Great insight. I just bought a 22' 500 RS. I completely agree about the light and nimble feeling. Coming off a FE570, the Beta is way more flickable. This is the best handling dualsport that I've ridden.
I have the 300rr 2021 and it is street legal. I installed a trail tech voyager pro on it and it plugs right into the existing plugs the only wire I had to run was power and a wire to wrap the ignition for rpm. I almost bought a Beta 390rr this fall (2022) but decided to wait for spring. I love my Beta and I loved the feel of the 4 stroke Beta's. I also love the 4 strokes come from the factory with an approved spark arrestor as well as the trail tech. For a bike in the same price point as the lowest of the KTM line up It is as much or more bike and outfitted much better. The lowering is completely internal to the suspension and can be done by most dealers during your bike set up and the bike still rides the same. Nice video!
That bike will go hundreds of hours before needing a tear down. I wouldn't even think about it until I got bad leak down test. Just keep an eye on the oil pump gears.
Congrats! That's awesome! I think you'll love it. I just got mine out the other day for the first ride of spring. I will have that video out in a few days. They are such fun bikes! I hope it doesn't take too long for yours to arrive. 👍
Really dig this vid! I have a 2017 I did through their BYOB. Put the normal mods/safety items on it. And I LOVE the bike. I had the throttle tamer on it, that might help you with hitting the gas coming out of the turns. With you on reliability, I'm at 150 hours...Near perfect. Happy trails out there. Great channel. RJ
Thank you! I've gotten much better with the throttle issue over time. The combination of the "rain mode" mapping and me paying more attention to what I'm doing has helped. lol But it's a great idea!
You hit pretty well on great things about beta. No bike is perfect but I've really felt they put a lot into constantly improving their bikes. I'll even say working on them is a pleasure too, I've broke a few things that have been easy to replace. Many worry about the service intervals, our 500 loaner from beta saw over 300 hours and never had issues outside of things we broke. Same reins true for my 19 390 at 120 hours now. Charging system aside but that is something beta will fix free. Many poo on the trail tech but I use the crap out of mine saved me out in NM last week, I think its mostly people who don't want to learn how to use it. Suspension has become pretty huge to me and I've gone through a lot of tuning. I don't think there is a better ds Suspension that combines soft ride with firm controllable and planted feel. And the 21 and up models do it even better than my 19. If you want more Suspension get KYBs that's what makes Beta pretty cool. Great review I look forward to the dislikes haha my gripe video gets roasted lol.
you can measure sag yourself with a zip tie, tight enough to stay in place when left alone, but loose enough to slight with just a little pressure. zip it on your fork tubes, get on bike, get off, and it will show the static pre load spring travel .
Good overview. I think these bikes are somewhat in a class of their own. No other brand offers all these bells and whistles as well as the unique displacement range. I also like the super smooth mapping to make all-day trail rides more enjoyable. Reliability and getting parts WERE my two concerns, but neither of those seem to be an issue. It's good to hear that pharettface has no engine problems even after 120 hours. Most parts you order come from the Paso Robles headquarters which is convenient. The only thing i'm still not a fan of is the separate transmission+engine oil cavities. I don't think it's for "reliability" unless their transmissions wear faster and require special attention. Look forward to part 2!
So noting on your comment with the oil cavities. Beta does use a different clutch material that is more aggressive. It definitely seems to shed a lot of material between changes. I mostly like the different sides because I can use normal synthetics on the engine side. Beta does have magnets screens and a oil filter. They seem to take the oil pretty serious. At 30 hour changes the oil looks new still on both sides I've been changing at 50 hours now.
Seems the 13 tooth fronts are popular, going by the reviews and Beta including them. But I'm not seeing the point in having one on what is a "big" trail bike, or "small" ADV, depending on opinion. Especially on a factory street legal machine. I picture a 13T on an MX or Enduro racer, which would be trailed. I have to take some highways before getting to the trails and will likely get one of these and keep the 15T. Nice video.
