Beta’s first ever small bore four stroke motocross bike has broken cover in the form of the ‘entirely new' RX 4T 250 – and where MX leads, an enduro machine is bound to follow.

For now, a plated 250f from the Tuscan manufacturer is pure speculation of course, though they remain the only manufacturer yet to launch one, Ducati aside.

What is certain, is that while Beta are relative newcomers to the modern MX scene, joining the market in 2021 with the RX 300, their closed-course bikes have already taken over priority where initial development is concerned. With the new RX now fully out in the open, we wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a headlight-wearing version in E1 competition as early as next year, followed by a customer version ready for MY28.

We’ll put the question directly to the team at the upcoming fifth round of EnduroGP, so watch this space for more detail coming soon.

Available from July with pricing to be confirmed, the new model expands the Italian firm’s RX collection to a family of four, with the three existing bikes in the range gaining their fair share of tweaks for MY27, including a revised electrical package and motor changes to eke more power out of the 350 smoker – more on these alterations below...

All-new package

Back to the fresh-faced 250 however, and it’s clear that Beta have seriously pulled out the stops with their latest creation. Its dual overhead cam powertrain is an entirely new package (naturally) and, interestingly, it shares little in the way of architecture with its 450 big brother.

Unlike the larger RX, the cam chain is positioned on the right-hand side. There’s an improved closed-type impeller cooling set-up, a revised clutch with new bell housing, and the five-speed ‘box has been redesigned specifically for the job with new ratios. Thanks to a combination of thin-wall die-cast crankcases, magnesium engine covers and lightweight innards, the motor package is also said to be around 1.5kg lighter than competitors.

The electrical package is the most advanced Beta have offered to date, too, comprising a quickshifter, five-level launch control system, two-level traction control and dual engine maps, all controlled through a redesigned handlebar-mounted interface – these changes also carry over to the latest RX 450.

The chassis is equally new, with the mainframe sporting geometry tailored specifically to the more compact 250 engine. Among the changes is a new engine head mount layout, which Beta’s press blurb suggests increases stiffness while maintaining greater vertical flexibility, alongside a narrower rear wheel rim than the big 450. 

What will be familiar is the Nissin braking hardware and KYB suspension found elsewhere in the RX range, although here the latter has been tuned specifically for the 250 package.

RX family updates

Rounding out the changes to Beta’s wider moto line-up, the 350 2T receives a redesigned piston and new PVD-coated piston rings reduce inertia and friction, contributing to a claimed 1.5bhp increase. The RX 2T 250 also gets revised final-drive gearing, while both two-strokes benefit from updates to the silencer and electronics package. Aside from the above-mentioned electrical add-ons, the 450 also sports a new throttle body design. All RX models also benefit from a new front sprocket guard, chain guide, softer grips, and fresh graphics.

Coming soon

It shouldn’t take much to turn around an RR Race 4T 250 from the new RX and if Rignano sull'Arno's finest aren’t already beavering away at doing so, we’d be mightily surprised. Beta, if you’re reading this, please do get on with it – but only after you’ve finished homologating that 350 two-stroke for us... 

Photo credit: Betamotor