Posts
65
Joined
12/7/2022
Location
US
Old man here- 56yrs young
To the keyboard warriors who opine that it’s not a full Moto bike, well you’re flat out wrong.
This thing is BadAss-
Great power, rolls on smooth, fantastic mid, and does have nice top too.
Super easy to ride and feels substantially lighter than a 450.
Turns great but is a little sensitive to sag.. (still playing with that)
Overall impression: Exceeded my expectations!
Keep in mind it’s my first day on it- Got 3 solid motos in.
Where do you think it fits in power wise compared to other bikes?
Gorgeous bike! I’ll be in the market for a new bike next year and would love to test ride one of these. I wish manufactures would do ride days like KTM used to do.
Other 2-strokes?..I had a very good set up KTM300sx, and this one is easier to rider for sure. Doesn’t have the hit the 300 had but pulls longer.
The Beta is fast. You can leave it in 3rd and it’ll carry you thru the R’s.
Compared to my KX450, hard to say. I love my Kawi.. but the Beta is a very, very fun motorcycle.
No regrets!
I love me some Beta’s. I have a 6 speed 300 RX in the garage.
Haven’t heard anything but good on the 26 350 RX. Lots of them will sell.
The Shop
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DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
https://betausa.com/demo-events/
over for this year
You are the 2nd person who said it is a mid-range motor with usable top. I read 3 other earlier reviews that said it is a low to mid motor. I wonder if Beta reconsidered how they are sending the motor out (revised the settings?). I did notice they reworded their marketing blurb on their website. Now it says; "The 350cc manages to keep a greater torque and rounded delivery, enhancing its ease of recreational use, at lower speeds while still provides enough overall horsepower for race use."
Are you related to the Beta team rider, Bryson Gardner, by any chance?
Nice Birthday present to yourself brother. I'm looking forward to spinning a few laps on it. Beautiful too!
my 300 has ignition map switch. You want more top end at expense of low end- choose the "sun" symbol mode. You want more low end at expense of maximum top end- choose the "cloud" symbol mode. Mid-range is very usable either mode.
How's the jetting seem? I wonder what needle they are using. Looks really nice!
I’m close to sea level + about 85d..
Seems spot on! Remember this thing has Two Spark Plugs
How does the 2 spark plugs help?
there is a screw to adjust the powervalve, it significantly changes the power delivery. No bike testers seem to know about it
I think they are aware, but most give their initial feedback as delivered before they start experimenting with different settings. I am wondering if Beta has tweaked the settings out the factory after getting feedback from the very first reviews from the Italian magazine tests. Tweaking the exhaust valve setting by changing either or both of the 2 springs in there as well as the pressure applied on them. The 2025 300 RX was delivered just one turn from the setting that would give the maximum hit. You can also change the volume of the exhaust valve cover which will impact power characteristics. Beta sells the parts that will allow for external adjustment of the power valve springs by turning an external knob on the fly. There are literally dozens of potential settings with just power valve.
No sir not related.
I had heard that big bore 2 strokes have an issue with complete combustion and also that they had some issues with fouling in trail riding situations. Beta has had 2 spark plugs on some of their enduro models for some time now.
I'm gonna pick up a used RX 250 next fall. Used RX 300 were selling for 2 to 3K below retail last fall.
Hey David! Thanks for your post and PLEASE keep the info coming!
I, like you, am also an “Old Man” (having just turned 60 a month ago 🥵 it’s SO weird being the same age as old people!? 😁) and I am currently riding my well-sorted 2023 KTM 300 SX that I truly LOVE! The bike is SO easy to ride, suits me perfectly & makes me feel like the Ricky Johnson / Jeff Ward heroes that I wish I coulda been in my youth! 🤪 and there’s just nothing like the sound of a crisp 2-stroke!
BUT…with all of KTM’s woes recently and the usual “about time for a new bike” fever we all get every year or so, I have been seriously contemplating the all-new 350 from BETA ever since I saw the press release info on it!
Please post up further impressions as you put more time on that killer looking smoker! Many of us other “old guys” are living vicariously through you out here in Vi-tard land! 🤣
Ride safe…keep us posted! Cheers! 😎 👍❗️
If anyone is seriously thinking about getting the 350RX, I'd highly suggest putting a deposit down as I think the entire first run is already spoken for (could be wrong but it came from someone who would know). Fair to say Beta will sell every one they make this year for sure.
Pit Row
If they make an Off-Road version…and I mean “Baja” for my needs…damn…I’m thinking V2R…The Rip…that would be PERFECT.
They HAVE to throw a 6 speed in that thing and call it the 350RR/RE, right?
If I wasn't building a house in Minnesota right now I'd already have the 350RX. I am a Beta guy for life now.
We need to have a pow-wow at a race this coming season and get that 350RR Baja built.
Congratulations on the new machine!!! I’d love to give it a whirl one day. Happy Birthday!!!
