Beta at EICMA 2026 with the new RE 330

Beta is known as a specialist in enduro, supermoto and trials. At EICMA 2026 in Milan, though, the brand is showing something I really hadn't expected: a small adventure bike. The red RE 330 catches my eye the moment I reach the stand, and my first thought is what a nice addition this is to the adventure segment. For me, this stand is also a bit of a family visit. Next to the newcomer are the models on which my son clocked his first kilometres on the road, and they say a lot about why Beta is so sought-after among teenagers right now. There is one thing about the RE 330 I don't like, though. And that's a shame, because it makes Beta look worse than the brand actually is.

According to Beta, the RE 330 is a new adventure model on a completely new platform and the first step in a project through which the brand wants to grow in the adventure segment. It's powered by a liquid-cooled, four-valve, fuel-injected single with a six-speed gearbox. The steel frame carries a 21-inch front wheel and an 18-inch rear. Up front there's a 43 mm upside-down fork, adjustable for compression and rebound, and at the rear a shock with progressive linkage. Braking is handled by 300 and 220 mm discs with ABS. It can also be ridden on an A2 licence. Light, accessible, compact: a laid-back enduro adventure bike. I believe this is exactly what a lot of people want. Beta plans to release the final technical specs at the official presentation in spring 2027, which is also when the RE 330 is set to hit the market.

And then there's that one thing. According to Beta, the tank holds around 10.5 litres. For a bike pitched as a small adventure enduro, that's too little for me. I think Beta is making the RE 330 look worse than it actually is, because you can do a lot with this bike. With 14 or 15 litres in the tank you could get a lot more out of it, especially on longer tours. Apart from that, I like what I see on the stand: the adjustable fork, the compact dimensions, the full LED lighting and the bright red paint. Put bluntly: the package is right, only the tank holds it back. There's still some time until the presentation in spring, and I'm curious whether Beta will step up here. Anyone who likes travelling light and hassle-free should still keep an eye on the RE 330 right now.

The rest of the line-up is familiar: Beta is strong in enduro, supermoto and trials. The RR-series competition models have been revised for 2027; according to Beta, the RR Race four-strokes get launch control and a quickshifter, plus retuned KYB suspension. Where I live, the little Betas are standard kit for the village youth. My son had the 50 at 15, and now he rides the 125 in supermoto trim, albeit still the 2026 model year. If you want to be one of the cool kids as a teenager, image-wise you have to ride a Beta. The bikes are practically always sold out, and dealers hand them out like feudal lords. I don't know how trends like this start, but I can understand it. The design is simply insane. At 16, I'd have chopped off a finger for something like that.

My son is absolutely hooked on the brand. He rode 10,000 km in one year on his 50, all on a single piston. Unbelievable. Now he'll ride the 125 for two years and is already doing tours of 300 to 400 km on it, then comes the full licence, and then we'll do big tours together. A real motorcycle nut, my little son, who at 1.85 m isn't all that little any more. It all started at the age of three, four, five on electric trials bikes in the garden. They make no noise, the neighbour doesn't get worked up, even if the lawn afterwards looks as though a herd of wild boar had run through it. For me, that's the best thing you can give kids: real life, fine motor skills, time in the saddle instead of on the phone. Of course, it's still motorsport. Nothing has ever happened to us, and life on two wheels is a good life.

You can also watch the Beta stand as part of my four-hour walkabout of EICMA 2026 on the 1000PS YouTube channel. Beta comes up after just under an hour, this link takes you straight to the stand. You'll see the new RE 330 with its 21- and 18-inch wheels and the criticised small tank, plus the 50 and the 125 my son rides, and the story of the 10,000 kilometres on one piston. Before that it's LS2, and right after it's Sena and the new helmets with communication systems. In total, more than 40 stands await, with seat tests, stand chats and clear verdicts. Four hours of EICMA to catch up on, ideal for everyone who didn't make it to Milan themselves this year.

• RE 330: liquid-cooled four-valve fuel-injected single, 6 gears, A2-compliant, 21/18 inch, 43 mm USD fork adjustable, brakes 300/220 mm with ABS, tank approx. 10.5 l, full LED, market launch spring 2027
• RR Race 2027: two-strokes 125, 200, 250 and 300, four-strokes 350, 390, 430 and 480, four-strokes with launch control and quickshifter, 48 mm KYB fork and fully adjustable KYB shock