st gear is useless, Unusually ride a gear higher to maintain momentum without loosing traction.
Obed M.
I would rather have a first gear that is too low than one that is too high. You can always shift up but if you want something lower and you're already in first then it's clutch abuse time. I have a '14 WR450 and the transmission is one of my least favorite things about the bike. Tall first gear and the rest of them are stacked up pretty close. Way to similar to a mx trans.
Basically the beta is the XR 250 of the 2t enduro world which is awesome.
Darin L
With the power turned up. No. Down yes
My 2016 300 race edition is the best bike I’ve ridden by far, and as far as geared a bit lower: top speed is 82mph across flat dry lake bed at 200ft above sea level
Nice review. I've traded in my 300rr for an x-trainer with an upgraded fork kit. Super light and fun to ride, quite a different bike to the 300rr. If you get a chance have a go on one. KTM 150 in the works? I've ridden a 17 model, also super light and fun to ride :)
just did a Beta ride day 2019 models, they had the 200,250,300 & all the 4 strokes as well. i was looking at transitioning from my 2010 te450, to a two stroke, first impressions on the 2 strokes were, man this things are mental, but as i was going along i changed my riding style a bit, and begun to be yeah i need one, after this i tried a new 4 stroke, 350,390,430, did not bother with the 480, and just found out that pushing these bikes just took it toll on me, while pushing the 2 stokes i could of kept going (maybe not the 300, i found that power to be quite useless in the technical rough ruts on the trail) the 250 was my pick, 200 was nice and punchy, 300 was just trying to kill me, while i just found the 250 to handle the best, turn better, and its the only bike i did not stall, the 4 strokes has awesome plush suspension, you could hit any obstacles on the trail and not feel a thing,, but there was no real improvement from these to riding my old te450,
I've just sold my 2017 beta 300rr racing and feel absolutely wounded!
Just to buy a montesa trials bike !
I really hope I've done the right thing ☹
Probably, I ´ll go for the new 2018 125 RR 2T. ;)
A really sincere review!!
fyi for readers, you dont have to take the tank off to jet/change needle.
You do not have to take the tank off....
Love the vids!!!!!. Keep it up 😁
beta took over..just an amazing bike and comes ready as fuck
I wish they made a 400cc 2 stroke with the same characteristics.
@Dildo Baggins good low down torque with monster getup
@Dildo Baggins It's the off idle torque that I'm referring to. Bikes of 400cc and above is where good starts, then afterwards can have 600cc performance, all in a very light package. 😈😈😈
. bring the xtrainer next bike review. diffrent
Most betas come with flag style hand guards. Most demo bikes don't seem to have them. Usually they get wrap arounds installed
The brake thing could just be the pads. Sometimes they take a sec to heat up and then are quite grabby, could try going to something harder like the EBC ceramic pads.
awesome Kyle! thanks!
The reason they put the kill switch on the front side of the switch block is so you dont accidentally push it off .exactly what you complained about diong with the map switch.You can't have it both ways mate.
Top Class review.
Congrats.
Euro bikes come with hand guards over this side of the pond, standard front tyre is awful and is removed almost immediately over here in the UK .... 👍👍
Great review! How about the 260 race edition next?
Great review Kyle. So Kyle just a thought if you can tweak a 'Easy To Ride' bike such as this into a strong enduro bike does it stand to reason that you can take a 'Ready To Race' enduro bike and tweak it into a easy to ride woods/trail bike?
I always wanted to try one of them Beta’s
best place for the map switch is on the steering lock.
Higher first gear? Not even sure why you are worrying about 1st gear. I can tell you the solution? Learn to ride a bit faster!! Hehehehe. Great review. KTM 300xcw rider but always liked the Betas. Problem is, I'm 6 ft 5in and feel they are built for the smaller guys. I'm wondering if the Beta is just designed to be in super slow single track. Thing is, those are my favorite trails but I'm typically riding in 2nd and 3rd gear on my KTM. Not sure if the Beta is built for faster, technical riders? Thoughts?
Have you had any trouble with your oil injection yet??
Nice review.. The Beta is a nice bike. But the Christini?
Good job Kyle thanks for your opinion on the beta the question now is what's next ?
KTM 150 XC-W.
