REAR TYRE CHANGE Escaping to the garage , I put the Beta up on the hydraulic lift and took the back wheel out - a much easier process on the Beta than my Tenere 700 , though , interestingly , it uses the same 24mm socket . I removed the valve with my smallest screwdriver ( note to self , buy a valve removal tool ), mounted it on the Rabaconda Tyre Changer , and proceeded to break the bead . So far , so good , but these are hard ADV tyres known for their solid side walls , so even with a liberal smearing of bead lube , getting the first bead over the rim was quite the task . Some swearing and cursing followed , and finally the tyre was off . Reversing the process ... the Maxxis Enduro was , almost magically , back on the bike . This Maxxis Enduro is the OEM rear tyre from this bike , and I remember it being simply beautiful to ride off-road . The first outing I did was back in early 2022 , to an area on the south coast of Wellington called Red Rocks . Full of river rocks , sand , and hard-packed gravel , this ride was the first time I ’ d been able to ride rings around my usual riding buddies . Generally , I ’ m the first to get tired and want to go back to the car , but on this occasion , I was having a blast and didn ’ t want to stop . Most of the trail rides around the Wellington region for the rest of the winter season are farm trails , so having a proper knobbly is going to be a must for me to keep the rubber side down . That ’ s not to mention Berm Buster , which is an absolute must-ride at least once a year . Berm Buster takes a break for July but returns on August 10-11 , and it ’ s often a wet event . If it is going to be raining , don ’ t be put off , the soil of the central plateau is typically full of pumice which drains really fast , and with a little sprinkle of the wet stuff , generates mega traction . I ’ m really looking forward to putting some more hours on the Beta with some fast flowing action , so if you see me at any events coming up , make sure you come and say ‘ hi ’.

58 KIWI RIDER