2018 Beta Factory Evo 300 2T - Too much for a novice trails rider?

[AndyGingerKent]

Folks, 

Newish to trails - I had a 2012 Beta 2T for 12/18 months and got on ok with it but sold it due to working abroad.

I was going to try and pick another up but missed out.  There is a locally sourced 2018 Factory Evo 300 2T available but I am wondering how wild they are.  I am not in a position to have a test ride and nor do I know anyone in the trials community that I could blag a ride on one from. 

It has an aftermarket head on to alter the compression (blue anodised SR3 - you may know what that means) to smooth out the bottom end power delivery and I could put a slow action throttle on for the time being.

I have been riding for 25yrs+ ; road, track, green laning (and I appreciate trials is a different animal) but is the 300 2T a vastly different animal to the 250 for a relative novice at trials?

I am not looking to be jumping up rock faces, launching across upturned skips and being a Toni Bou but nor am I looking to launch myself into A&E on Sunday afternoon - just easy trials sections, skills building at pay and play areas and maybe some short green laning with the VRM slapped on.

Any experienced words of wisdom?! 

[totty79]

Some 300s are vastly different to a 250 but in my opinion the Beta isn't, I'm not a great rider and I can easily ride them back to back without having to over think it. As standard they're fairly tame, nice smooth and torquey low down, a bit livelier than a 250 if you're heavy handed but they aren't aggressive. If you're a chug along on low down torque kind of rider the 300 may be preferable, if you're a bit rev happy then you might actually get on better with a 125.

Unless you're happy to change it you may need to ask more about the head. It's the head insert that matters not the cover, you can see it around the spark plug, they may do a blue insert but I only recall seeing silver, red and gold. I think the standard insert or the low comp would be best.

Edited November 15, 2021 by totty79

[dan williams]

S3 do make a blue head cover but that's just the water jacket. The actual compression is set by the insert and they only come in low (yellow) stock (silver) and high (red). You can see the color of the insert as the color of the metal ring the spark plug goes into. A 300 is rideable for a new rider but it can be a handful as in when it goes wrong it can go wrong very quickly. It is also more tiring than a smaller bike. 

[AndyGingerKent]

Totty, Dan - Thanks for your input.  Yes, I think its a lower compression thingymejig under the cylinder head wich will probably help.

Anyway - bought it!  Pick it up on Tuesday

[Eric_ILNA_Racing]

My experience on the subject.

So I’m near 50, and got into trials early this year after 30 odd years of road and road racing. Bought a 300 Ossa (yeah, I know) because I like the techno, I like having something different, and it and it was cheap.

First up, I really wondered what everyone was on about, 300s being so hard to ride. I found it a pussycat, bumbling around mountain trails.

I then bought a 125 gas gas something for the GF’s lad to ride with me. And about then I started heading more towards proper organized trials.

Well, straight away I found that I could ride the sections so much better on the 125. Throttle sensitivity, power delivery, all that was much easier on the 125. In short, I was finding that the little bike just forgave my errors much better.

Anyway, now about a year in (and riding 2 -3 times a week), I’m starting to go back to the 300. Ideally, I think a 200 would be the best all-rounder, but I’m not ever finding the big bike intimidating, just that it can be a little more demanding. I tend to train more on the 125 if it's free, and compete on the 300 (in S3 level)

So, I don’t think that it makes a huge difference for a mediocre competition rider, and someone just playing around on green lanes even less. If you want to progress quickly, it’s a minor handicap, but not something that really poses a problem.

[Tiewrap]

We have several bikes at home, so I can spend some time on them.

Beta 2007 250 4stroke : I do not like this bike, forced myself to get used, but still not like it. The power is the hardest to control of all bikes, heavy and lump.

Beta 2012 125 : i really like this bike, light and easy, but getting more experienced quite difficult due to shortage of power. Also very picky with the gears. When power is not really needed it is a very pleasant bike.

 

2016 Vertigo Combat 300 : if it runs I absolutely love it, the power makes things easy, however it is absolutely not agressive or anything like that.  Because it responds so wel on the throttle it makes things easy, gives me trust. 

If u want to learn trials I would not walk away from a 300.

[Westcoast]

Sorry to resurrect a aging post.  I am curious how you're making out on your bike. I am 1 year into a 2017 300 2T (my first trials bike) and I love it.  After 4 months riding it completely stock and on the recommendations of experienced members of my club I installed a black (slow) throttle tube and a S3 low compression insert (gold colour).  It moved the bike away from being overly snappy and jumpy beast into a completely predictable well behaved machine.   And another bonus, it starts up much easier now, even in gear!  It was a good bike before but now its smooth and amazing. No detectable loss of power either.

[AndyGingerKent]

Hey Westcoast, 

its going good! I’ve had the same done to mine as yours; slow action throttle and an S3 head. It feels a really nice bike to ride.  I’m blown away by the traction and how it finds grip on the very slippery ground where I’ve been riding - clay soiled woodland. 
I love it.

I have no doubt she WILL kill me if I give her the chance.  At the moment I’m using third gear a lot, it just feels good for getting used to the bike and pushing my own skills of tree log hopping and steep inclines. 
Twas a good choice I think. 

[Westcoast]

1 hour ago, AndyGingerKent said:

I have no doubt she WILL kill me if I give her the chance.  At the moment I’m using third gear a lot, it just feels good for getting used to the bike and pushing my own skills of tree log hopping and steep inclines. 

Twas a good choice I think. 

Awesome! yes the mods were night/day with me.  And agree completely on 3rd gear.  Feels perfect about 90% of the time with me too.  Only on really tight stuff I'll drop down to 2nd now.  I feel I got a good bike too.  Enjoy as much as possible!