Bought a Beta

[gots_a_sol]

The little 177 is currently just shy of 460 hours after last weekends national enduro, so I thought I'd give her a break this year. Picked up a '17 250RR race model a few weeks ago

Tore it down to do a nut and bolt check, plus add some bits and pieces.

I was just starting to put it back together when I found this while bolting on the head stays

I can weld so I could fix it, but I figured I'd shoot off an email to Beta USA first to see if they could do something since this was a factory rider's bike (I incorrectly assumed it would have been gone over thoroughly before sale, not so much).


I fully expected to just be told to pound sand and I honestly wouldn't have been upset about it. I bought it used, they 1000% didn't have to do a damn thing. Not the case. I was told to contact my local dealer and they would send a new frame. Wait, what? I had to read the email a few times just to be sure that I was reading it correctly


Called the my local dealer and talked to them, emailed all my info, they called Beta who shipped out a new frame. I had it about a week after talking to the dealer

So yea, I am now a bonafide Beta fanboy. The bike is just about done other than mounting some fresh tires and putting the wheels back on.

 

[LandofMotards]

Sorry to hear about the bad news but there is definitely a happy ending to this story. Congrats on the new bike! Sure you'll love it. Was it one of the factory refurbished units from a dealer that still has the warranty? Or was it direct from the factory rider?

 

[gots_a_sol]

This was straight from the rider. My local dealer has one of Max Gerston's bikes in the shop to do the refurb thing right now. It came with a new frame right off the bat

It hindsight, the headache barely offset what I saved on it. This was the 4th 250RR/RE I tried to buy. Guys just kept deciding to not sell the damn things. I was very very close to just buying a new GasGas when this bike popped up for sale. The GG has great reviews from everybody, but being it is so new still there isn't much info yet on how it is going to hold up.

Sorry to hear about the bad news but there is definitely a happy ending to this story. Congrats on the new bike! Sure you'll love it. Was it one of the factory refurbished units from a dealer that still has the warranty? Or was it direct from the factory rider?

 

[shawbagga]

Wow good score with the new frame. Weld the old one up, respray & you've got a good spare!

 

[gaz]

Just as well you decided to tear it down. That’s probably best practice when it comes to used works bikes. Have you ridden it much yet? Are there many/any similarities to your Italian Husky?

 

[gots_a_sol]

Just as well you decided to tear it down. That’s probably best practice when it comes to used works bikes. Have you ridden it much yet? Are there many/any similarities to your Italian Husky?

I have not been able to ride it yet. Just been too damn busy. I really wanted to take it out for the national enduro last weekend but I only got the frame back that Thursday and just didn't have enough time.

Wow good score with the new frame. Weld the old one up, respray & you've got a good spare!

I had to give the old frame to the dealer as the new one came stamped with my existing VIN.






The last thing I had to do to get the bike ready was mount up some fresh tires. Went to let the air out of the old tires and oh hey, no valve stems. Score! Yea, not so much. This is what happens when you don't lube your mousses.

The front doesn't look like an exploded hot dog but is super soft so will get tossed most likely. These things came out dry, no lube to be found.

 

[gots_a_sol]

Damn she looks good.

 

[NCSteve]

The cracked welds are worrisome, but glad there's a happy ending. Nice Bike! Saw a '16 at a race in SC, 250 with a Lectron, super smooth and fast through the piney woods.

Is that a fatty on the front? Look forward to a ride report

 

[gots_a_sol]

I thought about a Lectron, but I'm going to run it with the stock carb first. Then again the one in my 177 has been fantastic and not ever having to mess with jetting is awesome.

That is the Shinko 546 in 90/100. Just as tall as the 216 fatty but a little bit narrower. It is my do everything tire these days.

Going up to PA this weekend with some local guys, can't wait to toss her down the trail

 

[robertaccio]

Curious if they wanted the old frame for testing? but most likely they just wrote it off.
we as ammies and consumers are used to having these things for years, but even up at ZipTy there are stacks of low hour hard use frames. The factory bikes, heck 1 day at erzberg and they have met their fatigue life!!! Good on Beta for sending it out. My friend catastrophically blew his bottom end on his 300---after mega hours including commuting sometimes even on the freeway. He had to order a new case set and expected to about throw the bike away due to cost for repair....nope he rebuilt with lots of new stuff for under 1k with all new cases and crank. even the parts are very reasonable

 

[robertaccio]

PS these Betas run like FI with the stock carb and jetting. the way they run is uncanny, I had to check if they had a C/B shaft...they don't. zero rpm to hero rpm clean and smooth

 

[NCSteve]

PS these Betas run like FI with the stock carb and jetting. the way they run is uncanny, I had to check if they had a C/B shaft...they don't. zero rpm to hero rpm clean and smooth

I was gonna' say it sounded like a big sewing machine

 

[robertaccio]

Engineering wise I think Beta has (in comparison to the KTM/Husky 2T line) really delved deep into the crankcase volume/air flow/ignition/compression/transfer porting/reed space etc etc to get that really good smooth Enduro and Trials like power curve from their bikes...I am only familiar with their 300cc models in the 2T line. They are very well designed and thought out. In short order they too will be injected and probably have a C/B shaft assy as well, you can bank on it.

 

[gots_a_sol]

A bit less shiny now Got a little too close to the edge and it crumbled.

 

[NCSteve]

A bit less shiny now Got a little too close to the edge and it crumbled.

Ooops. Ride it up out of there Nancy!

 

[gots_a_sol]

Ooops. Ride it up out of there Nancy!

I tried for about 2 seconds. It was steep enough that every time you touched the bike it just slid further down. It was quickly going bad. I tied it off ASAP and started walking to find my buddy (who did eventually come back after not seeing me for a while).




In other news, rear brakes were an issue all weekend. Turns out I have a slow seep where the fitting is crimped on to the line Ok fine, I'll just top it off every so often. Then the rear pads wore down, no big deal, I have a tote full of spare par... shit I forgot it at home. Run in to town and get pads from the local shop. $30 for some unknown name brand things. Fine whatever, I need pads and this is what is available. Pop them in before the ride and head out. They last 13 miles. THIRTEEN FUCKING MILES and I'm down to the backing plates already. So now that rotor is trashed and the day was cut short.

 

[ghte]

Feel your pain Bro. I know it will soon fettle down nicely and be a top bike. I love my 16 beta 480, have 4000 kms on her and all is in A1 prime condition (touch wood).

 

[gots_a_sol]

About the only consolation is the fact this rotor was at the end of its life before this and I was going to change it after this trip anyway (had a replacement on hand already). Also had a Galfer rear brake line I had bought for something at some point that was brand new in the package and fit just about perfect.