COMPARISON I 2023 KTM 300 SX VS. BETA 300 RX
P104
they feel natural between your legs
and easy to adapt to, even if you're
new to either brand.
But let's get to the meat and pota-
toes, specifically the meat.
Both bikes rip when it comes to
their engines; there is no power
shortage in either camp. Grabbing
a handful of throttle on either bike
is a satisfying experience. But there
are subtle differences in how their
power is delivered, giving them dis
-
tinct personalities.
The KTM's engine hits hard and
fast. Power comes on immediately
and there is zero lag or hesitation.
It's strong off the bottom but loves
to sit in the mid-to-top-end range.
Second and third gears are dying to
be twisted to the stop. And most of
the time, you don't need to feather
the clutch to bring this bike back to
life should the revs drop. The low-
end is so good that you can cruise it
like your favorite four-stroke.
We had only a few complaints
with the KTM's powerplant. There
is slight pinging at high RPM, and
while the meat of the power is
indeed tasty, the over-rev character
turns bland at the very top, but most
300s do. In short, you're better off
riding a gear high to keep the ping
-
ing to a minimum and to stay in the
powerband's sweet spot.
The Beta's engine stands out, too.
With its classic carburetor design,
this bike flat-out rips and, perhaps
best of all, sounds like it's ripping.
The Beta is music to our ears.
The Beta's initial roll-on is snappy
and responsive, and you can't help
but find yourself in the juicy part
The Beta 300 RX is darn good right
from the get-go for a brand new to
the motocross scene, but you can still
feel its off-road heritage.
