Rev vs Evo?

[NoTraction]

I hope this is the right place to post this....

I'm in the market for my first trials bike for many years (53 now), I've never done it competitively and want to take it up.

I've been watching the classifieds like a hawk the last few weeks and am agonising a bit.... I've pretty much decided I want a Beta from what I've read but the agonising part is the price difference between an older Rev and a newer Evo. 15 year old Revs seem to be priced anywhere between £1400 - over £2k in some cases which seems steep for an old bike whereas I've seen much newer Evo 250's for between £2 - 2.5k.

To be honest, I was hoping to get going on about £1500 to see how I got on, ideally with a 200cc bike. 200's are thin on the ground and the difference between what sellers are expecting for an older 250 and something half the age makes me think I should up the budget. I'm sure 'Lockdown Frenzy' has a part in it but I don't know what used values were like before.

So, question is. Is the Evo a much superior bike and worth me investing more to start with? Whatever I buy I will keep if I get on with the sport. I'm honestly not trying to be a tightass, but you start out with a budget, need to watch the pennies a bit.... I've been advised to buy the best I can but then I have to keep a lid on it but it seems the difference between older and much newer is 'only another few hundred quid!' It'd be great to hear from Beta owners who have experienced both to help me make up my mind what to do. Decisions decisions....

Thanks in advance.

[Alshine]

Newer is better. Spares for the Rev’s can be hard to get hold of. 
Both good bikes. 

[midgy]

Hi there,

I owned a 200 Rev3 but it was sold for a newer 200 Evo.  I found the Evo a long time to get used to and even many years on I sometimes wish I still had my Rev3, as I found it to be a really good bike for my age and experience.

 

[ChrisCH]

We bought a Rev 3 to share (me and missus).  After a short while she hogged it all the time and so I bought the TRS.  We upgraded her to the Evo shortly after.  Apart from the issue of spares the main difference I notice with the Evo is it has better handling.  The Rev needed fork compression to get the front wheel up and the Evo is much easier IMHO.

Now to be 120% fair it is possible that the additional time and practice just mean I ride better and I am being unfair to the older bike.  There is a guy at our club has a Rev 3 and rides very well so the bike certainly is capable.

The real issue IMHO is the older the bike the more people have "repaired" it and so the more it is likely to be defective somehow.  I am sure if you find a good, well looked after Rev 3 it will be better than a neglected Evo, but the odds are not in your favour.  Our shared bike had a sawn up nail in the Mikuni carb to stop the flooding (read the Beta forum about that carb).  Also the cold stick on the clutch was worse on the Rev.  Not reasons to avoid one but just my experiences with the older bike.

[lineaway]

 Besides parts availability, the evo turns far sharper.

Edited September 23, 2021 by lineaway

[NoTraction]

1 hour ago, ChrisCH said:

We bought a Rev 3 to share (me and missus).  After a short while she hogged it all the time and so I bought the TRS.  We upgraded her to the Evo shortly after.  Apart from the issue of spares the main difference I notice with the Evo is it has better handling.  The Rev needed fork compression to get the front wheel up and the Evo is much easier IMHO.

Now to be 120% fair it is possible that the additional time and practice just mean I ride better and I am being unfair to the older bike.  There is a guy at our club has a Rev 3 and rides very well so the bike certainly is capable.

The real issue IMHO is the older the bike the more people have "repaired" it and so the more it is likely to be defective somehow.  I am sure if you find a good, well looked after Rev 3 it will be better than a neglected Evo, but the odds are not in your favour.  Our shared bike had a sawn up nail in the Mikuni carb to stop the flooding (read the Beta forum about that carb).  Also the cold stick on the clutch was worse on the Rev.  Not reasons to avoid one but just my experiences with the older bike.

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your input yet again. I have, however, finally agreed a purchase on a bike this afternoon! It’s a 2008 Beta Rev in really nice nick from the look of it. Can’t say too much more until I get my grubby mits on it physically but it’s sensible money and I’m pretty excited about it. Hopefully I’ll have it early part of next week

[Goudrons2]

The 2008 Rev3 was the last of the line and some of the niggles were sorted, mainly they dumped the dribbly Mikuni and fitted a Keihin carb for the 2008.

I ended up binning the Mikuni on my old 2007 Rev3 and fitted a Dellorto VHST, it really did transform the bike as I believe the Keihin did for the 2008.

There were some frame issues with the early Evo's, I think it was limited to the 2009 models, a lot of frames were replaced due to cracking. I seem to think they moved to "Hydro Formed" frames shortly after.

 

Ok, they didn't sort every niggle with the 2008, the clutch is prone to dragging and sticking, but you'll find the same can be said of the Evo's.

 

You need to run them of 98 ron fuel, otherwise they'll knock and bang due to pre detonation.

