- Spanish trials and enduro specialists join the small-capacity ADV scene.
- Trials styling with longer legs makes it an interesting proposition.
- Being seriously lightweight gives real benefits, especially since there’s only 35hp.
Trials DNA meets the small ADV scene.
Beta has been making some serious headway in NZ over the past couple of years. Being imported by Salero Holdings (the same crowd that brings Triumph, Aprilia and other premium brands into NZ) means there’s now a solid dealer base and parts back-up, while the brand has also been doing good things in the off-road domain. But adventure bikes? The Alp is their only proposition when it comes to a machine with lights and indicators, and it certainly adds a bit of European flair to the small Adv genre. To be honest, I wasn’t really sure what to make of it when I collected it from NTB Racing, the Beta dealer in Hamilton. But with a “It’s really surprisingly good” comment from Henry as I loaded it into the back of the BRM van, it wasn’t long before I was pulling on my adventure helmet and heading for the hills.
Mash-Up: Trials Meets Adventure
I didn’t quite appreciate what a mash-up of styles the Alp was until I hit my first section of loose stuff and stood up on the pegs. Then, all the influences from Beta’s other products became clear, with their trials department seemingly having the biggest say in designing the new machine.
At the heart of the Alp is an all-new 350cc (yep, I know it’s called a 4.0…) water-cooled, single-cylinder powerplant producing a maximum output of 35hp. That’s slightly shy of the other main contenders in the small-capacity adv category, namely the CFMoto 450MT and Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, which both push out somewhere nearer to 40hp each. Still, the Alp has a secret weapon – less weight. If you’ve ever seen what trials riders can do with their machines, seemingly leaping over tall buildings with a nod of their helmet, that philosophy has worked its way through to the Alp, which tips the scales at a ridiculously light 140kg. Okay, that’s the dry weight, so you need to add 11 kg for the 11 litres the tank will take and add on a couple more for fluids, but that still means the Alp should be under 155kg ready-to-ride, and you really can feel it.
Lifting the Alp off the sidestand, the bike feels like a toy between my legs. It’s especially true when I first stand up on the pegs, and the Beta feels tiny beneath me, making it easy to navigate the loose surfaces and newly laid metal we were riding on. It was like riding a dirt bike with lights and indicators, making the Alp a whole heap of fun as the road got tighter, rougher or looser. But there’s a reason most of us don’t ride dirt bikes on the road, and it’s generally because of all the bits that made the Alp feel so good in the dirt…
Mixed Messages on the Tarmac
Sitting at 100km/h is easily achievable thanks to the Beta’s super-light six-speed gearbox (Beta claims a 130km/h top speed), although sitting there takes a bit of an effort due to the total lack of wind protection. The front-end looks space-age with the LEDs and angular headlight, while the TFT screen behind it is a tasty addition, providing plenty of information, though it’s a bit small. The speedo and rev counter are in pride of place, but the fuel gauge and engine temp are tiny, so I didn’t notice I was running seriously light on gas until it was almost in the red. A nervous 30 minutes or so trying to find a petrol station, then revealed the tank only took 8 litres (the tank holds 11 litres), and I’d checked it was full to the brim before leaving. So, don’t trust the gauge too much.
Having a 21-inch front wheel and 18-inch rear is the choice for adventure riders, so the Alp ticks the box there, with the standard tyres offering a decent off-road tread that looks similar to a Pirelli. They aren’t, though, but at least they look and behave like they are. On the road, I needed to be conscious of the block tread pattern and not push the Alp too hard in the turns, with the tread offering a decent hum when sitting at 100km/h and above. But it’s off-road where the tyres shine, with the aggressive blocks cutting into anything they could and offering excellent grip.
