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Author Topic: Beta Ride Day at Washougal 10/20/18  (Read 4372 times)

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Offline rsmith

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Beta Ride Day at Washougal 10/20/18
« on: October 22, 2018, 07:23:40 PM »
Saturday we made the 3 hour trek down to Washougal for a chance to ride (almost) all the new Betas.

Unfortunately the new 200 wasn't available yet, so despite it being on the punch card, it wasn't actually there.  :(



This is the first time I have ever done a demo day with any brand. It was pretty damn fun getting to ride so many different bikes back to back like that.



After the riders meeting we were turned loose on the bikes, they disappeared fast!



The weather was very atypical for Western Washington in that is was dry, sunny and warm. None of those things we usually expect to see this time of year.

The course started at the National starting gate where they punched the plastic card with the bike you were riding, went through the first two turns and up and over Horsepower Hill then into the trees and down a moderately difficult but fun trail that winds its way above the track and eventually dumped you out behind the staging area.

Everyone got a chance to ride any and all bikes they wanted with the only limit being how fast you could get around the loop and how well your fitness held up.

I ended up riding 9 different bike and making 10 loops. I rode the 250RR Race a second time, not because it was my favorite, but because I wanted to make one more loop and it was available.

My favorite was the 300RR Race. It wasn't as "racey" on the short bit of the track we rode as the 250, but that engine is magic in the tight single track that is off-road in Western Washington.

The primary difference between the race and the non-race is the fork, and I will say that it would be worth the extra money. Universally across the whole product line the Race Edition fork was noticeably better.

I also rode several of the big 4Ts for comparison.  I could never find the right gear on the 430, the 390 was too heavy, the 480 wasn't suited to the tight trails we were on and I passed on the 500 all together.

The 350 was the best of the 4 strokes, but it wasn't nearly as much fun, nor as easy to ride as the 300RR Race Edition.

Nanci stretched herself a bit and rode several of the full sized 2Ts along with the latest version of her XTrainer and the new 125 (which is fun but way under powered for someone of my generous size.)

Here she is on my favorite the 300RR Race Edition.





All in all it was a great time and I am looking forward to getting a chance to do the Yamaha and KTM ones next time they come back to our neck of the woods!

--Ron.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2018, 07:27:46 PM by rsmith »

Offline Coop

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Re: Beta Ride Day at Washougal 10/20/18
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2018, 07:38:19 AM »
Awesome. I loved my Beta trials bike. A friend just bought a 2016 (I think) 250 RR. He loves it.
- Mike - Don't take life so seriously, nobody gets out alive.

Offline beaner

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Re: Beta Ride Day at Washougal 10/20/18
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2018, 05:49:30 AM »
I went to the Beta ride day last year. They laid out a nice little loop in the woods on some private property which was fairly difficult with tight turns, roots, logs and a tight little ravine section. I went (tired as hell) right after a 12hr night shift, and my first ride on a 300RR didn't go very well. I hit the first of two logs a little crooked and it went directly south from there. But I got back up, tried the next bike available, and kept on putting in laps until I got comfortable. By the time I was done I had ridden every two stroke, including the 300 trials bike, probably, a half dozen times and pretty much owned the X trainer most of the day. I'm 5'6"/145 and the Xtrainer fit me just perfectly.

The whole 1 1/2 hrs home I was scheming how I would buy an Xtrainer for next year but when I got home I had a little spare time so I pulled my Husky out to wash it, rode it around my property a bit and realized I already have a bike that suits me better than anything I'd ridden that day.

Would like to try the 200 and 125 though.
Ontario, Canada

Offline nancis

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Re: Beta Ride Day at Washougal 10/20/18
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2018, 05:26:29 PM »
I own the X-Trainer and love it!  I bought it sight unseen and have never looked back!  I wish that the 200 had been there but it wasn't available yet.  I did ride the 125 and it was a kick!  Kinda like a mountain bike with a motor  ;D  It doesn't have hardly any weight to it at all and I fit on it quite nicely.  The 300RR-Race pictured above was quite the leg stretch for me (5'9") and I could only get one toe on the ground on one side so not my most comfortable ride but it was fun regardless.  I enjoyed all the bikes I rode (5 total) but I still LOVE my XT.
More bikes than I can list...regular riders 2015 Beta XT300, 1986 IT200, 1980 IT175

Offline Coop

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Re: Beta Ride Day at Washougal 10/20/18
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2018, 07:30:03 AM »
My wife wanted the 125 dual sport until she saw the seat height. She is short and refuses to side straddle a bike to touch the ground.
- Mike - Don't take life so seriously, nobody gets out alive.

Offline nancis

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Re: Beta Ride Day at Washougal 10/20/18
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2018, 07:53:01 AM »
Coop how tall is she?  Some of the bikes have shorter seat heights and there are low seats available too.  They are really popular among the shorter riders :) 
More bikes than I can list...regular riders 2015 Beta XT300, 1986 IT200, 1980 IT175

Offline Coop

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Re: Beta Ride Day at Washougal 10/20/18
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2018, 06:03:53 AM »
Coop how tall is she?  Some of the bikes have shorter seat heights and there are low seats available too.  They are really popular among the shorter riders :)

5'2" I think.
- Mike - Don't take life so seriously, nobody gets out alive.

Offline nancis

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Re: Beta Ride Day at Washougal 10/20/18
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2018, 05:29:10 PM »
Hmmm...well I know on the XT (and on the 125 that I rode at the ride day) I can pretty much flat foot them with my boots on and I'm 5'9"...sooooo, not sure if she can put both feet down maybe with the low seat and some suspension mods.  Platform boots???  ::)
More bikes than I can list...regular riders 2015 Beta XT300, 1986 IT200, 1980 IT175

Offline Coop

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Re: Beta Ride Day at Washougal 10/20/18
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2018, 06:51:14 AM »
Hmmm...well I know on the XT (and on the 125 that I rode at the ride day) I can pretty much flat foot them with my boots on and I'm 5'9"...sooooo, not sure if she can put both feet down maybe with the low seat and some suspension mods.  Platform boots???  ::)

Haha yeah maybe. On every bike she has owned I have to lower them with links, cut down the seat, remove the seat bumpers, etc., because she insists she has to touch both feet.  We haven't tried KISS style platform boots though :) .
- Mike - Don't take life so seriously, nobody gets out alive.