They do like a well packed silencer, they can sound and feel a bit airy and rough if it's all burnt away. They should sound like they have a solid "bark".

The rear Paioli shock can suffer, it can go all squidgy and leak. I believe there's a rubber bladder that seperates the gas from the oil and that can split. Getting one rebuilt was very hard 15 years ago, probably impossible now but there are afterrmarket alternatives that won't break the bank.

The case the water pump fits in has been known to rot away. Coolant seems to eat away at the metal and into the gear oil. Not sure if it's due to wrong coolant or not. Also the impeller will often look like a dogs chew toy. There is a kit with a bigger, metal impeller and spacer that works really well.

 

Rev3 Stators can fail which leaves you with no spark. You can get them rewound by Bradford Ignitions. Plenty of info around about testing them.

 

In the wet, water and mud can get up past the rear shock around the top mount and get into the airbox.

You can pack around the top of the shock with an open cell foam, that keeps most of it away from the airbox.

 

With the exception of the carb, I seem to think pretty much everything else is interchangeable with Rev3's between 2002 onwards (maybe they might have changed the caliper early on aswell)

The 2000 and 2001 had a different airbox design which had a different seat/rear mudguard, but the rest of the models the plastics are interchangeable, even the plastics from the Rev 4T will fit bikes between 2002 and 2008.

 

Edited September 24, 2021 by Goudrons2

[ChrisCH]

14 hours ago, Hughie said:

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your input yet again. I have, however, finally agreed a purchase on a bike this afternoon! It’s a 2008 Beta Rev in really nice nick from the look of it. Can’t say too much more until I get my grubby mits on it physically but it’s sensible money and I’m pretty excited about it. Hopefully I’ll have it early part of next week

Cool.  I hope it is OK.  The post above pretty much covers all the issues.  I found the rear tyre rubbed a bit on the silencer can and that was a common problem IIRC.  If the can is good just make sure it is spaced a little away from the wheel with a longer bolt and some washers.  Again there is some good info in the old posts on the Beta forum.

Feed it well with good clean fresh petrol and a top end oil - they don't use much so cheap crap is false economy.  Nano Trans in the gearbox will help with the clutch stick too.

[NoTraction]

1 hour ago, Goudrons2 said:

The 2008 Rev3 was the last of the line and some of the niggles were sorted, mainly they dumped the dribbly Mikuni and fitted a Keihin carb for the 2008.

I ended up binning the Mikuni on my old 2007 Rev3 and fitted a Dellorto VHST, it really did transform the bike as I believe the Keihin did for the 2008.

There were some frame issues with the early Evo's, I think it was limited to the 2009 models, a lot of frames were replaced due to cracking. I seem to think they moved to "Hydro Formed" frames shortly after.

 

Ok, they didn't sort every niggle with the 2008, the clutch is prone to dragging and sticking, but you'll find the same can be said of the Evo's.

 

You need to run them of 98 ron fuel, otherwise they'll knock and bang due to pre detonation.

They do like a well packed silencer, they can sound and feel a bit airy and rough if it's all burnt away. They should sound like they have a solid "bark".

The rear Paioli shock can suffer, it can go all squidgy and leak. I believe there's a rubber bladder that seperates the gas from the oil and that can split. Getting one rebuilt was very hard 15 years ago, probably impossible now but there are afterrmarket alternatives that won't break the bank.

The case the water pump fits in has been known to rot away. Coolant seems to eat away at the metal and into the gear oil. Not sure if it's due to wrong coolant or not. Also the impeller will often look like a dogs chew toy. There is a kit with a bigger, metal impeller and spacer that works really well.

 

Rev3 Stators can fail which leaves you with no spark. You can get them rewound by Bradford Ignitions. Plenty of info around about testing them.

 

In the wet, water and mud can get up past the rear shock around the top mount and get into the airbox.

You can pack around the top of the shock with an open cell foam, that keeps most of it away from the airbox.

 

With the exception of the carb, I seem to think pretty much everything else is interchangeable with Rev3's between 2002 onwards (maybe they might have changed the caliper early on aswell)

The 2000 and 2001 had a different airbox design which had a different seat/rear mudguard, but the rest of the models the plastics are interchangeable, even the plastics from the Rev 4T will fit bikes between 2002 and 2008.

 

That’s brilliant, great info there! Thank you! 😀

[NoTraction]

40 minutes ago, ChrisCH said:

Cool.  I hope it is OK.  The post above pretty much covers all the issues.  I found the rear tyre rubbed a bit on the silencer can and that was a common problem IIRC.  If the can is good just make sure it is spaced a little away from the wheel with a longer bolt and some washers.  Again there is some good info in the old posts on the Beta forum.

Feed it well with good clean fresh petrol and a top end oil - they don't use much so cheap crap is false economy.  Nano Trans in the gearbox will help with the clutch stick too.

Cheers Chris! Exciting times! 😀