With the Rekluse the 15 became the go to gearing choice, even on slow single track, but with the manual clutch I was running a 12 for stall reduction (otherwise the 13). But dang, trying to follow guys on a 55mph road was a pain! The torque on the front sprocket bolt only matters to retain the bolt, so it doesn't take a lot. The only sprocket clamping is from the Belleville washer, once the bolt bottoms that's all the clamping force you will get. I just grease up the sprocket splines and bolt thread and do a light impact on the bolt. Never loosens.
I’m setting up a 17 Beta 500 for dual sport riding and have a tire question. I have a new Cush drive wheel and ran across a 110/80/18 tire that I like. My question, is that size ok for a rear tire on this bike? Currently has a 120/100/18 on it but it appears the stock size was 140/80/18. Thanks
A 110/80 is gonna be very small / narrow. I don’t think I would go with anything smaller than a 110/100
Thanks shortman, I’ve been wanting to try the Mitas E09 but sizes are hard to come by. Mostly looking for a dirt road tire but leaning more aggressive. Any recommendations are appreciated, need to get a tire in for a trip at the end of the month.
I like Dunlop D606s but they are pricey. Rocky Mountain ATV has a “Tusk” adv tire that’s much cheaper and very similar to the D606. Some of my riding buddies are running them and getting great results. The normal size for your bike would be a 130/80 but you could run the 120/90 as well
Thank you , I used a little blue loctite. Enjoy this 13 tooth sprocket but I agree over 50 mile an hour I feel like I’m running too many RPMs to go more than a few miles, but I am a mental overthinking nut job. I believe a 14 tooth will do me good, I run a fair amount of forest roads and don’t do any crazy single track. A 13 tooth is a lot of fun but I can see going through rear tires quickly because of my lack of discipline but mostly because I am a childish 54 year old man so it is beyond my ability…. Next I need to buy a service manual. Edit > The 20/2021 service manual is online. My bad sorry, I am very grateful to all on this site for helping out, especially motobene, you sir are a wealth of knowledge!
Didn't someone here bemoan having to wait to get a new Beta? Here's a 2021 430 RR-S that's still in setup phase, ready to go with some $eriou$ farkles, in New Mexico. I know the seller. He's a solid guy. https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/mcy/d/corrales-2021-beta-430-rr/7335343355.html
I don't know which Tusk tire my friend uses, whether it is the Recon Hybrid or the Adventure or other. It's been a tough and stiff tire that isn't the best for traction but certainly works. Earlier in the year when we were woods riding and there were snow and frozen areas in the shade, we had to be over careful on that tire. Despite having Tubliss and lower pressure it would break free suddenly. Maybe it was the power of the 450 motor? He later complaining during a much more recent ride in the desert about feeling disconnected and unstable on the bike. At first blamed the terrain and the hard tires. That day I was on my original Michelin Enduro Medium on the rear and a new and truly excellent Goldentyre GT 216AA chubby 90/90-21 on the front. I stayed on top of the sugar sand (most of the time) and generally stuck like glue. When we switched bikes the major difference really stood out. Normally his WR450F is stable, like on a rail, so he later suspected the control issue may in fact have been due to him switching before the ride to an Acerbis 'Exxon Valdez' super tanker fuel tank, because it came with the bike and more fuel is always better? I mean look at this thing! A little more than half full with 6 pounds per gallon of sloshing around in two huge wings of a cavern. Going down hill in sugar sand was especially weird with the front wheel loaded down by the fuel in the wings being far forward. He later called to say that he had switched back to the stock tank and that feeling of disconnectedness went away.
Tank foam helps stop the fuel sloshing in large tanks. I have a bag of 5cm cubes, left over from my rally days when I was riding an XR650R with an acerbis desert tank. I've thought a few times about stuffing a few of them inside the Beta tank but with the small tank I don't know whether I would notice the difference.
Look at the Motoz Mountain Hybrid, 120/18. Super tough, amazing longevity and at 10psi it works great on the single track. You will get bored with it before it wears out
Looked that up. Interesting! Putting foam cubes into a fuel tank to slurry-up the fuel is not something I would have ever thought of!
Thanks Big Tall Bastard I needed that push, I was slipping into tire paralysis! Spend yesterday in local shops, not much available. I will see if I can order one of the Motoz today. Thanks
Put another 60 miles on today, this is my favorite d/s ever! Never thought I would prefer it over all the KTM exc’s I’ve had but so far I do. I have an 890r that is a blast on forest roads but for anything beyond that I will be on the Beta.
Nice! I first found a positive qualitative difference riding a 2006 (I think it was) Beta with RFS KTM engine. Beta's trials experience bled over, was how I interpreted it. Then Beta went on to get better and better and retain a certain felt qualitative difference. Hard to nail down exactly, but it's there. Anyone having issue with the potato chip-looking seat on the 2020&+ models? They are KTM painful to look at, but it may just the looks as I haven't heard negatives.
Plain and simple answer is the seat sucks ! BUT since most of us stand the majority of the time I do not see the need to replace it (yet). Would I prefer a SC? Yes but in my past I never found the SC to be the mother of all either. I wear moto skiveez and they take care of the worst of it for me.
Interesting. I suspected the potato chip seat might have been a 'fashion statement' move, like some 1960s skinny tie: I've been curious whether or not there is some hidden depth down in there (I have yet to pull off and look at a 2020+ seat). The seat was one change I did not like in the newer model. But again, I haven't even had one in my hand so my eyes may be deceiving me. I stand most of the time when I ride. My bike is set up to be a superb standing ride with KTM Rally pegs, Sherco Factory trials bars, which are taller and rolled well forward. When I do sit, I tend to sit well back with the hips on the wide part of the seat and only slide forward for the rare sliding turn. The seat on my 2019 Beta is actually surprisingly good for a narrow-subframe bike. It's definitely not the stock seat but rather the widest possible SC seat, the Comfort XL in standard height. Being the last year of the older, deeper seat, it's quite good.
2021 Beta 430RR-s for sale… https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/mcy/d/corrales-2021-beta-430-rr/7335343355.html