Beta does them, I attended one this year. But were 25 models, so no 350
Great, the one day I don't show up to ride and you bring a freshy....
I don't know about you guys but I am going to smaller CC's in my old age... lol
I need a small bore too but I can only ask for my wife’s forgiveness so many times..
Need some time to pass before I roll the dice again LoL
Awesome Super Dave, sorry never got a chance to get out to 3P so you could ride the 300. My 300 and your 350 are at best distant cousins....you got the real deal. From all I've read and heard the 350RX is a game changer for Beta......looking forward to watching you shred on it.
Yeah I did one last month at Kickin' Roost MX in Ohio. It was sponsored by Iron Pony. The 350 2T was indeed not there since they were all 2025s.
Any updates? Either this or a kx450 will probably be my next ride. My plan would be to add a flywheel weight to smooth out the power.
Happy belated birthday man, congrats. Beautiful bike.
I see a lot of people posting bullshit about the latest Beta RX's being down on power with no firsthand experience whatsoever. I believe this stems from an old Dirt Rider dyno test of a 2022 Beta 300 RX where it only put out 40.3 hp and 28.9 ft lbs of torque. That hp figure is indeed not so impressive, notwithstanding that Dirt Rider's dyno is known for producing very conservative numbers compared to other dyno's. Also, Beta was still just converting their enduro bikes into motocross machines and still keeping the 6 speed transmissions at that time. From 2025, Beta started producing true motocross machines in my view and the power is quite impressive, in contrast to what the keyboard warriors keep posting.
VHM does good dyno tests of stock vs modded bikes, and their dyno is neither conservative or overly "happy". They just did the 2026 Beta 250 and 350 RX's which gives you a good feel for both engines and dispels a lot of the disinformation. The 250 RX is tuned more aggressively than the 350. The 250 RX puts out horsepower numbers very similar to the YZ250, but with more torque than the YZ. Stock the 250 RX dyno'd at 46.2 hp and 32.3 ft lbs of torque. With a quick and easy cylinder head and CDI change, the 250 RX numbers jump to 48.3 hp and 34.1 ft lbs of torque. That is healthy for a 250 2T with no porting/ change in port timing.
To compare, MXA's latest dyno numbers for the YZ250 were 46.1 hp and 30 ft lbs of torque. The Beta 250 RX had the same peak hp, but more torque off the showroom floor.
VHM dyno test Beta RX250 2026 - YouTube
VHM's dyno of the stock 2026 Beta 350 RX produced 48.8 hp and 35.1 ft pounds of torque. Excellent torque numbers, but the hp may seem low to some people, especially relative to the YZ250 or even their own 250 RX. However, it just reflects the way Beta decided to deliver the 350 to the market, trying to make it easily ridable for the average amateur without pulling your arms out of their sockets, yet still plenty of punch when you needed to get serious. The stock compression ratio is low on the 350 and the timing conservative to make it easy to ride, so when VHM swapped out the cylinder head and CDI unit for slightly more agressive parts plus a 1.2mm base gasket, the power on the 2026 Beta 350 RX jumps significantly to 55.4 hp and 37.6 ft lbs of torque. Wow!.. that will give any current 450 a run for its money.
Video | Facebook
Just for comparison, we can look at the dyno test that MXA did of a 2025 CRF450R in their recent 450 shootout. The CRF450 dyno'd at 55.6 hp and 36.5 ft lbs of torque.. the highest torque of any of the 450s in the shootout. MXA dyno'd the 2025 KTM 450SX at 58.0 hp and 35.5 ft lbs of torque. So based on dyno numbers alone, the stock 350 RX has the torque of the best 450's and has potential to kick their ass to the first turn with a few quick, simple mods.
A lot of guys really long for a modern version of the old fashioned 500cc 2T. A stock 1995-2001 CR500 will dyno about 54-58 hp and 47-53 ft lbs of torque at the rear wheels, with the lower numbers for bikes with stock jetting and the higher numbers for well-jetted carbs. The last MXA dyno test that MXA did was on a 1994 CR500 and that bike dyno'd ~54.7 hp and 47.5 ft lbs of torque. That level of horsepower is not much different from a modern 450 or a mildly modded Beta 350RX, but it is the torque that really separates the 500cc 2T's which the Beta 350 RX or a 450F can't touch.
EPIC BATTLE OF OLD IRON: 1994 HONDA CR500 VS. 2000 KAWASAKI KX500 VS. DARYL ECKLUND - Motocross Action Magazine
As for my own real world experience, I have a 2025 Beta 300 RX and a CRF450 that I often alternate from ride to ride. I feel the Beta 300 is not far behind the CRF450's power and can pretty much jump everything the CRF450 can.
I think the above comparative dyno data helps put the Beta 2T engines in perspective, as well as helps to illustrate the very different approaches that Beta took for the 2026 250 vs 350 RX engines.
I got a bit carried away here.. I was doing the research for myself, and thought I would share it.
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