Ryan Nitzen | May 27, 2024
A race to the finish line must begin with a single step. In motocross terms, that single step starts years prior, with manufacturers taking on research and development, testing, quality control, and a lot more before the public gets to swing a leg over the bike. Beta is the newest contestant to enter the MX arena with its highly anticipated 450 RX motocross machine.
Photography By Ryan Nitzen
While new to motocross specifically, Beta is no stranger to the motorcycling community. The Italian brand got its start in the early 1900s and has seen success throughout the years in nearly every off-road racing discipline. Beta carved its niche in the trials world before racking up titles and trophies in the World Enduro series. Now, Beta’s taking a crack at the motocross side of things, which started with a 300cc two-stroke motocrosser in 2021. The 450 RX four-stroke model made its debut during the 2021 MXGP season. We laid eyes on the “production” version for the first time at the 2022 Motocross of Nations at RedBud in Michigan. Now, in 2024, we finally get to ride it for ourselves.
Beta’s first full-on motocross attempt is impressive. With a little suspension fine-tuning, the new 450 RX is competitive right out of the crate.
What Do We Have Here? | 2024 Beta 450 RX Review
The Beta’s striking red frame, black swingarm, sharp plastic, blue rims, and works-looking exhaust system scream exotic. If Ferrari made a dirt bike, it would be the Beta—only the new Ducati will likely challenge this bike as the most “Italian” in the future. Beta spared no expense on its first go-around and specced this bike out with the good stuff. We’re talking KYB front and rear suspension, hydraulic clutch, steel frame and Excel wheels. Add in a five-speed transmission, an in-depth ECU with traction control and dual maps, and an electric start, and you have specs that rival (or beat) other names in the current 450cc class. Fully fueled, the RX tipped our scales at 250 pounds. It’s a little on the heavy side but in the ballpark.
The Beta feels factory with its coated covers and resonance exhaust chamber.
Riding The RX | 2024 Beta 450 RX Review
While the RX is “all-new,” it still looks and feels like a Beta. You can feel its off-road heritage. The ultra-flat seat, flared shrouds, transparent tank, footpegs, and steel frame are all reminiscent of Beta’s off-road models that we are very familiar with. Overall, the ergos are neutral, but you know you’re sitting on something different.
A fuel-injected 449.3cc engine powers the new RX, and it’s essential to understand the other sizes the brand currently offers. Beta sells a 430 and 480cc option in their enduro race bikes, and at first, you might think the 450 is just splitting hairs between the two. Wrong. We were reassured by the Beta brass that the new 450 is its own unique powerplant. The 97mm bore lies somewhere between the 430 and 480, but the compression ratio is higher than that of both other bikes. Also, the counterbalancer, valves and piston are different, and it does not have the cases for adding a kickstarter. The fuel injection, timing, and ignition are specially tuned for motocross rather than enduro. Similar, yes. The same, no.
The RX engine still feels smooth and incredibly linear, even with its MX-targeting. Our test riders had mixed opinions on that. Our vet rider felt the bike did not have enough torque for that “third-gear lug,” which the 40-plus crowd loves. He felt the Beta needed to be shifted more often than expected to keep it in that sweet spot. But he also felt this makes the bike feel very controllable, reiterating Beta’s “Rideability” mantra. Vet riders should consider the RX for a confidence-inspiring engine package.
Faster riders will quickly learn to carry speed and use every bit of the Beta revs.
Our pro-level rider echoed the same sluggish feeling off the bottom but worked around it by revving the bike high into the rpm range. This made the bike fun to ride and made good use of the Beta’s impressive power. Overall, he said, the bike felt more like a high-strung 350 than a torquey 450. Faster riders may feel forced to keep the RX cracked open to maintain the power’s meat.
“I need to carry my speed like a two-stroke and ride it way up in the revs,” he said.
He also noted that the Beta carries its power well past our normal shift points on the Glen Helen circuit, a track that we are very familiar with. We could roll third and fourth gear much further down the straights than anticipated. What the bike gives up on the bottom, it makes up for on the top end. The 13-47 gearing combo plays to this more prolonged top-end feeling, and bumping up the teeth in the rear might be the easy fix if you want more low-end pop.
