2012 Beta enduro models hit Australia

The Beta enduro range includes the 350/400/450/498 again for 2012 and while you won’t see EFI, they’re very competitively priced and get upgrades to engine, frame and suspension.

The 2012 Beta RR450

The 2012 Beta RR enduro range has just landed in Australia and include four models, the RR350, RR400, RR450 and RR498, with Beta anticipating the RR350 to become their flagship model.

The range received a host of upgrades to both engine and frame. The engine gets a new roller bearing in the countershaft, which is suppose to be three times more durable. The cylinder head has a reinforced camshaft bridge and valve retainers, a new cam chain tensioner and guide, while the clutch is strengthened via clutch springs and reinforced primary gear. The gearbox has a new guide design for a smoother shift action. And the engine gets a newly designed silencer that Beta says improves performance and meets FIM noise regulations.

The 2012 enduro models have upgraded their fork, swapping the 50mm Marzocchi for the lighter 48mm Sachs forks, which apparently have been designed specifically for Beta, while the rear gets a Sachs shock. And the front-end gets a new dedicated triple clamp to increase front-end rigidity and precision. The frame gets strengthened, going from 25mm to 28mm diameter tubing. And there’s a new Brembo hydraulic clutch master cylinder.

The mid-capacity TT350 four-stroke has a 349cc engine with 88×57.4mm bore and stroke and a compression ratio of 12.4:1. The bike is equipped with electric start but also has a kick-starter as back-up. Unlike its rivals, the KTM 350EXC-F, Husaberg FE390 and Husqvarna TE310, it doesn’t have fuel injection. Instead the Italian manufacturer opted for a conventional carburetor. Coming with twin oil pumps, the engine and transmission oil are separate, which Beta says will extend the oil change interval to 30 hours. It has an 8l fuel tank and weighs 109kg (no fluids). The front brake sees a 260mm floating wave disc, and the rear has a thinner 240mm disc.

We contacted Beta Motorcycles Australia Gary Grealy to find out more. “I collected the 2012 RRs from the docks last week and sent them around the country,” said Grealy. “Dealers now have the full range of 2012 RR models in stock or available on order and all bikes are sold with six months parts and labour warranty. They’re also fully ADR compliant and road registrable.”

As a point of interest, the RR350 will be ridden by Australian Trails representative, Trevor Campbell, at the Wildwood Extreme Enduro this weekend.

Transmoto will be testing the 2012 Beta RR models in an upcoming issue. Stay tuned.

The frame gets strengthened to 28mm diameter tubing (was 26mm).

There’s a new set of 48mm Sachs fork to replace the 50mm Marzocchi seen last year.

Retail Prices,

The retail prices include GST but exclude PD and ORC.
2012 Beta RR350: $11,990*
2012 Beta RR400: $12,190*
2012 Beta RR450: $12,390*
2012 Beta RR498: $12,490*

Technical Details

RR350		RR400		RR450		RR498
2012 Beta RR Technical Details
CHASSIS		CHASSIS		CHASSIS		CHASSIS
Frame	Molybdenum steel with double cradle split above the exhaust port	Frame	Molybdenum steel with double cradle split above the exhaust port	Frame	Molybdenum steel with double cradle split above the exhaust port	Frame	Molybdenum steel with double cradle split above the exhaust port
Wheelbase	1490 mm	Wheelbase	1490 mm	Wheelbase	1490 mm	Wheelbase	1490 mm
Max length	2180 mm	Max length	2180 mm	Max length	2180 mm	Max length	2180 mm
Max width	807 mm	Max width	807 mm	Max width	807 mm	Max width	807 mm
Max height	1270 mm	Max height	1270 mm	Max height	1270 mm	Max height	1270 mm
Seat height	940 mm	Seat height	940 mm	Seat height	940 mm	Seat height	940 mm
Ground clearance	320 mm	Ground clearance	320 mm	Ground clearance	320 mm	Ground clearance	320 mm
Footrest height	413 mm	Footrest height	413 mm	Footrest height	413 mm	Footrest height	413 mm
Dry weight	114,5 kg (front 57 kg; rear 57,5 kg)	Dry weight	115,2 kg (front 57,4 kg; rear 57,8 kg)	Dry weight	115,2 kg (front 57,4 kg; rear 57,8 kg)	Dry weight	115,7 kg (front 57,6 kg; rear 58,1 kg)
Fuel tank capacity	8,0 l.	Fuel tank capacity	8,0 l.	Fuel tank capacity	8,0 l.	Fuel tank capacity	8,0 l.
Reserve	1l.	Reserve	1l.	Reserve	1l.	Reserve	1l.
Cooling system capacity	1,4 l.	Cooling system capacity	1,3 l.	Cooling system capacity	1,3 l.	Cooling system capacity	1,3 l.
Front suspension	Hydraulic USD fork with ø 48 mm shaft	Front suspension	Hydraulic USD fork with ø48 mm shaft	Front suspension	Hydraulic USD fork with ø48 mm shaft	Front suspension	Hydraulic USD fork with ø48 mm shaft
Rear suspension	Monoshock with progressive compound lever	Rear suspension	Monoshock with progressive compound lever	Rear suspension	Monoshock with progressive compound lever	Rear suspension	Monoshock with progressive compound lever
Shock absorber stroke	135 mm	Shock absorber stroke	135 mm	Shock absorber stroke	135 mm	Shock absorber stroke	135 mm
Front wheel travel	290 mm	Front wheel travel	290 mm	Front wheel travel	290 mm	Front wheel travel	290 mm
Rear wheel travel	290 mm	Rear wheel travel	290 mm	Rear wheel travel	290 mm	Rear wheel travel	290 mm
Front brake	Disc ø260 mm and double-piston floating caliper	Front brake	Disc ø260 mm and double-piston floating caliper	Front brake	Disc ø260 mm and double-piston floating caliper	Front brake	Disc ø260 mm and double-piston floating caliper
Rear brake	Disc ø240 mm and single-piston floating caliper	Rear brake	Disc ø240 mm and single-piston floating caliper	Rear brake	Disc ø240 mm and single-piston floating caliper	Rear brake	Disc ø240 mm and single-piston floating caliper
Front rim	21 x 1,6 – 36 holes	Front rim	21 x 1,6 – 36 holes	Front rim	21 x 1,6 – 36 holes	Front rim	21 x 1,6 – 36 holes
Rear rim	18 x 2,15 – 36 holes	Rear rim	18 x 2,15 – 36 holes	Rear rim	18 x 2,15 – 36 holes	Rear rim	18 x 2,15 – 36 holes
Front tyre	90/90 – 21	Front tyre	90/90 – 21	Front tyre	90/90 – 21	Front tyre	90/90 – 21
Rear tyre	140/80 -18	Rear tyre	140/80 -18	Rear tyre	140/80 -18	Rear tyre	140/80 -18

