Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1545507
P110 RIDE REVIEW I 2026 BETA 390 RS a bit flimsy, but they do fold down out of the way, so I'll give Beta a pass on them. I had one rear blinker and the entire taillight/license plate as- sembly break off before the end of the third ride on it (with no crashes). And I always had a hard time finding neutral while idling at a stop. The range from the 2.4-gallon gas tank isn't spec- tacular but seems reasonable. My range varied considerably, from about 40 to 55 mpg, across all sorts of terrain, mostly hard-packed trails and sandy washes and hills. I want to say I don't like the new eco-friendly DOT Mitas Enduro Trail XT+ tires, but they are an improvement on pavement and better in the dirt than I expected (though not great). I admit they are good all-around tires for long rides that include both street and dirt. Things I like but haven't mentioned yet in - clude the much-appreciated handguards, which are sturdy and effective; the radiator cooling fan, which helps prevent boil-overs; the gener - ous 12.2 inches of ground clearance; the trans- lucent fuel tank; and the excellent Trail Tech Voyager meter, which I haven't fully unwrapped yet because it offers so much. Do It All Yes, the Beta 390 RS can do just about everything. It feels so light and agile, and with an engine that is easy to manage and hard to fault, it gives you the confidence to go anywhere and try anything. Plus, it doesn't wear you down as quickly as more pow- erful bikes do, so you can enjoy riding the 390 all day long, and you will want to ride it all day. Okay, so the 390 isn't the best street bike by any means, but it wasn't meant to be one, just a legal one. Overall, the 390 RS is one of the most impressive off-road-focused dual sport mo - torcycles I've ever ridden. It performs well and has a race-bike feel yet is very easy to ride. You will, however, pay a premium price for the 390 RS, with its $12,490 MSRP. Yes, that's expen- sive, but, as they say, you get what you pay for. However, you will pay a little more for compa- rable bikes from KTM (350 EXC-F $13,049) and Husqvarna (FE 350S $13,149). The nearest comparable Japanese dual sport is the Honda CRF450RL at $10,199, but it isn't as off-road- capable as the RS. CN 2026 BETA 390 RS ($12,490) Engine Single-cylinder, 4-stroke Valvetrain 4-valve, titanium intake, steel exhaust Cooling system Liquid, w/ cooling fan Bore x Stroke 88mm x 63.4mm Displacement 385.6cc Compression Ratio 12.48:1 Starting System Electric w/ optional kickstart Ignition Dual-map Kokusan 200W output, on-demand traction control Spark Plug NGK LKAR8A-9 Meter Trail Tech Voyager GPS unit Lubrication Twin oil pumps w/ cartridge filter, separate compartments for engine and transmission Fueling 42mm throttle body w/ dual injectors Clutch Wet diaphragm-style Transmission 6-speed Chain O-ring Frame Molybdenum steel / double cradle w/ quick air filter access Front Suspension 48mm Sachs open-cartridge w/ compression, rebound & ignition spring preload adjustment Rear Suspension Aluminum body Sachs shock w/ adjustable rebound and high/low-speed compression Front-Wheel Travel 11.6 in. Rear-Wheel Travel 11.4 in. Front Wheel/Tire DOT Mitas Enduro Trail XT+ 90/90-21 in. Rear Wheel/Tire DOT Mitas Enduro Trail XT+ 140/80B-18 in. Front Brake Disc, 260mm floating rotor, Nissin Rear Brake Disc, 240mm rotor, Nissin Wheelbase 58.7 in. Seat Height 36.8 in. Ground Clearance 12.2 in. Weight (dry, claimed) 237 lbs. Fuel Capacity 2.4 gal. Warranty 24 Months Limited Warranty