2020 BETA 390 RR-S
R I D E R E V I E W
P98
Tech Talk
The 2020 Beta line of off-road motor-
cycles saw a lot of significant updates,
including the 390 RR-S. Pretty much
everything is new—the motor, the frame,
the suspension, the bodywork, and even
the larger fuel tank. So, essentially this is
a completely reworked motorcycle, and
from what we can tell already, is a big step
forward from an already good 2019 model.
The 2020 motor features new cases,
cylinder head and clutch. The crankshaft
is positioned closer to the swingarm
pivot for better handling, and the entire
engine is 2.2 pounds lighter. The cool-
ing system is new, too, and includes
a cooling fan, and there is an electric
starter with the option to add a kickstart
backup.
All the 2020 Beta line got new frames,
subframes and bodywork to make the
bike lighter and narrower while handling
better. The frames are still made out of
Molybdenum steel arranged in a single
backbone and double-cradle design. The
updates also improved the tool-less ac-
cess to the air filter and retained the slick
push-button seat removal system. Wider
footpegs were also added for 2020.
Beta has been using ZF Sachs
suspension components on most of its
bikes for several years now. The German
company is not as well known as KYB,
Showa, and WP but still has a reputation
for making good products. For 2020, the
48mm coil-spring fork was upgraded by
positioning the compression, rebound
and spring preload adjusters to the
top of the forks. The compression and
The 390 RR-S
weighs in at
a respectable
264 pounds,
wet and ready
to ride.
