THE RIDER – EBONY NIELSEN – BETA AUSTRALIA
I’m from the Glasshouse Mountains but I’m now living in Kingaroy Qld. I started riding at about five years old on a XR50 and then racing the Demo class on this bike at Coolum motocross at about six or seven. After upgrading to a 65cc I gave away riding until I was about 12 and began racing enduro when I was 13.
I crossed paths with Beta in Australia late in the season in 2023, I had been keen on trying a Beta for a while. When the opportunity arose to be a part of the team, I couldn’t say no.
The new twin spark 300 Racing is a really smooth bike to ride, I have been gelling with it really well. It had a lot of torque for the hard enduro and plenty of go about it for the faster style races.
This year I hope to achieve my ninth Queensland Enduro Championship, compete at a high level in the Silver category in the Australian Hard Enduro Championship and complete my first full season of Australian Off-road Championship.
THE MECHANIC AND TEAM MANAGER – Ash Martin
I do all the initial prep of the bikes before the season gets started and have a base setting that works for each rider. When the season gets underway, the maintenance of the bikes throughout the year is the responsibility of the riders and their preferred mechanics in their state.
Each rider is very hands on with their bike, but they do get support from fathers/partners during race days for filters etc.
Ebony’s bike is equipped with a range of impressive features and upgrades. It boasts Beta anodized red front brake and clutch master cylinder covers, along with Beta MX style start and stop switches. The cooling system is optimized with a Beta silicon radiator hose kit, AXP extreme radiator braces, and a Beta thermo fan kit. The bike also has a Beta red clutch slave cylinder guard and a Beta kickstart kit for reliability.
The bike also has AS3 factory wide footpegs and a brake snake. It is further protected with Polisport swingarm protectors and Kustom MX graphics. The drivetrain benefits from an AXP extreme chain guide and an AS3 alloy rear disc guard. The controls are secured with AS3 brake and clutch slipper clamps.
For hard enduro conditions, the bike is equipped with Tugger straps front and rear, a high volume water pump kit, and an AXP extreme skid plate. The exhaust system is protected by a P3 carbon pipe guard, and the engine is fortified with AS3 factory clutch cover, AS3 factory ignition cover, AS3 water pump cover, and AS3 power valve cover. The bike also features Neken handlebars and grips for better handling.
For traction and performance, the bike is fitted with Pirelli tires and Nitro Mousse platinum mousses, which provide plush performance ideal for hard enduro riding.
Ebony has the usual hard enduro wear and tear on the bike when riding that discipline. The bikes are very stock from a performance perspective. Most of the parts added are for protection to ensure reliability during the extreme conditions the riders can face at the race events. The suspension is the stock KYB components with valving to suit the rider’s preferences. Ebony’s two-stroke is completely stock even down to the jetting.
5 THINGS WE DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT EBONY.
1. Racing the 2022 ISDE in France is her greatest achievement.
2. She finished third in the Women’s Trophy Team at the ISDE.
3. This year she hopes to achieve her ninth Qld Enduro Championship
4. Loves hard enduro as well as off-roads
5. She is 26 years old.