The 15t works quite well, I used it for a while when I first got the bike, but it meant trail riding I was in first gear most of the time. Now with the 13t I'm able to use second mostly. If I was doing more pavement, I would probably put the 15 back on it.
great video...I just ordered a 2023 480RR and plan to ride on roads like this to go fly fishing along the way....SO, I'm dying to know ....where is this road? P.S. I live in Loveland
This road is fairly close to Colorado Springs. They call it Amalgre Mountain Trail, and I think it's also called Mt. Baldy Road. I found it listed as Amalgre Mountain Trail on the Alltrails app. 😊👍
Didn't you have that thing about the front sprocket size backwards? You said the 13 tooth sprocket you were running was "too high" and better suited for road use. If that's really the case, wait till you put the 15 tooth on there. If you think 1st gear is "too tall" now, I can assure you the larger one ain't going to help!
Seems like the near perfect bike for you. Congrats. I had a stock 2015 Yamaha YZ250, 2 stroke and Yamaha stated it at 49 horsepower. Lol. Of course it is not a dual sport. But I loved it. Reliable. And I was suprised with its lower rpm pull on trails.
Great review! I just pulled the trigger on a '22 390, and your assessment andm conclusions (in part 2) make me happy about my decision. That's a beautiful road your on, where is that? My good friend lives in winter park and would love to check it out sometime. Thanks for the review, looking forward to future videos!
Thanks! I think you'll love it. And that road is near Woodland Park, sort of in between Colorado Springs and Woodland Park. It's called Almagre Mountain Trail. Not too hard, but very scenic, which is good for me. 😬
I like you motorcycle .Also Colorado state it is beautiful. I like how you explain about the bike.Also you English is very clear .I will see the other video. That you don't like about this Honda 500cc .I said this because I speak English and write English as a second lenguage.👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Depends on how you ride and your skills. I had to stay in first gear on the trails with the 15t front sprocket on it. A faster rider could probably use second. With the 13 on it, I'm able to use second gear a lot. A 14 might be too similar to both and not make much difference. But that's just a guess, I haven't tried one.
@@hometownguy7184 yeah, I don't fully understand that as well. I just know I wanted to shorten my gearing to make the trails a little better, and I didn't want to have to change the length of my chain too soon, which can be needed when swapping out rear sprockets. The Betas come with the 15 and 13 tooth front sprockets, so it was an easy thing for me to try. I don't take it above 65 anymore with the shorter gearing, but I mostly do trails and county roads. I actually would be interested to hear from someone who has tried a 14 on the front to see just how different it is. 🤔
Well, it's much more dirt oriented than most other "dual sports". My new seat helps a lot on the road, but it's very light, so high speed winds on the pavement affect it. I have ridden it on the road for about 2 hours straight, and it was ok. I wouldn't call it comfortable. It's much happier on the dirt for sure.
Well, I'm 6'1", but my inseam is only 32", so I would say yes. I have a friend who's only about 5'6" or 5'7" and he has one and doesn't have trouble with the seat height. There are aftermarket lowering kits, and the Xtrainer has an inch lower seat height. See if you can find one to sit on to try the fit.
Great insight. I just bought a 22' 500 RS. I completely agree about the light and nimble feeling. Coming off a FE570, the Beta is way more flickable. This is the best handling dualsport that I've ridden.
Thank you, I appreciate it. And congratulations on the new bike! They are awesome!
I have the 300rr 2021 and it is street legal. I installed a trail tech voyager pro on it and it plugs right into the existing plugs the only wire I had to run was power and a wire to wrap the ignition for rpm. I almost bought a Beta 390rr this fall (2022) but decided to wait for spring. I love my Beta and I loved the feel of the 4 stroke Beta's. I also love the 4 strokes come from the factory with an approved spark arrestor as well as the trail tech. For a bike in the same price point as the lowest of the KTM line up It is as much or more bike and outfitted much better. The lowering is completely internal to the suspension and can be done by most dealers during your bike set up and the bike still rides the same. Nice video!
Thanks for the video. I have just purchased a 2023. 👍👍👌
Congrats! That is awsome!
