Moto Beta Xtr
MOTO BETA XTR
Cycle World Trail Test
FOR SOME TIME we thought we had actually seen the end of the growth in number of available motorcycles in this country. Seeing new makes appear on the scene is not always a pleasant affair, unfortunately. They cannot all be new sensations with fantastic features not even thought of yet by the existing available makes. Nor can they all be perfect, or superbly proven examples of the trends and displaying examples of attributes necessary for success on the highly competitive American market.
And so, along comes Moto-Beta. This new group of bikes is comprised of a 50cc, 80cc, and a 124cc, we will deal with the latter in this report. Some time later on we will examine the 50 and 80cc machines which are also in our garage at this writing, through the excellent cooperation of the distributors .
Our specimen, the XTR-125, is basically a trail bike, though the general configuration is that of a street machine converted to trail bike. M-B's engine is a conventional single cylinder two-cycle, fairly typical of Italian design. This is not to say that it is bad, only that it is not terribly new. At the same time, the quality of construction is also typical of Italian-built motorcycles, and this is very good indeed. Gas/oil mixture is fed into the little engine through a 22mm Dellorto carburetor. The unit gearbox is a fourspeed affair, with atypically Italian rocking gearshift lever. Power is claimed to be 11 hp @ 5,800 rpm, a very low peaking speed for so small an engine. Power seems ample; in fact the machine will do over 65 mph with the street gearing installed as our test machine was equipped. A trail sprocket is normally furnished with the machine at no extra charge.
Frame construction is tubular, with a single main downtube and a large diameter backbone extending down to the swing arm mounting point. Again nothing sensational, simply a well proven concept. Distance of travel of both the front and rear suspension systems is a trifle short for the rough going such machines are often subjected to, hence the ride is a bit rough. Steering and handling are quite satisfactory, and it is an extremely easy bike to ride. Also, quite Italian is the hard, narrow seat.
An upswept exhaust system is thoughtfully provided, and ground clearance, plus clearance between the rear fender and wheel are all symptoms of the well prepared trailing machine. We very much like the use of 19-inch wheels, an extensive array of tire sizes and types to fit are available in generous supply to make it handle in almost any manner desired. "Semiknobbies" are fitted as standard. Full-up weight is 180 pounds, not light, but it does have full lighting equipment, battery, horn, and riding provisions for two.
As readers of this report must by now realize, the Moto-Beta XTR-125 is not exactly sensationally new. Rather, it is noteworthy for its excellent examples of proven features and very sound motorcycle design and construction. This is by no means a criticism or a drawback; the features to be found on the M-B are all necessary for the purposes it was designed to accomplish. Handling is light and positive. It starts every time it is prodded, runs smoothly and quietly, and appears utterly reliable. Not glamour, just the bread and butter role of a well designed motorcycle. •
