And when in that part of the power, the bike is very responsive and very grippy. It has a nice, low rpm response, which also makes this an engine that you don’ t need to be afraid of if you are new to 450s. Third gear was great for a lot of the track I was riding and if you really wanted you could probably run it for the whole of the track. Depending on the track. There is good transfer of power to the ground and with that awesome mid-range, the more I rode it, the more I got used to this delivery style and really started to gel with it.
THE SKINNY My first engine impression is the Beta 450RX is a great bike if you are new to 450 machines. It won’ t scare you or rip your arms off, but you will get mega traction and the confidence to push the bike harder than a lot of other 450s on the market. With much more riding to be done, we will hit the track again and come back next month with some thoughts on the suspension and chassis characteristics. Till then, keep it rubber side down.
HOT STUFF Speaking of engine traits … I did, however, burn my pants on the exhaust. It’ s a little annoying as they were near new, but this is not uncommon with regards to riding bikes that have no heat guard on them, sadly. My leg length and placement when I ride seems to be the perfect storm on the Beta and my pants burn millimetres above my boot. I might need to look into my riding style going forward, as this has happened on three different bikes this year already. Or maybe get a two-stroke. But that’ s another story for another day.
44 KIWI RIDER