Beta 498 RR Enduro
Beta RR498 Enduro | |
Manufacturer | |
---|---|
Production | 2011-12 |
Engine | Four stroke, single cylinder with countershaft |
Compression ratio | 12.0:1 |
Ignition | DC-CDI with variable ignition timing, Kokusan. |
Spark Plug | NGK LKAR 8A-9 |
Transmission | 6 Speed |
Final Drive | Chain: 520x112 ‘12-14[1] |
Front Sprocket | 14T ‘12-14[1] |
Rear Sprocket | 48T ‘12-14[1] |
Frame | Molybdenum steel with double cradle split above the exhaust port |
Suspension | Front: Sachs USD fork, Ø48 mm, adjustable compression and rebound, TFX technology Rear: Sachs mono shock w/adjustable rebound, hi/low speed compression, |
Brakes | Front: Single Ø260 mm floating disc 2 piston floating caliper Rear: Single Ø240 mm disc, 1 piston floating caliper |
Front Tire | 90/90 -21 |
Rear Tire | 140/80 -18 |
Wheelbase | 1490 mm / 58.7 in |
Seat Height | 940 mm / 37.0 in |
Weight | 110 kg / 242 lbs (dry), |
Oil Capacity | 0.85 L / 0.22 US gal |
Fuel Capacity | 8.4 L / 2.2 US gal |
Manuals | Service Manual |
Engine[edit | edit source]
The engine was a Liquid cooled cooled Four stroke, single cylinder with countershaft. The engine featured a 12.0:1 compression ratio.
Drive[edit | edit source]
Power was moderated via the Wet multi-disc.
Chassis[edit | edit source]
It came with a 90/90 -21 front tire and a 140/80 -18 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via Single Ø260 mm floating disc 2 piston floating caliper in the front and a Single Ø240 mm disc, 1 piston floating caliper in the rear. The front suspension was a Sachs USD fork, Ø48 mm, adjustable compression and rebound, TFX technology while the rear was equipped with a Sachs mono shock w/adjustable rebound, hi/low speed compression,. The RR498 Enduro was fitted with a 8.4 L / 2.2 US gal fuel tank. The bike weighed just 110 kg / 242 lbs. The wheelbase was 1490 mm / 58.7 in long.
Photos[edit | edit source]
Overview[edit | edit source]
Beta RR 498 Enduro
°
The Beta RR Enduro models have become
well known for their immediate and genuine approach, for reliability, long
maintenance intervals and, last but not least their 100% Italian style.
Today, the third generation RR4T models are equipped with our own engine
made in Rignano SullArno and arrive on the market as the result of a
continuous development for many different riding abilities. Many are the
refinements and innovations, both on the frame and the engine, all designed
to increase reliability and riding feeling. A wide range of displacements
are now available, strengthened by the new 350cc engine, a first for Beta in
the enduro market. For 2012 Beta has developed a complete range of enduro
bikes to appeal to both the weekend hobbyist as well as the seasoned Pro.
Engine:
- Redesigned cylinder head including reinforced camshaft bridge, valve
retainers, and updated cam chain tensioner to help reduce engine noise.
- New clutch primary gear and springs for better engagement and clutch
action.
- Updated counterbalance bearings for increased reliability.
- Stronger cam chain guides
- Increased oil volume to the engine cam chain for reduced friction.
- New oil drain plug for easier oil changes.
Chassis:
- All new Sachs 48mm fork with TFX technology, developed by Sachs
exclusively for Beta. This new design allows the fork to move through its stroke with very little friction.
- New SKF fork seals and wipers with self-lubricating compounds to also
reduce stiction.
- New triple clamp to match perfectly with the new front fork.
- Redesigned frame with extra gussets as well as an increased tube diameter
on the lower tubes. This new frame has less flex and has improved stability.
- New front and rear brake rotors.
- New Brembo clutch master cylinder for a better clutch feel and engagement.
- Redesigned muffler (Spark Arrestor) offers better flow while retaining a
quiet exhaust note.