While having switchable maps is inconsequential when you’ve only got 35hp to play with, a flick of a switch on the left-hand switchblock changes the Road to Off-Road on the TFT dash. Following this with a decent prod of the ABS button at a standstill, the little Beta disengages the rear ABS, and well, that’s probably it, as I didn’t feel any dramatic difference in the power delivery. The ABS, however, is significantly different as I discovered while grabbing a handful of brake in loose gravel while still in Road and being greeted with an initial bite before the Beta’s brain opted to let everything go. So, swapping into Off-Road certainly pays dividends, with the ABS system now calibrated to handle reduced grip and doing an excellent job of providing decent stopping power even in quite sketchy conditions.
Deactivating the rear ABS gives you more control heading into turns, but I was continually fighting the light weight of the Alp as it meant there was often not much from keeping the rear from locking. Still, it was good for slides into turns, while the punchy little powerplant then tried its best to offer a bit of a skid on the way out.
Back on the road after a decent stint having fun on the gravel, and again it dawned on me how the trials infusion into the Alp makes it great at one thing, but doesn’t give it the versatility of others in the category. The pegs are high for additional ground clearance, which is fine, but the handlebars are low, making for a hunched stance – a set of bar risers would be a welcome addition. Then, sitting in the saddle soon reminds you that this is a dirt bike, with the narrow perch offering little in the way of padding. Yep, you’d have to be a masochist to ride the Alp on a long adventure. Either that or have a seriously tough butt…
The motor is perky and a heap of fun to thrash around, but the suspension is surprisingly soft, meaning that the advantages of the light weight and narrow stance won’t make this the sort of bike you’d want to tackle a trail ride at the weekend. Well, not if you weigh anything more than a jockey. If you are small in stature and think this could be the adventure bike of your dreams due to its lightweight design, you’d better have long legs, as the saddle is 865mm from the floor. See what I mean about the mixed messages and mashed-up influences.
Final Verdict: Fun, Flawed, and Featherweight
At $11,990 + ORC (currently on special at $10,495 + ORC), the Alp is as affordable as it is light, and that could well be the deciding factor for many. There’s no denying it’s a capable bike, and I’m sure there are riders out there who it will suit. A 6-foot-tall, 100-kilo adventure rider isn’t one of them, and that’s fine. But my smaller, lighter riding buddy on the day of the shoot was quite enamoured with the little Spaniard. Female riders, I’m sure, will love the light weight, and young riders will no doubt love the fact that this is probably as close as you can get to riding a dirt bike on the road – legally…
For smaller or newer adventure riders, the Beta Alp 4.0 is a refreshing, lightweight alternative that puts fun before finesse — and sometimes, that’s exactly what adventure is about. While bikes like the CFMoto 450MT and Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 deliver more power and comfort, neither can match the Alp’s effortless agility and playful personality.
So, if a mash-up of a trials bike with a six-speed gearbox and longer suspension sounds like a bit of you, then the Alp is well worth a look. For me, however, if Beta made an adventure bike using their 390cc or 480cc enduro bikes, then I reckon I’d be all in…
BRM Verdict
⭐ 7.5 / 10 – Fun, featherweight, and full of character.
Light, nimble, and engaging off-road, but too trials-focused for serious touring.
Beta Alp 4.0 specifications
ENGINE
Type: 348cc liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, single-cylinder engine
Power: 35hp @ 9500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed gearbox
Fueling: Electronic Injection
CHASSIS & SUSPENSION
Frame: Steel perimeter frame
Front Suspension: Hydraulic fork with ø43mm shaft
Rear Suspension: Monoshock with adjustable spring preload
Front Travel: 185mm
Rear Travel: 195mm
WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels: 21-inch front, 18-inch rear
Front Brake: 290mm disc
Rear Brake: 220mm disc
ABS: BOSCH ABS system (disengageable)
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTS
Seat Height: 865 mm
Ground Clearance: 270 mm
Dry Weight: 140kg
OTHER FEATURES
Fuel Tank: 11-litre capacity (2.3-litre reserve)
Instrument Cluster: LCD display showing fuel level, gear, speed, and other information
Contact: BETA NZ
