T
he 200cc engine size Enduro bike has
traditionally been a big seller in NZ,
because they are just so easy to ride yet
still bloody capable. Without a doubt, absolute
giant killers in the right hands too. Back in the
mists of time, I remember Mark ‘Tadpole’ Davis
and Terry ‘TC’ Cameron absolutely laying waste
to all opposition on their Yamaha and Kawasaki
200cc machines. On one particularly memorable
occasion, Tadpole kept Brian Patterson honest
on his KX500 for the whole of the T100… and
that track wasn’t without the odd 160km/h
straight in those days.
More recently KTM’s 200EXC built a similar
reputation as all-conquering, easy to ride,
highly capable and also perfect for the rider
of smaller stature. Until recently that is because,
sadly, they aren’t made any longer. This brings
us rapidly on to the 2020 Beta 200RR. The
Italian-made Beta is an all new machine from
the ground up, thoroughly modern and looks
to have an excellent build quality.
48 KIWI RIDER
Late last year we got to throw our legs
over the full range of Beta Enduro bikes
near Thames. I’ll just say we came away well
impressed. You can read about them all
in the link if you missed the test.
While I particularly liked the biggest four-
stroke – yes, I’m ‘that guy’ – a lot of our team
were really singing the praises of the 200RR.
In fact, Mark Fuller, having had a quick ride,
immediately put money down on one and took
it home with him. Now Mark is a guy that has
been racing and winning on 200s for around 40
years. He is a dead-set 200cc legend. Trust me,
if it’s good enough for him…
Anyway, it’s certainly a very grunty wee
beastie with two power modes. The power
mode button, well placed on the back of the
steering stem, gives two quite distinct power
deliveries. Rain mode is the more tractable of
the two and very enduro-like, suitable for slick
terrain. The Dry mode has a real MX, go-fast
feel to it with strong, aggressive power.