The Beta has two pre-programmed engine maps. The sunshine icon on the button is the standard setting, and the rain icon is for slippery conditions, which softens things up even further. We found traction control unnecessary because rear-wheel spin-ups weren’t much of an issue in the first place; it only affected the first and second gears. It’s nice to have, but we predict it will be rarely used.
These days, most riders like to tone down their modern-day 450cc motocrossers, but with the Beta, many will want to spice up their 450 RX a bit, and an ECU adjustment and a slip-on exhaust muffler should do the trick.
The map and traction-control buttons are located on the bar pad.
Suspension | 2024 Beta 450 RX Review
Beta outfitted the RX with KYB suspension components, with a 48mm fork and a 50mm shock. They are fully adjustable, of course. The high-end KYBs complement the steel frame nicely. You get just the right amount of chassis flex and excellent absorption for the smaller chops. The suspension components are good stuff, but we felt the specs from the factory were a bit off. The fork is too soft for aggressive motocross riding, and the rear end feels too stiff out of the gate. Simply put, the balance is off. But since this is Beta’s first attempt at a full-blown MXer, we’ll cut them some slack for letting their off-road expertise trickle into the RX. We stiffened up the fork and opened the high-speed damping a half-turn in the rear. This was a step in the right direction. The bike held up better in the rear with less squat and could absorb and drive through the bumps noticeably better while under hard acceleration. Both potential and comfort are there, but fine-tuning it to your liking will take some time.
The Beta corners well without any glaring faults. Its forte are the flat turns; very controllable and stable.
The RX likes to be revved more than most 450cc MX bikes.
Wrap Up | 2024 Beta 450 RX Review
Beta did well with the 450 RX for a first effort, and there are plenty of positives to discuss. The “mellow” power character makes the bike very rideable, and vets will appreciate its user-friendly personality—while still longing for a bit more bottom-end. Having handy items like adjustable engine maps and traction control also puts it on par with other bikes in the class. The steel frame easily absorbs chop, and, as mentioned, the bike rails the flat turns. The Beta’s fit and finish are top-notch. We were impressed with the RX’s coated parts, toolless seat removal, quick-access air filter and seemingly overall soundness of its build.
Ain’t she a beauty!
Overall, we can’t complain too much. Given Beta’s off-road background, the RX’s softer suspension and mellow engine character aren’t surprising, but for some, they might be a blessing. The RX resembles a striking blend between an aggressive off-roader and a soft motocrosser. It would likely tear things up on an NGPC or GNCC track.
Every journey starts with a single step, and Beta makes that initial move towards its quest for a Pro Motocross or Supercross win. With more time under their belt, we are confident that the Beta battalion will have a sharpened weapon ready for the next 450 shootout.CN
2024 Beta 450 RX Specifications
| MSRP |
$10,999 |
| Engine Type |
4-stroke, single |
| Displacement |
449.3cc |
| Bore x Stroke |
97×60.8mm |
| Valvetrain: |
4-valve |
| Cooling System |
Liquid |
| Starting System |
Electric |
| Fueling |
EFI, dual-map Kokusan with Traction Control |
| Throttle Body |
46mm |
| Transmission |
5-speed, |
| Clutch |
Hydraulic, adjustable diaphragm multi-plate |
| Frame |
Molybdenum steel / Double Cradle w/ push button seat and quick air filter access |
| Subframe |
Aluminum |
| Front Suspension |
KYB AOS 48mm |
| Rear Suspension |
KYB 50mm |
| Front-Wheel Travel |
12 in. |
| Rear-Wheel Travel |
11.8 in. |
| Front Wheel |
21 in. |
| Rear Wheel |
19 in. |
| Front Brake |
Single 260mm disc, Nissin caliper |
| Rear Brake |
Single 240mm disc, Nissin caliper |
| Seat Height |
37.2 in. |
| Ground Clearance |
13 in. |
| Footpeg Height |
16.1 in. |
| Fuel Capacity |
1.8 gal. |
| Weight (wet, measured) |
250 lbs. |
