FIRST RIDE
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2014 BETA 450 RR
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BETA
WE SWING A LEG OVER BETA'S
LATEST 450 RR OFF-ROADER
BY THE CYCLE NEWS STAFF
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT PALMER
I
f you've been following the offroad scene lately, you've probably been noticing more and more
Beta motorcycles popping up at the
top of the results columns. They've
been doing quite well in the Southern California desert, and they got
a big win in the Nevada desert not
long ago at the Vegas-to-Reno
off-road race. Beta has also been
making a mark in EnduroCross and
extreme off-road events across the
globe lately. So what does all this
mean? Just one thing obviously –
the Italian marque is pumping out
competitive off-road bikes - both
four-stroke and two-stroke - the
past few years.
One of them is the Beta 450 RR
thumper. Ever since taking on a
complete overhaul in 2010, which
included getting its first in-housebuilt motor (before then Beta used
KTM motors), the 450 RR has been
one of the best bikes in its class.
Unfortunately, many out there don't
know that. Beta is still trying to make
a name for itself here in the US, so
the 450 RR is still a bit of an unknown to most Americans and isn't
one of the first brands that come to
mind when people go shopping for
a new big-bore four-stroke off-road
bike. But that's understandable.
Beta, better known for its long history in trials, has only been offering
off-roaders since 2005.
For 2014, the Beta 450 RR isn't
radically changed over the previ-
