Beta Alp 4.0 Topics

[Paul K]

I’ve just acquired a brand new Beta Alp 4.0 and hope to glean some information from other users of this bike.  I’ve done the standard tweaks that you do, e.g. handguards, skid plate and front mud flap, but what else to do and where to start.

First off.  I failed Litton; bummer .  The Observer says “We’ve only had one failure and that was an outfit that didn’t make the bend at the start”.  Well, that’s the kiss of death to me .  I watched about four other solos clean Litton on tyres that couldn’t have been less than 15 psi.  I got to about three-quarters of the way up in 1st gear on about 15 psi in the rear tyre and just ran out of grip, bike went sideways and I fell over .  The one excuse I can make is that I was very aware of the sensitivity of this section and didn’t want to churn up the section so took it slower that I might have.

So the questions are would I have been better in 2nd gear; should I be tampering with final gear ratios; what gear was anybody else using to clean Litton; and what tyre pressures?

All answers gratefully received as it’s quicker than experimenting once a year.

[Jason Potts]

Beta alp?   

You dark horse. Didn't know you'd bought one of those. I was looking to get one but couldn't find any for sale. Just the 200's. They've got the dr350 air cooled engine. Very reliable. Nice.

I was taking with a guy who owns a shop near Warwick. He had one for sale but had just sold it when I called. He bought and sold trials bikes and didn't rate it at all. But he is into one day trials where gas gas is king and has never done an LDT. I think these 4.0 betas sound ideal so let me know how you get on with it Paul.

Sounds like you needed more gusto on Litton. Do you think you would have got up it with your 400?

[Paul K]

Sounds like you needed more gusto on Litton. Do you think you would have got up it with your 400?

Don't know to be honest.  I don't have a good record for surfaces and gradients like Litton .  I either go too fast, can't control the bike, then fall off; or; go too slow, run out of grip, then fall off.  Paddling is unusual; falling off is the usual result .

Hence the need to develop the bike to it's ultimate potential.  I'm not prepared to admit any inadequacies in the rider .

[Stephen Bailey]

Hi.

Yes Paul and me have had a lot of information exchange.

14t front 52t rear. 12-10lbs pressure on the road and most hills. Let down to 5Lbs for Litton and Hoskins. (and possibly some others).

First Gear on all hills.

Carry Co2 cylinders and spare valve caps.

Foot rests 3 inches further back.

An excellent MCC Bike.

[Tim Kingham]

My Beta alp (2000) sits in the garage since it stopped at the Carsington water halt in 2017 and did not run again
Alp experts tell me "It could be your electronic box, we cant test it you will have to fit a new one (£250) to see , of course it may be something else"
Its a very competent machine it got me a silver for the first time in many years it has a illuminated tesco salad box to hold my rote card-very swish
But it lacks some charisma and that's what I need on a wet night with every signpost saying "South Moulton 8 miles"
I will either have to mend it, sell it or wait another 7 years until its VMCC eligible :-)

[Mark Gregg]

why not ask a competitor/mcc member to whip one off his running bike or ask those nice folks in silsden if they have a spare they can lend you to diagnose the problem. lampkins always very helpful with my beta.

[Paul K]

My Beta alp (2000) sits in the garage since it stopped at the Carsington water halt in 2017 and did not run again
Alp experts tell me "It could be your electronic box, we cant test it you will have to fit a new one (£250) to see , of course it may be something else"

Have you tried asking John Lee & Sons Motorcycles (assuming they're not your 'Alp experts')? They're just down the road from you in Higham Ferrers.  I found Chas very helpful when I bought the 4.0.

[Tim Kingham]

I agree John Lee good guys but...
The  replacement was their suggestion

[Stephen Bailey]

Are Gordon Farley's in Guildford too far from you? They may be worth a phone call.

[Paul K]

Tim, as we’re going off topic here, I’ve opened up a new topic for the Beta Alp 200 and put some of my thoughts for a solution to your problem in that http://www.themotorcyclingclub.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=189.0

[Stephen Bailey]

Oh.... And Paul. I Never needed a Sump-guard…. Or used a front mud-flap..... They are just unnecessary weight.

Do the modifications mentioned and use much lower tyre pressure and you should get up most things.   

[Paul K]

I like my sump guard and spent too much time making it to admit it was a waste of time .  As for the mud flap; I doubt it weighs 10 g.

I’ve been tweaking the Beta Alp.  After the Edinburgh Trial, I decided the seat height was still too high.  Too be honest, I would probably only be happy with a seat height approaching that of a road bike .  Anyway, I investigated what I could do.

The front suspension was easy; I just raised the stanchions 15 mm in the yokes.  Job done .  I couldn’t go any more because the stanchions start to abut the handlebars.

The rear suspension looked more interesting.  Two plates link the swinging arm, rear shock and the frame.  So by altering the position of the holes in these link plates, I can move the swinging arm closer to the seat.  Removing the manufacturer’s link plates to free the swinging arm, I worked out there was only a certain amount I could move the holes before the rear wheel fouled the bottom of the mudguard .

The result is two new 6 mm thick link plates that move the rear wheel spindle 40 mm closer to the seat .  And it'll still stay upright on the side stand; shows how much it was leaning over before the mod.


Fig 1 Beta plate on the left; new plate on the right


Fig 2 New plate installed

[Stephen Bailey]

Yep... You only need about 2mm further offset in the end hole in the link plate.

It will also make your suspension much softer...

[Paul K]

It will also make your suspension much softer...

Even better

[Stephen Bailey]

Have you got it ready to go now?