Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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P118 RIDE REVIEW I 2024 BETA 125 RR RACE EDITION THE ENEMY The $8999 Beta 125 RR Racing Edition has only a few natural predators here in the U.S., mainly the KTM 125 XC ($8499), Sherco 125 SE Factory ($7999) and Ya- maha YZ125X ($7199), which, from our experiences with these bikes, are formida- ble foes, and they are priced less. However, Beta's standard 125 RR retails for $$8599, which is more in line with those bikes, but for just $400 more for the Racing Edition, you get a lot of bang for the buck with the upgraded KYB (versus Sachs) suspension components, a few higher-end gismos, and, perhaps best of all, the beautiful blue and red coloring as opposed to the all-red of the standard model. Italian brand TM offers a fuel-injected 125cc two-stroke off-roader, the TM EN 125 Fi Enduro ($8664), but we haven't ridden (or even seen one) in recent years. KTM and Husqvarna also offer 150cc two- strokes. END OF THE TRAIL Fortunately, Beta is one of the rare motor- cycle manufacturers that recognizes the value of 125cc two-strokes. These bikes are great for young riders and racers tran- sitioning to more powerful machines. Even experienced riders like myself can benefit from riding 125s, as they are incredibly ef- fective at correcting bad habits. In an ideal scenario, having both a larger "main" bike and a 125cc in the garage would be perfect for honing skills and having fun during the week. However, the Beta 125 RR Racing Edition is so impressive that it could easily serve as the only bike in your garage if owning two bikes isn't feasible. The 125 RR Racing Edition is fast, lightweight, and user-friendly. Essentially, when riding on the trail, the Beta 125 RR Racing is about as good as a 125cc two-stroke bike can possibly be. CN 2024 BETA 125 RR RACE EDITION ($8999) ENGINE TYPE Single-cylinder 2-stroke w/BPV power-valve DISPLACEMENT 124.8cc COOLING SYSTEM Liquid BORE X STROKE 54mm x 54.5mm COMPRESSION RATIO 15.2:1 IGNITION AC-CDI Kokusan FUELING SYSTEM Carburetor, Keihin PWK 36mm LUBRICATION SYSTEM Premix CLUTCH Wet multi disc TRANSMISSION 6-speed FINAL DRIVE O-ring chain FRAME Molybdenum steel, double cradle w/quick-access air filter FRONT SUSPENSION 48mm KYB AOS close-cartridge fork, fully adjustable REAR SUSPENSION Single shock, KYB 46m body, fully adjustable FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL 11.6 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL 11.4 in. FRONT BRAKE Single 260mm floating disc REAR BRAKE Single 240mm disc FRONT RIM 21 in. REAR RIM 18 in. TIRES Maxxis WHEELBASE 58.1 in. SEAT HEIGHT 36.6 in. GROUND CLEARANCE 12.8 in. WEIGHT (DRY, CLAIMED) 207 lbs. FUEL CAPACITY 2.5 gal. COUNTRY OF ORIGIN Italy S P E C I F I C AT I O N S