from 300RR to X-Trainer lots of ?

[katoom400]

been riding my 300RR racing edition for 3 seasons now and love it. I'm ready to freshen up and I'm considering trying a X Trainer. My terrain is really tight and technical for the most part very rocky. There are a few sections where we can open it up but they are mainly transfer sections. I do 2 dual sports a year that are better suited for big bikes but the majority of the time I'm in 2nd gear! I love the seat height of the 300RR and with the X trainer an inch lower than that I may be able to run a tall seat and give my bad knees a break?

I know the trainer doesn't have the top end of the RR, but I rarely use top end in my trails, mainly on transfer sections and roads. I rode 200's for years and loved them for my terrain, plenty of power for the tight nasties even with my fat ass on board @200lbs naked. They even did decent in Hancock NY which was fast trails with huge hills!

with the bike's lower seat height how is the ground clearance especially the pegs?

There are a few guys in my area that are riding them and seam to love them. I know the suspension is the weak link for sure. but I have 2 sets of showa conventional twin chamber conventional forks setup for my RR that might be able to slip into the Xtrainer? (if the clamps are the same diameter...I suspect they are different?

the next question is the shock, as I don't know anything about it? I heard some guys are replacing with the Fox Podium?

as far as goodies, the 300RR is just starting to see some real aftermarket attention so how much is available for the X trainer now?

skid plates,
rad guards,
plastic
pipes/pipe guards
seats?

[Vspec]

Pretty much everything is available for the Xtrainer and some of your parts from the 300 may swap over.

From the 300 the Xt, you are trading off top end and suspension.

[GMP]

Andy you can swap a 300RR pipe back and even fit a 300RR Force guard then. XT pipe is what primarily neuters the bike.

[wwguy]

I love my XT for tight technical trail riding here in the Idaho mountains, especially in the rocky terrain near the timberline at higher elevations. I'm 51 years old 6'2" and 205 lbs wet. I'm probably closer to 240 lbs or so with riding gear, pack, water, and chainsaw. I initially considered an RR for the superior suspension but in the end opted for the XT due to the low seat height, ridiculously tight turning radius, and smooth power characteristics out of the crate. I've installed the Fox Shock with 6.1 kg spring and upgraded the stock fork springs to .88 kg. I also ride with a Scott's stabilizer and Tubliss at 6 psi. With this combo it's a mountain goat but the forks are still weak for anything beyond 3rd gear at mid RPM. The Scott's BRP SUB mount and Fastway pegs mounted in "lowboy" position gave me the cockpit room I needed for my taller frame.

Beta says a factory fork upgrade solution is in the works and is "coming soon". (I've recently verified this first hand from Beta USA.) I've also explored fitting KYB SSS or Sachs OC shocks with an RR triple clamp and XT stem etc. but am averse to the expense vs. value returned. So for right now I'm waiting to see what Beta introduces in coming months.

Not sure about your Showa fork specs but generally speaking folks fitting KYB or Sachs forks to the XT require a new lower triple clamp with proper offset and an XT steering stem pressed in, axle, axle spacers, and custom brake caliper bracket. Those fitting the Sachs forks from the RR have been getting by with just the RR lower clamp with an XT steering stem.

Published ground clearance specs for the XT are the same as the RR (12.6") but my experience has been that the XT sits lower with a rider on board due to the soft rear shock. The Fox Podium shock yields much better valving performance than the stock shock and the stiffer spring helps too. But it's still a small shock built for a small bike, unlike the RR shock. Frankly there's no room to install a larger shock in the XT's smaller frame. Running Tubliss at low pressure also drops any bike a bit closer to the ground.

Regarding parts: The Xtrainer has unique frame, gas tank, plastics, and suspension. Everything else is pretty much interchangeable with the RR. Aftermarket parts and accessories are readily available and can be viewed on the Beta dealer's parts websites just like the RR parts.

