Beta 690 Enduro R?

[decooney]

NOPE.   I wish.  

 

If Beta ever produced anything like the KTM 690, I'd buy it in a hearbeat to go along with my 450. It  would be great for those  longer multi-trail day rides instead of a heavy adventure bike.  Maybe if enough of us send telepathic thoughts to the Beta design engineers it could happen.   ?

 

How 'bought it Beta - Ever thought about doing one of these with a well balanced Beta Motor!  

 

Edited August 24, 2013 by decooney

[ballisticexchris]

Beta does produce something much better than the KTM 690, and I own one:

 

 

 

 

My Beta will do everything a 690 can do and more!! Oh, and I can do from miles of freeway blasting to hard core single track trails fully bagged up! And in less than 30 minutes, turn it into a lean race/trail weapon:

 

 

[ballisticexchris]

My bike is truly a do all machine! 

[decooney]

Chris, 

Been there and done that for too long.  Changing out wheels/knobbys, or tanks, removing extra lights, and bags back and forth for every other type weekend ride is a pain in the arse.   I've retried it with several different 400s/450s over the past 20 years along side buddies with their 650+ multi-day desert bikes.  I have a Beta 450 now with two sets of wheels, with one full knobby set and another dual sport setup like yours; soft bags too if needed.   Yeah, I can make it into a single track razor or day dual sport but its just not the same trying to make a swiss army knife out of the Beta 450.  This is what I do now, and its just not the same as having a second dressed big bore desert bike ready to go along side.   Its truly about keeping one bike for single track (light weight 450 set up for full mud, knobby'd out), and the 2nd bike for the day long dual sport runs, light weight hard bagged, extra lighting/lamps, for longer mult-day type desert rides (650/690).  Completely different setups.  When I ride with the 450 along side any of the big bore bike groups on 650s/690s, as soon as we get to the long backroad straights or some of the desert ride type scenes, its bye bye Beta 450. I don't really want to stroke the 450 out to a 570, its perfect as a 450 for the woods. I really enjoy the small tank and narrow feel of the 450 for the single track mud and woods stuff.  I wait until the mud comes before I ride the 450 any more.

 

There are a few guys in our area who own all three themes - one of each: a Beta or KTM 450, a 690 enduro, and 950s/990 adventure for different type rides and durations.  450s for the trailer-up mud days.  On the longer dual-day runs, they ride the KTM 690s every time if it involves more trails than road, and the 950s/990s for the longer adventure rides of course. If I wasn't such a Beta fan, I'd just get the KTM 690.  Maybe I'll have to go Orange on this.  Ugh.  I guarantee it, if Beta came out with a 690, I know a few that would be lining up to buy it to set right along side their lightweight 450 single track machines, including me.      

Edited August 24, 2013 by decooney

[ballisticexchris]

While a bunch of different bikes would be nice, this works well for me. For the really nasty stuff I have my good old KTM 300……

 

I don't know about the 450 but the 520 will do 80+ mph all day long,and  keep up with the big bore bikes in relative comfort as long as I'm wearing my dual sport helmet. I was looking at the 690's but it is just way too heavy for me when the going gets rough.

 

For 600+ mile multi day rides I would like to get a 950 Adventure……

[ballisticexchris]

I have the changing over to lightweight machine pretty much dialed in with everything setting on/under the shelf, separate petcocks, quick release fuel lines, quick pull axles etc.

 

 

 

It's a pretty seamless transition that's no harder than washing the bike or an oil change. For me this is truly the swiss army knife of bikes. 

[Chas_M]

When I ride with the 450 along side any of the big bore bike groups on 650s/690s, as soon as we get to the long backroad straights or some of the desert ride type scenes, its bye bye Beta 450. I don't really want to stroke the 450 out to a 570, its perfect as a 450 for the woods. I really enjoy the small tank and narrow feel of the 450 for the single track mud and woods stuff.  

 

 

 

Since your Beta has the KTM 450 RFS engine, it would be a fairly simple matter to replace the 450 cylinder with a ThumperRacing 570 cylinder.  With taller gearing this will enable your bike to run with the 'big bores'.  Note that with taller gearing the 570 still works very well in the tight stuff.

[decooney]

Since your Beta has the KTM 450 RFS engine, it would be a fairly simple matter to replace the 450 cylinder with a ThumperRacing 570 cylinder.  With taller gearing this will enable your bike to run with the 'big bores'.  Note that with taller gearing the 570 still works very well in the tight stuff.

 

 