I have 100 hours on my 2020 390 with no issues at all. Love the bike.
Good to know, because I have no plans to tear apart my engine at 90 hours. 😊
That bike will go hundreds of hours before needing a tear down. I wouldn't even think about it until I got bad leak down test. Just keep an eye on the oil pump gears.
Thanks for the awesome videos! I am putting a deposit on a 2022 500 RRS in the next couple days. Can’t wait to ride Kennedy Meadows, and Superstition!
Congrats! That's awesome! I think you'll love it. I just got mine out the other day for the first ride of spring. I will have that video out in a few days. They are such fun bikes! I hope it doesn't take too long for yours to arrive. 👍
Really dig this vid! I have a 2017 I did through their BYOB. Put the normal mods/safety items on it. And I LOVE the bike.
I had the throttle tamer on it, that might help you with hitting the gas coming out of the turns.
With you on reliability, I'm at 150 hours...Near perfect.
Happy trails out there. Great channel. RJ
Thank you! I've gotten much better with the throttle issue over time. The combination of the "rain mode" mapping and me paying more attention to what I'm doing has helped. lol But it's a great idea!
Great review Lance! Everything you said covers my what my impression of your Beta 500 has been perfectly. I enjoyed your video.
Thank you, sir! Much appreciated.
You hit pretty well on great things about beta. No bike is perfect but I've really felt they put a lot into constantly improving their bikes. I'll even say working on them is a pleasure too, I've broke a few things that have been easy to replace. Many worry about the service intervals, our 500 loaner from beta saw over 300 hours and never had issues outside of things we broke. Same reins true for my 19 390 at 120 hours now. Charging system aside but that is something beta will fix free. Many poo on the trail tech but I use the crap out of mine saved me out in NM last week, I think its mostly people who don't want to learn how to use it. Suspension has become pretty huge to me and I've gone through a lot of tuning. I don't think there is a better ds Suspension that combines soft ride with firm controllable and planted feel. And the 21 and up models do it even better than my 19. If you want more Suspension get KYBs that's what makes Beta pretty cool. Great review I look forward to the dislikes haha my gripe video gets roasted lol.
Heh, I may get roasted too, but oh well. Gotta be honest after all. Lol
you can measure sag yourself with a zip tie, tight enough to stay in place when left alone, but loose enough to slight with just a little pressure. zip it on your fork tubes, get on bike, get off, and it will show the static pre load spring travel .
Hmm, makes sense, but what about the back? I thought sag was measured off the back shock?
Good overview. I think these bikes are somewhat in a class of their own. No other brand offers all these bells and whistles as well as the unique displacement range. I also like the super smooth mapping to make all-day trail rides more enjoyable.
Reliability and getting parts WERE my two concerns, but neither of those seem to be an issue. It's good to hear that pharettface has no engine problems even after 120 hours. Most parts you order come from the Paso Robles headquarters which is convenient.
The only thing i'm still not a fan of is the separate transmission+engine oil cavities. I don't think it's for "reliability" unless their transmissions wear faster and require special attention. Look forward to part 2!
So noting on your comment with the oil cavities. Beta does use a different clutch material that is more aggressive. It definitely seems to shed a lot of material between changes. I mostly like the different sides because I can use normal synthetics on the engine side. Beta does have magnets screens and a oil filter. They seem to take the oil pretty serious. At 30 hour changes the oil looks new still on both sides I've been changing at 50 hours now.
Seems the 13 tooth fronts are popular, going by the reviews and Beta including them. But I'm not seeing the point in having one on what is a "big" trail bike, or "small" ADV, depending on opinion. Especially on a factory street legal machine. I picture a 13T on an MX or Enduro racer, which would be trailed. I have to take some highways before getting to the trails and will likely get one of these and keep the 15T. Nice video.