I'm glad I bought the bike and really love riding and modifying it. But if I had it do do over again today, knowing what I know now, I may have found better value in buying an RR with a good suspension and then lowering and detuning it to characteristics similar to an XT. Reading your post the XT sounds like a good fit for your type of riding too, as long as you're okay with possibility of needing to invest in suspension upgrades.

Below is a photo of me on my bike for rider size reference. (Apologies to forum regulars for trotting this photo out again.)

Hope this helps!

[katoom400]

thanks for the detailed write up and picture! very helpful.

I just saw Barry (BetaJuice)'s latest video, and i am impressed how he raves about the cross trainer in the technical terrain after having owned a 300rr, and most recently a 480.

My buddy has a freeride and a xtrainer and as soon as my shoulder heals (tore my rotator cuff in the gym last night....arghghhhh)

I'm going to get a test ride on both....interestingly he likes the freeride better which is the opposite of most folks opinions I've read online. he says the suspension on the xtrainer is crap at anything over 2nd gear (which I kinda knew), but one of his biggest complaints is the low skid plate and foot peg height which is definetly something to consider.

[katoom400]

another question since I would most likely be looking at upgrading the forks is the triple clamp diameter top and bottom as well as offset? compared to the 300RR....

my Showa forks are setup to slip right into the 300RR clamps but put the axle offset 5mm forward which is not desirable. I was going to try and adopt a set of ktm 14mm offset clamps I have by using a beta stem in them.

[GMP]

Seems to me like it would be easier, flexible, and more effective to turn a new 300RR into an extreme terrain bike than go the other way with the XT. I never rode one but from the length and rake I would think stability is questionable at dual sport speeds especially Hancock type stuff. Or keep your '14 and add the XT.

[katoom400]

Seems to me like it would be easier, flexible, and more effective to turn a new 300RR into an extreme terrain bike than go the other way with the XT. I never rode one but from the length and rake I would think stability is questionable at dual sport speeds especially Hancock type stuff. Or keep your '14 and add the XT.

you might be right Glen! Probably not enough of difference between the 2 to justify the change.....If I had the money I might keep the 14 300RR as the extreme bike, and ad a 480 for the dual sporting/fast rides, I've always been a fan of smaller bikes for our rocky slow terrain...I've even considered the new KTM 150 XCW for our trails....it might just be the right tool for the job! sometime you need a scalpel and other times a sledge hammer.......If only I didn't have 2 kids and a wife going into college.....

[betajuice]

Seems to me like it would be easier, flexible, and more effective to turn a new 300RR into an extreme terrain bike than go the other way with the XT. I never rode one but from the length and rake I would think stability is questionable at dual sport speeds especially Hancock type stuff. Or keep your '14 and add the XT.

sounds like good advice glenn! nowadays i deliberately try to avoid the fast stuff and focus on slow harder terrain so the beta xtrainer suits me well. but at 93kg i'd definitely be up for a stiffer spring in the front and rear, and probably a revalve too.

i mentioned on another post a mate just had his xtrainer suspension overhauled at 50 hours, the mechanic said just as well he did. part of the reason for the xtrainer's low price is the budget suspension, and it does wear parts faster. various doodads were well worn at 50 hours and needed replacing... a RR300 would go substantially longer (although 50 hours in pretty normal for an overhaul anyway).

once the suspension is set up correctly, apparently ground clearance should be the same as a RR300, or so i'm told. it's just the soft springs that means most guys will get less clearance on the xtrainer apparently.

[GMP]

It's just something to consider case by case after analyzing each bike for what it really is and trying to avoid the emotions of new bike fever clouding judgement. No right or wrong answer. I've got the fever and I'd love to have speciality bikes but for now the 300RR with KYBs is it and does a pretty good job, and I like my '13 motor better than the '14+. A Beta 200RR would be a really cool bike. I loved my KTM200 (older, when they had balls) motor except the vibes but hated the rest of the bike. Build that in a proper size frame and forget the XT. I have Shane's woods modded KX125 I should ride for a change of pace.

Andy WTF is going on in that gym? Kyle's back and knee, your shoulder now? More injuries training than riding!