Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125644
By Cycle News Staff "Got my Mota-Beta runnin', out upon the highway, lookin' for adventure or whatever comes my way . . .'~ 1 Well ..., not exactly. The Mota-Beta XC-1oo is not the mount for freeway flyers what with its lack of lights, muffling and other road-going geegaws. But for the novice scrambler with a yen for the high adventure of competition, riding the M-B is well-nigh unbeatable. The price is exceedingly right; less than $500.00 for a fully competitive scrambler in the extremely competitive lightweight class. As a matter of fact, the more familiar we became with the machine, the more we found ourselves wondering how they managed it for the price. All the new owner has to do is break in the engine for an hour or so and he's ready to do battle. Many first time racers make the mistake of trying to modify a standard street machine for the track and end up spending about twice as much money on what is still essentially an inferior machine. How much better they would be to start out on a real machine to begin with. And make no mistake, the Mo la-Beta is a real racer. The little 98cc Minarelli engine pumps out over 13 horsepower with the aid of 15-1 compression ratio head and a mid-range expansion chamber. At 156 pounds, the M-B is also one of the ligh test machines in its class. This lightness is not bought at the expense of a spindly, flexible frame, though. The M-B's tubes are large diameter, well-gussetted and very rigid. Ditto for the swing-arm. Here's a machine that'll withstand a lot of "learning" without a whimper.-And the foot-pegs are the excellent 45 degree spring-loaded variety. Suspension is Cenani, [ron t and rear, and quite adequate. Only gripe is that the rear shocks are non-adjustable and seem a tad too stiff for our 150 pound mutant Guinea pig. Wheels are a full 18 inches and feature heavy-duty spokes. Another plus faclor are The expansion chamber sticks out to the side further than it should. But funny shaped ch.mbers are expensive to m.1ufacture, so this, along with the frllflile fenders and stt'el rims help keep the cost down. Everything that realty counts-like frame, controls and forks-is sturdily constructed. , '.~ . lr.> <\> CYaE NEWS TESTS THE MOTO-BElA; DECIDES, THIS MOTHER IS HARD TO BEAT Price: $495. Minarelli is a one-bump starter. After a year of competition on the stock XC-1OO a good beginner just might have progressed enough to bolt on some go-faster goodies. Reed valves, diaphragm carbs, five-port barrels and peaky expansion chambers could be in order. But for the majority of riders the M-B will still go faster then they will. On the whole the MB is a very bright and handsome little mount. It's a bike you can grow with. the fat 3.50 Pitelli dirt tires that come as equipment. Although both brakes arc cable actuated, they offer excellent progressive stopping with no sign of locking up. All controls are of adequate construction and in a reasonable locatiorrfor racing. Actual riding impressions reveal a very strong, torquey engine, reasonably good handling (especially considering the rather short 4 T% inch wheelbase) arrd an unbreakable feeling. Throughou t the entire period we had the bike . we didn't miss a shift and experienced not one instance of clutch slippage, even under the toughest abuse. Riders who sport over-sized clodhoppers however, tended to have trouble with the typically Italian treadle shift lever. During the heat of competition they'd accidentally hit the back pedal with Uleir heel and unwittingly downshift at inopportune momeDts. We'd definitely hack the back half of the lever ofr. And while we were al it. we'd throw the wire mesh aircleaner away and replace il with the Filtron set-up available from the distributor. One last beef. It's lucky thai the Mota-Beta is a first kick starter, because you'd be a sure bet for gangrene' with the present. kicks tarter arrangement. Very Ducali-like. When you kick it through you smash your foot on the foot peg and when you're riding it insinuates itself painfully into the back of your calf. We'd toss it away. Even without a choke on the 22-millimeter Dellorlo carburetor the .~~i"'J Motor castings, welds end frame finish are of very high quality; better than many of the more expensive bikes in MB's competitive class. . . . . . . The chain guard is effective and sturdy; shows no indication of failing under vibration. Shock mounts are very solid. ~ YOUI WANTS CL 118S, appoint or elect one of your members as Cycle News correspondent and see that he sends us stories and photos on your scrambles, hillclimbs, race meets, rallies, poker ~, enduros, road races, field meets, piaUcs, road Nns, etc F REELANCERS, mail us your stories and photos of events you attend.. 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