American Beta has released teaser photos of two new 2014 off-road models on its website, the 300 RR two-stroke and 450 RR four-stroke. Details on both machines have not yet been made available, but we can speculate a little about the 300 RR.
The 300 RR most likely uses a revised version of the all-new, carbureted two-stroke engine that the Tuscany, Italy-based firm introduced on its enduro models in 2013. These engines are manufactured, assembled and tested in‐house by Beta, and they are claimed to be equipped with the latest generation of two-stroke technology to help them develop smooth and linear power. We doubt that the 300’s bore and stroke has been altered from the perfectly square 72 x 72mm of the 2013 model, which, according to Beta, provides the best combination of power delivery and a torque.
The crankcases are made by die‐casting, to obtain lightness and stiffness simultaneously, and they are entirely machined in‐house to ensure quality and accuracy. They also feature magnesium covers to minimize the total weight of the engine. The crankshaft is a two-piece unit with polyamide inserts for proper balance and to minimize volume in the crankcase, which can rob power. A forged piston uses two rings to reduce rotating mass yet keep the top end sealed tightly. Its die-cast, Nikasil-coated cylinder is angled at 90 degrees to keep the rotating mass close to the center of gravity. The cylinder also is equipped with a resonator to improve power delivery at low rpm to keep the 300 RR user-friendly in tight, low-speed off-road sections.
The 2014 300 RR will also likely make use of the Beta Progressive Valve system (BPV), and exhaust valve designed to progressively and independently open the main exhaust port and booster for a broader powerband and to eliminate any hitches the torque curve, while also providing optimum top‐end power. The BPV is also adjustable to allow riders to tailor the engine’s power charter.
We’re less inclined to speculate on any changes or revisions made to the 2014 450 RR or the rest of its four-stroke line, but both bikes are definitely easy on the eyes, and we’ll have more information on these and other Beta models as soon as we have it.
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