ENGINE		ENGINE		ENGINE		ENGINE
Type	Single cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled	Type	Single cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled	Type	Single cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled	Type	Single cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled
Bore	88 mm	Bore	95 mm	Bore	95 mm	Bore	100 mm
Stroke	57,4 mm	Stroke	56,2 mm	Stroke	63,4 mm	Stroke	63,4 mm
Displacement	349,1 cc	Displacement	398 cc	Displacement	449,39 cc	Displacement	497,94 cc
Compression ratio	12,9:1	Compression ratio	12,4:1	Compression ratio	11,95:1	Compression ratio	12,0:1
Valve train	DOHC finger follower / 4 titanium valve	Valve train	DOHC finger follower / 4 valve	Valve train	DOHC finger follower / 4 valve	Valve train	DOHC finger follower / 4 valve
Starter	Kick- and electric starter	Starter	Kick- and electric starter	Starter	Kick- and electric starter	Starter	Kick- and electric starter
Ignition	Kokusan AC-CDI	Ignition	Kokusan AC-CDI	Ignition	Kokusan AC-CDI	Ignition	Kokusan AC-CDI
Spark plug	NGK LKAR 8A-9	Spark plug	NGK LKAR 8A-9	Spark plug	NGK LKAR 8A-9	Spark plug	NGK LKAR 8A-9
Lubrication	2 oil pumps	Lubrication	2 oil pumps	Lubrication	2 oil pumps	Lubrication	2 oil pumps
Fuel system	carburettor	Fuel system	carburettor	Fuel system	carburettor	Fuel system	carburettor
Carburettor	Keihin FCR-MX 39	Carburettor	Keihin FCR-MX 39	Carburettor	Keihin FCR-MX 39	Carburettor	Keihin FCR-MX 39
Clutch	wet multi-disc clutch	Clutch	wet multi-disc clutch	Clutch	wet multi-disc clutch	Clutch	wet multi-disc clutch
Primary drive	straight toothing Z. 28/76	Primary drive	straight toothing Z. 31/73	Primary drive	straight toothing Z. 31/73	Primary drive	straight toothing Z. 31/73
Transmission	6 gears	Transmission	6 gears	Transmission	6 gears	Transmission	6 gears
Final transmission	chain	Final transmission	chain	Final transmission	chain	Final transmission	chain
Engine oil	SAE 10W/50 0,8 l. + SAE 10W/40 0,8 l.	Engine oil	SAE 10W/50 0,8 l. + SAE 10W/40 0,8 l.	Engine oil	SAE 10W/50 0,8 l. + SAE 10W/40 0,8 l.	Engine oil	SAE 10W/50 0,8 l. + SAE 10W/40 0,8 l.

Accessories

There are a range of accessories available including:

Force Radiator Guards and bash-plates
Long-range fuel tanks
Thermo electric fans
Titanium performance exhaust systems
Dual-map ignition systems.

Did you know…

Beta is a family-owned company that has been manufacturing motorbikes for over 100 years
The factory has recently undergone significant modernisation
They produced over 15,000 bikes in 2010.
All the engines are designed, tested and built in-house, including all of the engine castings.