Hi Chas,

Hope all is well.  I remember the day I rode with you and that big 570 of yours was throwing up boulders at will.  ?  Trust me, I've thought of just doing the 570 kit like you did. I want to keep one bike lower for the knarly muddy  trails and the second bike geared up for higher speeds and two-day trip kinda stuff with the big fuel tank. Switching my 2nd set of wheels back and forth with different chains/sprockets was okay for a while, not so fun any more.  I still really like the feel of my 450 in the woods and have considered a 2nd 520 and just setting it up with all the gear.   I work a lot of hours every week, and the last thing I need to do with my time is swapping parts back and forth so it would be great to have a 2nd Beta or a bigger bike.  I have a few options.  I could stroke the 450 upward and go buy a new Beta 400 for the woods but still really enjoying my current 450 in the woods now that have it totally dialed in, suspsension and all.  Even by today's standards, its still such a great riding bike for me.  I could play with the 450 and modify it upward to be my bigger bike I guess, and buy a 2nd Beta 2T but I worry about limited riding these days.  I miss my former 2T bikes on the trail some times.   Having both bikes plated is the ticket for me though.  I still have not forgotten that day at the desert when I saw you last time a few years ago....  Those wild and crazy desert guys were flying on those big bore bikes.  I will likely hold off for another year before I decide to modify my existing Beta or buy a 2nd one and gear it up.  I've been doing a lot of road riding again too having fun on the street fighter bikes.  Something in between the Beta 450 and the 800cc street fighter would fill that void.  The only bike I see like this is the KTM 690 right now.  That new Husky Strada is kinda cool too, but I want something a tad more dirt oriented in a big bore bike if I don't mod up a 2nd Beta stroker or something instead.  Have Fun Chas!  Duane

[JustRon]

 

[snip]... the 520 will do 80+ mph all day long,and  keep up with the big bore bikes in relative comfort 

 

Wow, I can't do 80+ for more than a few minutes. The bike will go plenty faster (I'm using a 14t now), but I find it pretty uncomfortable going that fast.

[ballisticexchris]

Wow, I can't do 80+ for more than a few minutes. The bike will go plenty faster (I'm using a 14t now), but I find it pretty uncomfortable going that fast.

I got the 14/48 which is, IMO, really good gearing. When freeway blasting I just shove in the earplugs and run the piss out of it. This Beta has sick horsepower and torque. 

[CHILLY]

I am still confused as to why no manufacturer will make a real commitment to building a true middle weight ADV bike. The 690 is on the right track, but it has a few limitations that keep it from being great. It needs a bigger tank, better seat and a cool little rally bike fairing. The new head and fuel injection configuration from the 690 Duke have killed all the vibrations that the Enduro models still has, as well as boosting power. Duke shows just what this motor could really be.

 

KTM could have an amazing bike that I think people would flock too. I have talked with them about it many times, but it just doesn't seem to be a priority.

[Chas_M]

I run 14/48 gearing in my Beta 565 RS and it will cruise easily and smoothly at 70+ mph all day if you wanted to.  The auto clutch along with the easy to use low speed torque of the 565 and 14/48 gearing works great even in the tightest gnarliest terrain. 

[Rawlins]

Personally i would love to see an aircooled low compression 450/550cc bike with all the modern amenities, a 6 speed, estart, big tank, and a cool little fairing and optional soft luggage, maybe even a dirt worthy trailer option. 

 

Imagine if Honda had stuck with the XR line. 

 

I really think there is a market for such a machine. 

[decooney]

Personally i would love to see an aircooled low compression 450/550cc bike with all the modern amenities, a 6 speed, estart, big tank, and a cool little fairing and optional soft luggage, maybe even a dirt worthy trailer option. 

Imagine if Honda had stuck with the XR line. I really think there is a market for such a machine.

 

 

Rawlins, Agree 100%, even its a small market, there is interest by more than a few where I live.  I ran into a guy with an older 1989 XT600 Yamaha....air cooled, larger in size, and it was cool to see one ofthe older 600s from back then.  It was set up with the right tank, tires, bags, rack, looking cool as ever ready for more of the light duty fire road riding.  Sort of a boat by todays standards, but still a neat bike in any case if you just wanted it as a 2nd dual sport bike keeping the primary Beta 450 lean and mean for single track stuff.  I guess its an option for the few guys like us who see a market for it... If you get a chance and have not seen one yet, go check out that new Husky Strada.  It's kind of a heavy bike, but gives an idea of what else is out there in addition to the KTM 690.   

[iceman kimi]

I'd like a bike like KTM690, to use it as a daily commuter and finally restore my Vespa, but i think Beta will not build one in the near future because they are a small company and a project like this, of a completely new bike, could be a disaster if something goes wrong and the bike have no success.

[glangston]

Nothing wrong with the TE 610's,

[Marco the Pool Boy]

Nothing wrong with the TE 610's,

I agree, I owned a TE 610, and it was a nice (large) DS bike, would have been great longer more open trails/roads than I put mine through.

 

I should have tried to use it in longer/wider trails/roads. Super sweet motor, lots of torque, great solid bike with good handling, though a tall for me, it carried it's weight high.

 

I'd rather have one of those again Vs. a KTM, but I've never drank the orange Kool-aid, I've tasted it a lot, but never owned one.....

[iceman kimi]

i rode a 610smr a couple of years ago, i think is more "big bore racing" than "dual sport".

 

engine is super strong but response is much more brutal than KTM 690 (never rode the old 640)

 

IMO

[scottiesbe]

My bike is truly a do all machine! 

nice bike , you have it muled out pretty good, what is the front tire in the first pic?

Edited September 7, 2013 by scottiesbe

[ballisticexchris]

nice bike , you have it muled out pretty good, what is the front tire in the first pic?

Thanks! The tires are the Kenda 270's. I probably will not be getting another set. The rear tire started blowing off knobs after just 500 miles or so. OTOH, I was lazy with tire pressure. I pretty much ran 8 lbs front and 10 lbs rear for almost everything including freeway. I'm more mindful of the pressure these days. I keep a good supply of cheap C02's  on hand.