- Redesigned front headlight and front fender support
- Striking new red color for 2012
Let's be clear: If you own a Beta off-road
bike, you're not normal. We're not calling you a freak or an
outcast, we're just saying you don't like being one of the
masses. It also means you know your stuff. It's easy to have
something weird if you don't care about how it works, but all of
the bikes that Beta produces are right at the top of their
respective categoriesdirt bikes, dual-sport bikes, trials
bikes. All of them are specialized, rare, expensive and very,
very good. The Beta 498RR is a perfect example. It's a member of
a club that's already very small. There aren't many over-450cc
off-road bikes, and among them, the Beta stands apart. It looks
different, it works different and it is differentall in a very
good way.A BETA
BIKE
Let's back up a little. Beta is a very old Italian company that
historically specializes in trials bikes. A few years ago it entered the
off-road and dual-sport markets with KTM-powered motorcycles. They were
certainly good, but Beta didn't come into its own in the dirt bike world
until it developed its own motor three years ago. It was and
still isexcellent. It's a double-overhead-cam, liquid-cooled,
electric-start motor with four titanium valves. Beta is one of very few
holdouts when it comes to the motor's intake. At the other end of the
throttle is a 39mm Keihin carburetor rather than EFI. That's probably one
reason why the bike works so well; Beta has spared itself the trial and
error of making injection work. The Beta still meets EPA and CARB standards,
although it clearly is cutting it close to the mark. Any bike that satisfies
the U.S. government is usually very lean, whether it has a carburetor or an
injector. In this case, the compliance is virtually invisible. The 498 makes
the grade, but it isn't burdened with unworkable jetting that must be
changed at the consumer end. The Beta is sold ready to ride.
On the chassis side, the Beta has a good
old-fashioned steel frame. It doesn't have the trickness factor
of the current crop of Japanese aluminum-framed offerings, but
the properties of chromoly steel are pretty much spot-on for
off-road riding, where a slight amount of frame flex adds to the
comfort factor. This year the Beta uses a fork that is made by
Sachs, a company that supplied only the shock in the past. The
498 has a number of Japanese parts, like the Nissin brakes and
the Kokusan ignition, and are mixed in with Euro stuff, like the
Brembo clutch master cylinder, a Supersprox aluminum sprocket
and Michelin tires. It has a spark arrestor in a beautifully
made stainless exhaust system.
RACE ME
Last month we tested the 520RS, which is the same basic machine
in dual-sport trim. Just for the heck of it, we rode the bike
from Southern California to Primm, Nevada, where we raced the
second WORCS event of the year. The only real limitation we
faced was suspensionyou can't have it both ways. Either you can
have it cushy and comfy, or you can deal with massive whoops
like the ones at Primm. The RS falls on the cushy side, but it
did what it could do in the face of conditions that were beyond
its design parameters. This time around we had not only a real
dirt bike, relieved of all street duties, but one that's
upgraded with premium suspension. We took it straight to the Six
Hours of Glen Helen, a notoriously rough race.
Up front, all the things that made the RS so
good still apply. The 498 has a sweetheart of a motor. It's a
generous bike that relieves you of much of your workload. It has
a long, long powerband so that you don't have to shift as much.
It has great torque so you don't have to clutch it out of turns.
It has nearly perfect carburetion so you don't have to worry
about stalling out. It never coughs and dies or misbehaves in
any way. The hydraulic clutch is easy to pull, the throttle
response is quick, and the gearbox is light with six evenly
spaced ratios. There's no term that applies better than "sweet."
If there's any flaw in the motor's
credentials, it's the fact that it's no motocrosser. The Beta is
so busy being Mr. Nice Guy, it forgets to get down and boogie.
It has no real punch, just even-tempered pulling power. For the
trail sections of the Glen Helen cross-country course, there's
no real issue with that, but any off-road race bike in today's
landscape of mixed venues has to be part motocross bike too. On
the moto sections of the track, the Beta never really explodes
out of the turns.
THE GOOD STUFF
For 2012, Beta made some changes to its steel frame to make it
slightly more rigid. The bike handles great, just like the RS. In our last
episode, we couldn't really push the bike very hard before the dual-sport
suspension would object. The RR's stiffer suspension settings allowed us to
ride at a full race pace, and we discovered something very interesting:
nothing. The bike handles just as good when it's nearing a ten-tenths pace.
