430 vs others

[Piney Woods]

I have noticed for a while that unless Krannie posts something there is no mention of the 430. For quite a while it has been the 390, 300/250 and occasionally the 350 being discussed.  Once in a blue moon a 500 pops up.  Is the general buyer saying he wants a true 450?  Just wondering why the 430 seems to have disappeared in these threads.

[Danceswithtrees]

If I lived somewhere with open desert terrain I'd get a 430.  I prefer the free revving nature of the 350 over the 390 and also the 430 over the 500.  Don't know why it doesn't get more love. 

[basalt]

I think its just a weird displacement. Real technical riders want less. Off-road racers want more like a 450 (even though it may be completely un-necessary) and anyone in the dual sport/big bore category generally wants the 500. If they changed nothing but called it a 450 it would probably sell more.

[shrubitup]

Pac Nor-West would be the X-trainer/250/300/390 for popularity IMO so it's geographic as to what is popular. I rode my Honda CRF450X (with a stroker crank and a big bore kit displacing 500cc) here and everybody thought I was nuts. Very few fo fiddys on the rain forest trails here.

Edited April 16, 2018 by shrubitup

[Jetwag03]

FWIW I only have about 5 hours on the 430, in my case I was heading to buy a 390 or 350 4t, but since a leftover 430 was heavily discounted I decided it only made sense financial to choose the 430 almost 3k difference out the door and it still had a kick start and fuel injection. This is my opinion and others with more experience may disagree, for me the bike feels light when the wheels are rolling and a heavy when stopped, but not as heavy as a Drz400 and I'm talking about stopped on a tight single track off camber stuff soft slippery soil so it's not an issue for more experienced riders. It's got gobs of power if you need it, but not so much you wish you were on a smaller bike. I do think you are correct that the odd displacement dissuades people like myself from initially considering it. Now the bad I am having my first issue it won't start so it's back at a Beta dealer now. Hopefully it's an easy fix and I will be able to put some real time on it this summer and give a better review. I'm guessing the starting issues has nothing to do with it being a 430 since it either a bad fuel injector or the air fuel mixture thing next to the FI.

[Ben500RR-S]

I thought about the 430 as it was on the showroom floor but as the 500 is really a 478cc, I went with the 500 and am glad I did.  I did and do not care about any of the positives that the smaller 430, 390 or 350 has over the biggest displacement motor.  I ride the 478 and LOVE how the motor runs on every single section of trail I have ever ridden on.  

 

I have never ridden any of the other displacements and until the day comes where a smaller displacement might be the right sized motor for me, I truly don't care to go with a smaller motor.  Not now, not yet.  

It was not all that long ago where the choices were 125, 250 or 500 cc two stroke for either the CR and the KX, I went with the 500's and never thought of a 250.  I would ride the 250 and feel like, 'Where is the rest of the power?'  Of course, I'm a bad-azz.  

Edited April 16, 2018 by Ben500RR-S

[Sierra_rider]

When I bought my '18, the 430 was on my original plan...as a diehard 2 stroke guy, the slower-revving nature of the 390/500 didn't really interest me. I hadn't liked any of my previous offroad 4 strokes(450's), as the powerband was kinda boring. I actually like my yz250f the most, but wanted a little more low-end.

 Anyway...my dealer didn't have any 430's in stock and since he offered it, I took the 350 for a test ride. I had ridden some Ktm 350 exc's and could only describe the power as anemic...so needless to say, I had no interest in the 350 initially. After I took the Beta 350 for a spin, I realized how good this motor is and had to have it. 

38 hours on it now and absolutely no regrets now. According to the butt-dyno, it's actually got more top end than my 450 it replaced and gives up very little in the low-mid. Off idle it's waayyyy better than any of my carbed 4 strokes as the FI is flawless and flame-outs are rare...only my 300 is better in those regards.

It's also an incredibly fun bike to ride. While you can do a mellow ride on it, it really encourages you to ride aggressively. There are very few bikes I've ridden with a power-band this long...runs good all the way from 2k to 13k+ rpm.

[MartyMOOSE]

8 hours ago, Sierra_rider said:

When I bought my '18, the 430 was on my original plan...as a diehard 2 stroke guy, the slower-revving nature of the 390/500 didn't really interest me. I hadn't liked any of my previous offroad 4 strokes(450's), as the powerband was kinda boring. I actually like my yz250f the most, but wanted a little more low-end.

 Anyway...my dealer didn't have any 430's in stock and since he offered it, I took the 350 for a test ride. I had ridden some Ktm 350 exc's and could only describe the power as anemic...so needless to say, I had no interest in the 350 initially. After I took the Beta 350 for a spin, I realized how good this motor is and had to have it. 

38 hours on it now and absolutely no regrets now. According to the butt-dyno, it's actually got more top end than my 450 it replaced and gives up very little in the low-mid. Off idle it's waayyyy better than any of my carbed 4 strokes as the FI is flawless and flame-outs are rare...only my 300 is better in those regards.

It's also an incredibly fun bike to ride. While you can do a mellow ride on it, it really encourages you to ride aggressively. There are very few bikes I've ridden with a power-band this long...runs good all the way from 2k to 13k+ rpm.

I concur the 18 350RR is a special machine.. 

[FORMA MOTO]

You are only allowed to own a 430 if you are deemed truley special.....and I don't mean the short-bus kind of special either.

[Sierra_rider]

3 hours ago, THE KRAN said:

You are only allowed to own a 430 if you are deemed truley special.....and I don't mean the short-bus kind of special either.

 

How'd you get one??

[surfer-dude]

Cuz he’s special

[mtngoat]

I really enjoy my 430. I travel all over the country and do a variety of riding. I put a throttle tamer on it when I'm in the Pacific NW technical. I like the larger displacement than the 350 for when I'm in the Rocky Mt.'s and riding at around 10K ft. It keeps the power up where I need it to lug my 260lb. carcass around. I'm down south right now and trying to figure out the sand and mud riding, so I'm not sure how a different displacement would work in this crap. So, I'm just going to go with "the 430 is the best for it too!"

I manage to do some hare scrambles and enduros wherever I go and even though I'm a 50+ C rider, I think the 430 delivers best for the all around different types of riding that I do. With gearing changes, throttle tamer, and tires being the only thing I ever change, I'm happy with my 430. Except for sand and mud. That crap just sucks! Can't wait to get back farther north into the rocks again.

[Sierra_rider]

3 hours ago, surfer-dude said:

Cuz he’s special

[Mckay]

Traded my 17 430 to my brother and picked up an 18 500. While the 500 is very nice, that 430 had something about it the 500 doesn't. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.