The 15t works quite well, I used it for a while when I first got the bike, but it meant trail riding I was in first gear most of the time. Now with the 13t I'm able to use second mostly. If I was doing more pavement, I would probably put the 15 back on it.
great video...I just ordered a 2023 480RR and plan to ride on roads like this to go fly fishing along the way....SO, I'm dying to know ....where is this road? P.S. I live in Loveland
This road is fairly close to Colorado Springs. They call it Amalgre Mountain Trail, and I think it's also called Mt. Baldy Road. I found it listed as Amalgre Mountain Trail on the Alltrails app. 😊👍
Didn't you have that thing about the front sprocket size backwards? You said the 13 tooth sprocket you were running was "too high" and better suited for road use. If that's really the case, wait till you put the 15 tooth on there. If you think 1st gear is "too tall" now, I can assure you the larger one ain't going to help!
I had it backwards, I was having a brain cramp that day trying to remember all the things I had planned to talk about.
Seems like the near perfect bike for you. Congrats.
I had a stock 2015 Yamaha YZ250, 2 stroke and Yamaha stated it at 49 horsepower. Lol. Of course it is not a dual sport. But I loved it. Reliable.
And I was suprised with its lower rpm pull on trails.
I want the 500rr-s
Bought a 2022 husqvarna te300i and love it but want a dual sport and debating between this and fe501s
Both are great bikes. The Beta will have more power, but the 501 would also be a great bike. I don't think you'd go wrong with either one.
Great review! I just pulled the trigger on a '22 390, and your assessment andm conclusions (in part 2) make me happy about my decision. That's a beautiful road your on, where is that? My good friend lives in winter park and would love to check it out sometime. Thanks for the review, looking forward to future videos!
Thanks! I think you'll love it. And that road is near Woodland Park, sort of in between Colorado Springs and Woodland Park. It's called Almagre Mountain Trail. Not too hard, but very scenic, which is good for me. 😬
@@rockymountainlife I'm with you, and even advanced riders can appreciate a scenic ride every now and then!
I like you motorcycle .Also Colorado state it is beautiful. I like how you explain about the bike.Also you English is very clear .I will see the other video. That you don't like about this Honda 500cc .I said this because I speak English and write English as a second lenguage.👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Sachs suspensions are great, the older suspensions where Mazarochi.
i would think a 14 tooth front would be a good compromise?
Depends on how you ride and your skills. I had to stay in first gear on the trails with the 15t front sprocket on it. A faster rider could probably use second. With the 13 on it, I'm able to use second gear a lot. A 14 might be too similar to both and not make much difference. But that's just a guess, I haven't tried one.
@rockymountainlife ..the thing that's puzzling to me is that going down a tooth on the front is equivalent to up 3 on the rear.
@@hometownguy7184 yeah, I don't fully understand that as well. I just know I wanted to shorten my gearing to make the trails a little better, and I didn't want to have to change the length of my chain too soon, which can be needed when swapping out rear sprockets. The Betas come with the 15 and 13 tooth front sprockets, so it was an easy thing for me to try. I don't take it above 65 anymore with the shorter gearing, but I mostly do trails and county roads. I actually would be interested to hear from someone who has tried a 14 on the front to see just how different it is. 🤔
how does this handle at high speeds on the street? Is it uncomfortable to ride for somewhat long distances, I've heard multiple opinions on this...
Well, it's much more dirt oriented than most other "dual sports". My new seat helps a lot on the road, but it's very light, so high speed winds on the pavement affect it. I have ridden it on the road for about 2 hours straight, and it was ok. I wouldn't call it comfortable. It's much happier on the dirt for sure.
Do you really have to ask? Check out the weight of the motorcycle. Does it seem like it’s going to be good for crushing miles on the freeway?
Can I ride it at 5'8" with a 31" inseam? Or will I need to grow 4 inches to put the balls of my feet down?
Well, I'm 6'1", but my inseam is only 32", so I would say yes. I have a friend who's only about 5'6" or 5'7" and he has one and doesn't have trouble with the seat height. There are aftermarket lowering kits, and the Xtrainer has an inch lower seat height. See if you can find one to sit on to try the fit.
Fix your camera from moving all over the place.
It's on my head, what do you expect?