Dirt Bike Channel bout time lol
i thought u were more interested in the sx thou ? put a flywheel weight (10 oz) , unplug the mapping wire for softer hit , and do the suspension and its a right fun bike in the woods, the xcw is going to feel alot slower, obv thou if ur not going to keep it long then get xcw but if ur planning on keeping it for a while and want to put some money in it the sx has way better power.
you prob going to need the lectron thou , the 150s are worse then the 250s and 300s in terms of terrible jetting , rmatv got a 150 and the jd jet kit barely helped they said and went to the lectron , i put a lectron on mine soon as they came out and vforce 4rs and the bike runs amazing , jetting the 250s and 300s are way easier then the 150s , 150s are way off from the factory and run stupid rich.
when are u planning on getting this 150 ??? :)
Hey Kyle, I have been torn between the xtrainer and the 300RR. I ride in Utah as well, mostly trails like AF Canyon, 5 mile pass, down in Southern Utah, ect. I like the concept of the xtrainer for that type of riding, but wonder if its lack of adjustability is worth it. I do not care about top end hit, but the reason I like the 2 stoke is for the distinct weight advantage. If you keep the PV on the 300 rr at factory settings, or even in more, how well will it still lug these types of trails? Any thoughts on the xtrainer vs the 300rr?
I turned mine into a screamin supermoto. This bike was built for street shredding.
I would be intrested in seeing a review of pds and linkage comparisons...
Maybe a stupid question but does the 4 stroke bikes have power valve adjustment? I got recently beta rr 400 so thats why Im asking :)
Thank you very much for your words! Amazing explanation
Hello super nice reviews thanks they help a lot, question about the 2018 KTM 300 xc the starter system is not failed like the 2015-2016??
Is the 2018 KTM 300 xc fuel injection system? In California the local dealer told me they gonna have the only the 2018 250 xc-w only with fuel injection??
The 2018 Beta 300 RR Factory Race bike the suspension had the same problem like the 2017 review you did???
Good review. Are you sure the front end wash isn't from the crap stock front tire? Second, I race my Beta 3rd and 4th gear all day and don't get the same feeling you do. I only weigh 165lbs though, and you are probably heavier than me. Third, a little surprised you didn't touch on handling. In my experience, and some of my buddies, the Beta handles way differently. It turns slower, but is way more stable
It's not the tire. It's the fork and the brake that I have the issue with. This is the 3rd bike bike this year I have reviewed with the exact same tire. Both Shercos had that same tire and I was able to ride the 300 SE-R back to back with the Beta on those tires. I have talked at length about handling in other vids, and I did talk about it in this video. Didn't want to beat a dead horse that I didn't care for the handling on this bike as much as some of the others I have ridden.
Dirt Bike Channel yeah you either love or hate the way a Beta handles. Didn't know you had ridden that front tire before. I took mine off right away. It's terrible on the east coast
for the gearing complaint, why don't you just put a smaller rear sprocket
I like the off road reviews and videos but have you ever considered riding a few tracks and reviewing some moto products?
Probably a dumb question but did you try bleeding that front brake? Maybe there's just a tiny bit of air making it grabby and unpredictable.
And the 2018s i think have a killswitch and a starter on the right side just like the freeride
so would you say a beta300 or just any beta more rider friendly? rode a ktm 2T and tbh what a bit nerve wrecking. I have a klx250, but want something more now
Think I’m gonna try snd buy one bow
Are you riding in Utah? If so, me and my dad would love to take you on some trails up by the Colorado border!
So Kyle, what is your favorite bike?
Hey Kyle have you tried the xtrainer ? Wondering if you liked it more if you have
When will you do a review of a gasgas bike?
Dream bike
Idk why you didnt get handguards im pretty sure betas come with handguards and also the killswitch doesnt bother me bc i just clutch kill my bike most of the time anyway and what my dad did he just took that whole thing off and replaced it with one killswitch button bc he diesnt need a horn or lights
Kyle one thing you didn't mention is vibration. How does the Beta compare to the new KTM's vibration wise?
It vibrates like the old KTMs. Not a huge issue though.
How does the vibration compare to the counter Ballanced KTM and Husqvarna?
isnt the new Husqvarna and KTM 300 Te better with the new TPI technology so u dont have to worry about carbs and needles? its self adjusts itself automatically depending your altitude etc..
Great video Kyle buT can you please buy a yz250 2 stroke and review it
he already did
it must have been a while ago :)
Why don't you change the front or rear sproket in order to get the right ratio for your terrain
So ergos are not so good for us taller guys?! Cuz i rode a 300 XCW that felt perfect
didnt understand if it was fuel injected or carburated
hello. do you have the opportunity to COMPARE the BETA 300 to a GAS GAS 300? (based on real life experience?) I would be really interested at that. lovely, how you go to small details like switches etc. I appreciate the effort in this vid. thx.