2020 BETA 390 RR-S
R I D E R E V I E W
P102
Trail Talk
Comparing the Beta RR-S line with any
alternative "performance" dual-sport
bikes (KTM's EXC, Husqvarna's FE S,
and Honda's CRF450L for example),
the first thing you will notice is that the
Betas are more off-road oriented. The
engines are a little peppier and feel less
restricted, and the suspension settings
are stiffer for more aggressive riding
in rough terrain. Not everybody will
prefer these more aggressive settings
because the tradeoff is less comfort for
all-day riding.
Beta offers several RR-S models,
but the 390 just might be the Goldi-
locks when it comes to "just the right"
amount of power. It makes a lot of it
but not too much if you know what we
mean. The Beta 390 is so much fun to
ride because it provides enough power
when needed while still feeling light and
"revy." And complimenting the motor is
the hydraulically actuated clutch that
withstood a lot of abuse that we gave it
while riding in tight terrain.
The bike comes standard with
15/48T sprockets and an optional
13-tooth front sprocket for more hard-
core off-road use. We went with the
13-tooth option, which is ideal for
technical off-road riding but not for the
highway. The motor will not be happy
going anything over 60 mph. Some of
the other performance-oriented dual-
sport models we noted earlier have a
bit wider range in their gearboxes, so
keep that in mind if you like to ride fast
on the roads. If you just use the roads
casually to legally connect the good
trails, the off-road gearing is fine.
Like the motor, the suspension
settings on the Beta RR-S dual-sport
bikes are aimed more towards ag-
gressive off-road riding. It's even stiff
enough to race for most people. You
This is all original
equipment:
tapered aluminum
handlebars, sturdy
handguards,
folding mirrors,
quality grips
and the most
functional meter
that you'll find on
a production dual
sport bike.
