Beta RR /RS 4T enduro thread

Yep....that is why I was interested in those. I know they are good bikes, and well you can go wrong with the engine. Just didn't know if there was anything in particular to look for.

I have a 2008 Beta 450 RS and I bought it because it had the KTM rfs motor. In 08 KTM went with a new engine design and I try to stay away from first year anything.

I had no issues with the bike besides the regular maintenance and at 10,200 miles I replaced the valves and went with the 520. My local dealer Chip at Threat Racing always have parts in stock or can get them within a few days.

The only complaint is the aftermarket support was a little slow to catch up with the Beta but Beta America has really stepped and solved that issue with the newer Betas.

How's Chip doing? Did you ask him what happened to Betatalk?

Chip shut his doors because of the economy and now is the service manager at another shop. Great guy and I will ask him about Beta-Talk next time I go in.

On a dirt ride today, I hit a speed bump (a water pipe buried under some dirt) at a high rate of speed and for some strange reason, my 2.5 year old fuel pump died, we hooked the battery directly to the old pump and it wouldn't make a sound. 3girlsdad rode me 2up into town, loaned me his Beta to go find a fuel pump, then rode me back out to the Husky and I was able to replace my CAcycleWorks pump with a car pump, and we finished the ride.

I llluuuuvvvvssss my carb!!!

Ok I picked up a 2010 Beta 520 RR some weeks ago and have not had the opportunity to do some serious riding on it till this weekend up in the North GA mountains.

A group of us went up there and spent 2 days playing on the FS rodes and having a great time.

Before we left I installed the JD jet kit and a Seat Concepts seat but was not able to install my 3.8 gallon tank. I was expecting about 50 to 60 miles before hitting reserve and then maybe about 20 miles in reserve. For the most part that would have covered us on any day up there since we are usually not far from fuel.

Well I was a bit shocked when I had to go to reserve at 30 miles and we darted back for fuel. I though maybe because I was really pushing the bike and having a great time playing (it is a wonderful bike in that regard) that I was really using up the fuel. Next ride I took it easy playing the sweeper in the group and once I hit 32 miles I had to hit reserve again.

When we got back it looked like to me that tank does not have a crossover line and when I leaned the bike over I had plenty of fuel on the petcock side of the tank. Unfortunately the bike would not start then and when I drained the float bowl it looked like some trashy stuff (maybe water) had gotten into the fuel. Made me think that they fuel had been sitting on the one side of the tank for quite a bit.

For those with the stock tank, how far can you go without hitting reserve?

Was that you I met at the Hooch?

Not sure.. Don't think so.

We did pass by another rider up on 'Soggy Bottom Road" near Warwoman. Was that you. At that point there would have been 4 of us.

Probably not. I rode the Hooch ride (starting near Suches) on Saturday and when I was unloading the bike I met another guy on a Beta.

I would go between 50 and 60 miles until reserve then 20 - 30 more. Reserve on my bike left about .7 gallons remaining. These mileages equate to mild to moderate throttle inputs riding out here in the desert.

Dave

That is more what I was expecting.

Wonder if all the climbing in the mountains was hurting the mileage. Still I think I need to check into the jetting a bit.

I followed a new 450 Rs on a dual sport ride today in NC. It is a bad machine.

I've got a 2012 450RR, and was disappointed re the mileage (had to switch to reserve crazy early). Further inspection revealed that the stock petcock was extremely tall - as in over 6" tall ! I've since switched to a shorter one....

I found the same on the 520, shocked me when I stalled on the hiway but could still see half a tank of gas!

Might be a good thing for me though, when she stalls, its time to turn around or get fuel.

Well I did find out one thing that sort of shocked me but made sense.

All my riding was done in the north GA mountains and there were quite a few steep hills that we were riding on. At one point I just finished a rather long down hill section that was fairly steep and waited for the other riders near the bottom. I remember smelling gas when I got to the bottom while I was waiting.

Yesterday I got home and pulled the stock fuel cap and found out it does not have a check valve in it. It is fairly likely that I was loosing gas through the vent line.

So I was wondering how much could I have lost through the vent line. In the process installing my 3.8 gallon tank I put some fuel in the stock tank and tipped it forward to simulate going down a hill - it was flowing as much gas through the cap vent as the petcock.

I have a Tusk Cap with a check valve that I will be running with the new tank so I should be able to see if this is what was happening on the trail.

I just bought a Tusk cap for the 3.8 gal tank last week after I had a vapor lock situation with the crappy stock one (or, maybe it was the short vent tube?). Either way, the billet cap feels a helluva lot more stout than the plastic Clarke one. I'm going to use a plain vanilla vent tube, also (although, this is the first time I've ever had an issue with a short vent tube).

I looked at the new Betas at the Durty Dabbers Nat'l 2 day dualsport a couple weeks ago and was intrigued. I would like to combine my DR650 and KTM 400 into 1 bike that crosses the 2 uses.

I am interested in the 520RS. What are the big differences between the RS and RR models besides the obvious turn sigs and horn stuff.

I read this entire thread from about the beginning of 2011. I saw someone post that his dealer steered him to a 450 RR over the RS and said to add the necessary stuff to get a plate. What is the reasoning? Just cuz he had it in stock or are there engine or chassis differences? Maybe stiffer springs or a hopped up motor?

I was concerned when I saw the words Titanium valves. Is that just the 350?

I know all about the RFS motors and mine has been wonderful. So I would not be afraid of an older one, but new just smells better.

I was going to try to find a 2007 525exc to do the "combine the bikes" trick but seeing the Betas a couple weeks ago got me thinking.

From reading the parts books for a few key answers, i found that the motors are counterbalanced.(good) I also found that the valves are shimmed. (not bad, but not as good as screw and nut adjusters IMO).

Sorry for all the questions, but this is one of the few places for this info.

Lastly when building my own Beta, what is everyone using for springs front and rear? I'm 200 lbs w/o gear?

Thanks, Rusty

edit: I just was reading a dealers site and noticed that the RR has 48 and the RS has 45mm forks. It looks like the shock might be different.

Can someone describe the 45 forks and can anyone compare the 2? I really think the RS is going to have to be the one because of licensing hassles in CT.

Rusty, just go out and test drive a 520 and all your questions will be answered. Go to the American Beta web site and you can pick your own springs and shocks. You can call them for all your technical questions. Or call my dealer in CA, Dave at Get Dirty Dirt Bikes. He has a ton of info on every Beta. www.getdirtydirtbikes.com

after 5 rides on my 11,520 rs,im thinking of sending the carb to toyko mods.a fellow rider told me its a lot of money just to get it jetted,any comments.the next mod would be the trail tech vapor,however I heard they break a lot.does any one have one ?,thanks