No handling glitches popped up, and there were no surprises. It's still not
the lightest bike in the world, but well within an acceptable range for an
electric-start off-road bike. Like the previous Betas that we have tested,
the 498 has a fondness for speed. It goes straight and never gets spooky.
As far as the suspension goes, we were
pleased, but with some reservations. The Sachs fork can be harsh
in some types of terrain. It doesn't like sharp edges or small,
burdensome choppiness. In whoops and on jump landings, it's very
good. In the rear, it was almost the opposite; in whoops, it
seems to move too much and too quickly. We had very little setup
time, but managed to stiffen up the rear end while the race was
in progress. For out-of-the-crate settings, the Beta scores
quite well.As for the
bike's overall attention to detail, we're big fans. We like the pop-off
airbox side cover, levers, bars and rims. The Nissin brakes are strong,
although not quite as powerful as the Brembos that come on other Euro bikes.
We're just as impressed as ever with the rid-ing position and overall
comfort. The RR has the same small glitches that we noticed on the RS last
month. The electric starter struggles to light up the engine to the point
that it's sometimes better to kick. The push-button system for removing the
seat is great, but it can be difficult to reinstall. The tank is smallish,
although that's becoming disturbingly normal. Beta sells a tank that carries
3.7 gallons, which we tried last month. It's great, but something in the
middle would be nice. You can get that tank as well as about a million other
options when you buy the bike under the Build-Your-Own Beta program. The
BYOB program allows you to spec out the bike through the website before it's
built. Beta airfreights each bike from Italy.
Thankfully, there's not much the bike needs.
When you start off with a $9000 machine, you shouldn't have to
spend much more. The upgrades that you get with the Factory
Edition are definitely worthwhileand of all the BYOB options,
handguards are probably the best add-on option. But even if you
add nothing, you don't have to worry about having an "ordinary"
Beta. There's no such thing.
Make Model | Beta RR 498 Enduro |
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Year | 2011-12 |
Engine Type | Four stroke, single cylinder with countershaft |
Displacement | 497.9 cc / 30.4 cu in |
Bore X Stroke | 100 x 63.4 mm |
Compression | 12.0:1 |
Lubrication | Forced, 2 oil pumps |
Engine Oil | 15W-50 |
Oil Capacity | 0.85 L / 0.22 US gal |
Cooling System | Liquid cooled |
Induction | Keihin FCR-MX 39 |
Ignition | DC-CDI with variable ignition timing, Kokusan. |
Starting | Electric and kick |
Spark Plug | NGK LKAR 8A-9 |
Clutch | Wet multi-disc |
Transmission | 6 Speed |
Final Drive | Chain |
Gear Ratios | 1st 12:31 / 2nd 15:28 / 3rd 19:28 / 4th 20:24 / 5th 27:27 / 6th 28:24 |
Primary Drive | 28:76 |
Frame | Molybdenum steel with double cradle split above the exhaust port |
Front Suspension | Sachs USD fork, Ø48 mm, adjustable compression and rebound, TFX technology |
Front Wheel Travel | 290 mm / 11.4 in |
Rear Suspension | Sachs mono shock w/adjustable rebound, hi/low speed compression, |
Rear Wheel Travel | 290 mm / 11.4 in |
Front Brakes | Single Ø260 mm floating disc 2 piston floating caliper |
Rear Brakes | Single Ø240 mm disc, 1 piston floating caliper |
Front Rim | 1.6 x 21 |
Rear Rim | 2.15 x 18 |
Front Tire | 90/90 -21 |
Rear Tire | 140/80 -18 |
Dimensions | Length: 2180 mm / 50.4 in Width: 807 mm / 31.8 in Height: 1270 mm / 50.0 in |
Wheelbase | 1490 mm / 58.7 in |
Seat Height | 940 mm / 37.0 in |
Ground Clearance | 320 mm / 12.6 in |
Footpeg Height | 413 mm / 16.3 in |
Dry Weight | 110 kg / 242 lbs |
Fuel Capacity | 8.4 L / 2.2 US gal |
Fuel Reserve | 1.5 L / 0.4 US gal |
Review | Dirt Bike Magazine, 2012 |
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 2019 Western Power Sports Catalog. Western Power Sports. 2019.