DUAL-SPORT IMPRESSION: BETA ALP

[MotoFactory]

Beta is as guilty as anyone. Dual-sport riding is on the brink of becoming inaccessible to people who work for a living. With prices surpassing those of motocross bikes and most street bikes, the street-legal dirt bike world is rapidly becoming an elite playground for retirees and the independently wealthy. That’s why the Beta Alp exists. This is a legitimate EPA- and DOT-approved dirt bike from Italy that’s licensable in all 50 states. Most important, it sells for $6490.

There are two versions of the Alp. The Alp 4.0 is a little more dirt-oriented with an 18/21-inch wheel combo, while the Alp X has 17/19-inch wheels and different bodywork. Both have a low front fender, but the X has a snug rear fender that goes up and down with the swingarm. You can plainly see that Beta has been thinking about bikes like the Honda CRF300L Rally. The two Betas have the same price as the Honda Rally and offer a little more performance.

Beta assembles the Alp in Italy with parts from all over the world.

ONCE UPON AN ALP

Years ago Beta imported another bike that used the Alp name. That model was loosely based on a trials bike, but had a seat and a larger fuel tank to appeal to the trail-riding market. Since then, the name has been used for a European four-stroke, but the 2025 version is all new. The motor is an Asian, six-speed, 348cc, DOHC single with fuel injection that is said to produce 35 horsepower. The chassis is steel, and the front suspension is made by a Spanish company called Olle. The fork is about as basic as can be; it’s a conventional coil-spring unit without clickers or preload adjusters. Same goes for the shock. It’s non-rebuildable and has only preload adjustability. The front brake is Nissin, and the rear brake is a proprietary Beta item. Clearly, parts for the Alp come from all over the world. How much comes from China? Some, but the assembly is performed in Italy. The VIN number indicates an Italian-made product, and many of the individual parts have “Made in Italy” clearly labeled.

The Alp X has legitimate adventure potential. Even though the fuel tank is only 2.9 gallons, the range can be stretched over 200 miles.

The bike has some pretty hi-tech features, like multiple engine maps and anti-lock brakes, which can be disabled on command. The TFT screen has multiple displays that can be scrolled through with a handlebar switch. The main screen has a digital speedometer, an analog tach, fuel level, temperature, an odometer and trip meter.

The Alp X is the more street-oriented of the two, with taller gearing and lower-profile tires.

ALP X

Riding the Alp X is about as unintimidating as can be. It allows virtually anyone to touch the ground on both sides. The X is about a half-inch lower than the Alp 4.0 because of the lower-profile wheels, but the main reason for the seat height is the fairly limited suspension travel (7.3-inch front, 7.7-inch rear). That means you can’t get too aggressive in the dirt. In addition to being short, the suspension is soft. That’s fine. The main reason this bike exists is to cruise trails and dirt roads. The motor is great for that. It’s surprisingly torquey for a 350. It will chug around like a 600. It doesn’t make a lot of power on top; redline is 10,000 rpm, but it doesn’t like going there. In the dirt, you can switch maps (Road or Off-Road can be selected on a handlebar switch), and you can turn off rear-wheel ABS. The two maps aren’t very different. When you’re dealing with this amount of horsepower, there’s no such thing as an aggressive power delivery.

The X is a blast on smooth dirt roads. It has a wide contact patch with its Shinko adventure tires, and that makes it hook up well in a straight line and slide predictably in turns. On legitimate trails, though, it has limited ground clearance, and you have to be very careful with that floating rear fender. It can be damaged easily by rocks in more severe off-road terrain.

Clearly, this is the bike that’s meant more for the road. The top speed isn’t bad. We never did a Bonneville speed run, but when it gets to freeway speed, it still has some power left for long uphill grades and passing trucks. 

The motor for both versions of the Alp was designed in Italy, manufactured in China, then shipped back to Italy for final assembly.

 

The Vee Rubber tires are surprisingly capable in the dirt.

 

Cycle News editor Kit Palmer on the Alp 4.0.

ALP 4.0

Even though there aren’t many mechanical differences between the two bikes, the 4.0 looks and handles more like a traditional dirt bike. The wheels are larger in diameter, and the tires have a narrower aspect ratio. That makes for more ground clearance and lighter steering. On top of that, the Vee Rubber tires have fairly aggressive knobs for DOT tires. They are just short of being full-blooded off-road tires and are even more capable in the dirt than the Continental TKC80s that come on KTM’s elite dual-sport bikes. Between the decent rubber and the mild power delivery, traction isn’t an issue. The Alp 4.0 is also geared slightly lower than the X, which makes it easier to ride at low speed.

You will, however, run out of everything if you push the limits. Neither of the Alps is a race bike. Between the power output, the soft suspension and the 300-pound weight, there are limits to the places you can go and the things you can do. If you pick up the speed, rev out the motor and smash the whoops, you feel like you’re just abusing the Alp. To be fair, the motor doesn’t complain and nothing scary happens, but it’s clear that the bike was never intended for that kind of riding. It’s important to choose your battles carefully. When you pick your riding partners, shy away from the guys with bikes like KTM EXCs and Beta’s more elite dual-sport bikes. Pick on Kawasaki KLR300s and Honda CRF300s, and you’ll be fine.

The post DUAL-SPORT IMPRESSION: BETA ALP appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine.

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