Enduro21 takes a closer look at a bike shop build of the popular Beta Xtrainer 300 – could this be the ultimate Xtrainer?

A visit to your local bike shop is never a bad thing, this much is a given. Friendly faces, supporting the same family business, the banter, the hub of knowledge and of course the parts, kit and bikes.

The small but busy John Lee Motorcycles in the UK midlands, run by brothers Chaz and Jack, is exactly that and without wishing to make this personal, it’s a bike shop Enduro21’s editor has been heading to for four decades, man and boy.

The reason to point them out here on Enduro21 is their experience in off-road sport extends to bike builds to meet customer requests and recently that has included this gem of a Beta Xtrainer.

As Beta dealers they’ve experienced the popularity of the Xtrainer models since their inception as a bike for the masses. Like many Beta dealers the standard bike is one they rarely keep hold of in the shop for long.

But, it’s a pretty common for Xtrainer owners to upgrade their bikes, keeping the easy-going nature of the stock bike but pampering it with better suspension, carburation and exhaust and plus some hard parts.

Which why the boys decided to build this ultimate special fitted straight out the shop with pimping parts ready to liven-up the Xtrainer from its cheap base to become something close to its full potential.

“The idea isn’t to make it into a race bike but add longevity to it,” says the man on the tools, Jack, “to let it breath and perform better and make it more useful.”

“We found people were buying the bike and wanted to add these parts off the shelf so we basically put together a bike with all the bits we thought it should have.” Adds Chaz. “To let it achieve its potential if you like. Anyway, we sold that first one pretty quickly and people keep coming back for more.”

Suspension upgrades

The highlights on this ultimate Xtrainer are the IMS 11.5 litre tank, upgraded KYB forks and Ohlins shock, and Boano header pipe/expansion chamber.

The 48mm closed cartridge KYB kit are the same length as the standard forks and transform the handling compared to the stock set-up which is soft and lacks control. The kit in fact comes complete from Boano with their triple clamps and already set-up to suit the customer weight.

Along with the Ohlins rear shock, the suspension has been developed to suit the Xtrainer to give you much better damping control and firmer springs to suit the customer weight and riding preference.

Tanking

The IMS 11.5 litre fuel tank speaks for itself with additional fuel range and, we think, adds the to the good looks of the build. Like most of the parts shown here the tank can fit both the 300 and 350 Xtrainer models.

Boano parts

If all the above transforms the handling the saucy, raw header pipe from Boano also transforms the motor. Lighter, freer revving is the aim (as well as looking sweet).

But the pipe is the icing on the cake which is backed-up by some meaningful changes in the airbox and to the carburettor.

Using the RR model air box top cover, air filter cage and air filter basically allows this XTrainer to suck air better. Hidden inside the carburettor also is a jetting kit to match the exhaust too.

All this livens-up the way this 300 Xtrainer motor can do its thing without ruining the tractable and usable nature of Beta’s engine.

By the way, you can have it fitted with the separate oil tank which his standard on the Xtrainer or you can remove it which means premix fuel in the IMS tank.

They also stuck with the standard silencer in part to stop the price escalating too much but also because it is the airbox, jetting and header pipe which make all the difference here.

Non-standard parts list:

KYB 48mm closed cartridge fork kit

Ohlins rear shock

Boano rear disc protector and brake caliper hanger

Boano chain guide/rear sprocket protector

Boano triple clamps

Boano clutch slave cover

ZF Racing final drive plus new sealed chain

Boano Fresco expansion chamber/header pipe 

Beta RR model jetting and airbox lid 

You might ask why do this to an Xtrainer and not just buy the RR Racing Beta? The clue’s in the name – not everyone wants the full-on race bike and the Xtrainer is a genuinely lovely, rideable bike on trails and for anyone not-so-serious about racing enduro. A great play bike many call it and the JL crew have just up-graded the scope for playing. 

More information: www.johnleemotorcycles.co.uk

Photo Credit: Enduro21