It’s been another crazy month of adventures with the Beta 300 Racing – and thankfully, no catastrophic breakdowns or new “exotic” noises beyond the usual symphony of abuse. This bike continues to chug along…

But there’s a bit of a pinging noise on deceleration lately. Does it sound concerning? Maybe. I’ve been reassured it’s nothing but a jetting issue that would be easy to fix if I was better at jetting a carby than I am. Does it stop me from riding? Absolutely not. It’s like that annoying rattle in your old ute – until it stops making noise, you know it’s still working. I’ll keep an ear on it, but for now, the Beta and I have an unspoken agreement to just keep going until one of us gives out.

The clutch lever is still bent from my daughter’s accidental lurch-launch last month. I’ve gotten used to it, though – it adds character now. Plus, it works, so replacing it feels unnecessary. The Beta’s tough; it clearly doesn’t mind a bit of roughness around the edges. Nothing else has broken.

This month’s highlight was a ride through my local hard enduro loop that recently got a fire-themed makeover courtesy of Mother Nature. Nothing like a bushfire to give your trails a fresh ‘apocalyptic chic’ aesthetic. All the underbrush and debris? Gone. The visibility was incredible – no more guessing where the next boulder would be hiding. Just me, the Beta, and miles of charred terrain.

The rain didn’t hold back, either. Wet, ash-covered trails? Slippery as a politician’s promises. But hey, sliding around on a two-stroke in those conditions? Pure joy.

Unsurprisingly, the clutch cover is looking like it’s been through a knife fight with a wolverine. Nothing serious, but it’s sporting some serious battle scars. The pipe is still straight, though it’s begging for a polish. It’s on my list.

Then there’s the chain, starting to take on that charming rust hue but it hasn’t failed me yet. Some of the sprocket bolts are getting a bit crusty too but they’re still strong.

All jokes aside, this bike is a tank. It’s taken everything I’ve thrown at it – rock climbs, slick descents, surprise fire-cleared trails – and just keeps going. The suspension’s still dialled in, the power’s still spot on and it continues to eat up hard enduro terrain.

Mitch Lees

MY24 BETA 300 RACING

RRP

$18,395 Ride Away

WARRANTY

Three months, parts only

DISTRIBUTOR

Beta Motor Australia

INTERNET

 

SO FAR

TOTAL HOURS 45

MODS THIS MONTH: None

MODS NEXT MONTH: Mitas Terra Force-EX MH Double Greens