2 hours ago, dan williams said:

Why add a “bleed screw” to the top of the head? There has to be a better explanation than bleed screw. There’s already one on the pump at the bottom of the system.

Maybe they have an issue with trapped air in that location of the cylinder without it :shrug:... TRS has one in the same place fwiw. 

The manual and parts diagram refer to it as a "vent screw". When refilling the coolant, the screw is removed for the first stage of the fill until it overflows out of this hole, then the screw is replaced before the bike is held vertical (wheelie style) and the rad filled until coolant comes to the neck of the rad.

On 11/19/2017 at 9:38 AM, dan williams said:

Thanks to Heather for naming my new bike. Alrighty then. First impression from a section scouting ride not much section riding. It feels a lot like my 2013 300 EVO. Clutch is surprisingly progressive with no stick but pull is harder. Not surprising as the stock spacers have yet to be replaced. Handling and suspension seem very close to the ‘13. Tough to tell though as both ends are just starting to loosen up. The new rear master cylinder makes the rear brake a little more sensitive. Front brake is the same. Engine is still breaking in so it feels a little flat on top and bottom. I can feel a real difference not having the carbon reeds as I stalled quite a few times when the going got tricky where the ‘13 with the VForce carbon reeds would have just grunted and pulled me through.

The real shocker is how this bike shifts. The ‘13 has always shifted, well, like a Beta. Notchy, clunky and with a tendancy to drop out of second into neutral if I wasn’t careful to make sure I felt every bit of the shift mechanism clack into place before proceeding. The first crash I had on the ‘13 was from it popping out of second on a climb so it wasn’t just wear. The ‘13 has actually gotten better over time but it’s still clunky. The 2018 snicks into gear like a Japanese street bike. Just a short tap and it’s in a new gear. Downright freaky for a Beta rider.

The ignition coil is on the other side of the bike and the CDI seems very exposed dangling down from the right side of the frame. This makes the choke on the Keihin, once difficult to access, now impossible to access. The fuel shutoff is also now much more difficult to get at. The voltage regulator is mounted behind the headlight and is larger with a heatsink. The new stock footpegs are quite nice. The fuel filler neck has a vent tube along with the vent tube on the new gas cap. Brought to you by the Department of Redundency Department. The suspicion is things are being moved around to make way for a future fuel injection system. The larger regulator would certainly lean that way. 

So that’s about it from day 1. Still feels like the bikes I know and love. Now to start fettling to make it my bike.

Hi Dan, I see that you had installed Vforce carbon reeds to your 2013 model, is that the full cage and double reed assembly? (if so what part#)  or just the carbon reeds like boyseen sells? Thanks.

The model was V351C and they stopped selling them but I’m hoping they will start again because it really makes a huge difference in the power delivery off the bottom. Soooo good! It was the whole cage plus reeds.

I was talking about putting carbon reeds in last week when at splatshop. and was told the newer ones have carbon reeds as standard? 

Sure doesn’t feel like it. For years I’ve had people tell me Betas had carbon fiber reeds. The ones I put under the microscope were obviously fiberglass painted black. You can tell because the exposed fibers are clear. I’ll put in carbon reeds and have a look when I pull the stock ones out. 

Edited December 1, 20178 yr by dan williams

On 11/30/2017 at 9:12 AM, kiki said:

The manual and parts diagram refer to it as a "vent screw". When refilling the coolant, the screw is removed for the first stage of the fill until it overflows out of this hole, then the screw is replaced before the bike is held vertical (wheelie style) and the rad filled until coolant comes to the neck of the rad.

A few squeezes of the hose going to the head works just as well. Judging by how hard it is to access anything inboard of the CDI unit on the new bike it seems pointless.

40 minutes ago, dan williams said:

Sure doesn’t feel like it. For years I’ve had people tell me Betas had carbon fiber reeds. The ones I put under the microscope were obviously fiberglass painted black. You can tell because the exposed fibers are clear. I’ll put in carbon reeds and have a look when I pull the stock ones out. 

V351C are still available from some suppliers, but they are very expensive, 250$ compared to 60$ for the boyseen carbon-tech. Are they really worth the difference?

On 11/29/2017 at 9:39 PM, dan williams said:

Why add a “bleed screw” to the top of the head? There has to be a better explanation than bleed screw. There’s already one on the pump at the bottom of the system.

The pump one is a drain screw, the head one you undo when filling the coolant after a drain to dispel the air.