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/557678
2015 BETA XTRAINER QUICKSPIN P66 either, but it will lunge forward a bit if you give it a good twist on purpose. Either way, a beginner will master launches quickly on the Xtrainer. Once moving, the Beta's mo- tor is extremely docile but far from being boring. It makes de- cent, snappy power at just about any rpm, but it certainly likes to be ridden in the first half of the powerband best; the lower the rpm the better. Revving it out won't get you where you want to go any quicker than just short- shifting it through its six gears. The Xtrainer definitely feels smaller than a full-size bike but far from feeling trials-like. Any similarities end here. The Xtrain- er might be a small motorcycle, but it doesn't feel cramped; the handlebars/seat/footpeg rela- tionship was well thought out, though the seat foam is a little on the stiff side. Suspension is squishy soft, which is just fine for the new rider. The back end noticeably sinks when you climb aboard, giv- ing your feet an even better hold on the ground. Heavier and/or more experienced riders might want to crank up the preload a bit at both ends, but, really, right out of the crate, the Beta's suspen- sion is set up just fine; after all, this bike isn't designed to blaze across the valleys like the Beta RR models are. The Xtrainer feels light and agile on the trail; this, com- bined with its ultra-torquey and un-stallable motor, makes you want to try anything, like that rocky climb over there, or that narrow ravine over there, or that steep ledge over there, or that burned out car over there. Experienced riders will feel almost invincible on the Xtrainer, while the less-experienced rider will feel in control and more apt to try something new. We found ourselves enjoying the hell out of the Xtrainer in the smallest of ar- eas, challenging ourselves over all sorts of terrain, most of which was just a few feet away of each other. With a little bit of imagina- tion, you really don't need large area to pass the time away on the Xtrainer. The ultra-soft knobbies offer fantastic traction on just about any surface. The trade-off with soft knobs is usually a short lifespan, but since the Xtrainer hooks up so well and the power is so smooth, you rarely have trouble with wheelspin, so we expect the rear tire, as well as the front, of course, to last quite some time. Brakes are powerful but not grabby, which is a serious bonus for the beginner. But there's plenty of stopping power up front for experts to do "stoppies" and tricks like that to impress their friends. Overall, the Xtrainer is a blast to ride and, like the brochure says, will make a great motorcy- cle for the entry-level rider who is looking for a serious trail bike that he/she will want to keep riding long after they master the rockbeds, hillclimbs, single-track S P E C I F I C A T I O N S 2015/2016 BETA XTRAINER 300 ENGINE TYPE: .. Beta-built, liquid-cooled, 2-stroke, single BORE X STROKE: .............72mm x 72mm DISPLACEMENT: ...........................293.1cc COMPRESSION RATIO: ..................... 11.3:1 Beta Progressive Valve (BPV) STARTING SYSTEM: ..................... Electric AC-CDI Kokusan SPARK PLUG: .......................NGK GR7CI8 LUBRICATION: ..... Electronic Oil-Injection CARBURETOR: ...........Keihin PWK 36mm CLUTCH: ............................ Wet multi-disc TRANSMISSION: .......................... 6-speed FINAL DRIVE: .......................... Drive chain FRAME: ..................... Molybdenum steel/ Perimeter-Style w/quick air filter access. FRONT SUSPENSION: ... 43 mm Inverted with rebound, & spring preload adjust- ment REAR SUSPENSION: ............... Steel body shock with adjustable rebound and compression FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL: ................ 10.6 in. REAR WHEEL TRAVEL: .................. 10.6 in. FRONT/REAR RIM: ........ 21-in. (Front) 18-in. (Rear) FRONT/REAR TIRE: .............. Soft Enduro Competition FRONT BRAKE: ......260mm floating rotor REAR BRAKE: ...................... 240mm rotor WHEELBASE: ................................. 57.8 in. SEAT HEIGHT: ...............................35.8 in. GROUND CLEARANCE: ...................12.6 in. FOOTPEG HEIGHT: .........................15.4 in. WET WEIGHT/NO FUEL: ...............218 lbs. FUEL TANK CAPACITY: .. 2.25 US gallons WARRANTY:..6 month Limited Warranty MSRP: ............................................. $6999 and drop-offs. Heck, if this was our bike, we'd never let go of it, even after stepping to a more advanced off-roader. And the best part is that at $6999, the Xtrainer is reasonably priced! CN