Beta Gears Up For Enduros

Beta gears up for enduros

ROUNDUP

Beyond a doubt, Beta motorcycles have made a mark in trials competition by winning virtually every one of the U.S. Trials Nationals in the past two years. In doing so, the Italian-built bikes have gained a reputation for being extremely rugged and reliable. Now the small company is set to introduce a new enduro machine, called the Rally, that the company hopes will give Husqvarna and KTM some competition.

The Rally is built around an already-existing, 249cc liquid-cooled two-stoke Beta engine that first saw use in a motocrosser, then in a dual-purpose machine. It features reed-valve induction, a chromed-bore alloy cylinder and a five-speed gearbox. A 42mm Marzocchi fork handles the bumps up front while a Marzocchi single shock takes care of things at the rear.

It’s true that the market for competition-level enduro machinery is small, but Beta doesn’t have plans to bring in mass quantities of the machine. And if the Rally turns out to be as good at enduros as Beta’s other bikes are at trials, the competition will have something to worry about.