Interesting you say the XRE is slower. It appeared faster accelerating than the KLX to me but perhaps that credit is due to the crazy riders in Rio!

I was in Copacabana for a week, then Ilha Grande, now Paraty, next onto Sao Paulo. Your country is bonito! I also have respect for the urban riding skills of the bikers here; Lane-splitting taken to a new level!

 

EMS: the front end also reminds me of 'Spy vs Spy' from Mad Mag!

 

Aww, man. We could have gotten together. I´ve been to Ilha Grande once many years ago...very nice! Been to Parati when I was a kid a few times. If you think the traffic in Rio is crazy, wait until you are in São Paulo. A lot more bikes there.

Couple of times that I had a XRE taking off on a settle of lights, my KLX had quicker acceleration. Top speed is a different story, thou.

Yes, you could say lane splitting here is a little hectic.

 

Also seeing lots of "Betas" being used in supermoto & dual sport form for urban use in Buenos Aires. Anyone know about these? They appear reasonably well built...

 

BTW Malves, thanks to your country's "Brazilian BBQ" I am now 10lb heavier! I'll need to get a 351 kit to offset the additional weight I am now carrying around!

 

They're Italian. They've actually been around awhile and have been extremely competitive in the trials competitions in the U.S. In recent years they've become fairly well respected off road racing and dual sport bikes. They have a BYOB program...build your own Beta...in which they setup the bike and equipment per the instructions of the purchaser to suit weight, experience, preference, and use. Jimmy Lewis with Dirt Rider mag ordered one and loves it. I know some guys in the Rockies forum of ADV who've bought one and love them. Very much like a KTM...in fact up until '10 they used KTM engines. Their own in-house engines now seem very high quality.

 

TNC: what displacement are they? If it's the KTM motor, are they the 690? From the duke?

 

Here's the link:

Welcome to American Beta | American Beta

They are not KTM engines.

 

Good video here of Cody Webb riding his factory Beta in the Tennessee knockout this year. Unbelievable terrain.

Another vid of the same race from the sidelines. I think he took second in the event.

Cody riding the Beta trials bike

 

Thanks for the links gents. That's a pretty impressive array of sizes in both 2 & 4 stroke format; and some pretty good reviews too.

The 520RS dual sport looks like a capable machine at only 250lbs! Too bad it's $9300...