Ain't she a beauty!
(Right) Faster riders will quickly learn to carry speed
and use every bit of the Beta revs.
and 480, but the compression ratio
is higher than that of both other
bikes. Also, the counterbalancer,
valves and piston are different,
and it does not have the cases
for adding a kickstarter. The fuel
injection, timing, and ignition are
specially tuned for motocross
rather than enduro. Similar, yes.
The same, no.
The RX engine still feels smooth
and incredibly linear, even with its
MX-targeting. Our test riders had
mixed opinions on that. Our vet rid
-
er felt the bike did not have enough
torque for that "third-gear lug,"
which the 40-plus crowd loves. He
felt the Beta needed to be shifted
more often than expected to keep it
in that sweet spot. But he also felt
this makes the bike feel very con
-
trollable, reiterating Beta's "Ride-
ability" mantra. Vet riders should
consider the RX for a confidence-
inspiring engine package.
Our pro-level rider echoed the
same sluggish feeling off the
bottom but worked around it by
revving the bike high into the rpm
range. This made the bike fun to
ride and made good use of the
Beta's impressive power. Overall,
he said, the bike felt more like a
high-strung 350 than a torquey
450. Faster riders may feel forced
to keep the RX cracked open to
maintain the power's meat.
"I need to carry my speed like a
two-stroke and ride it way up in the
revs," he said.
P90
RIDE REVIEW I 2024 BETA 450 RX
