2020 Beta 500 RR-S

The Beta 500 RR-S is the Italian manufacturer’s flagship dual sport bike. Even though the 500 RR-S’ displacement is actually 478cc, it’s still the largest engine in Beta’s street-legal dirt bike lineup; the others include the 430 RR-S, 390 RR-S, 350 RR-S, and 125 RR-S.

Beta doesn’t want just a piece of the dual sport market; it wants to produce the best street-legal dirt bikes on the planet. Did it? For our 2020 street-legal dirt bike comparison, we bumped engine size from 450cc to 500cc and headed south of the border to Baja California, Mexico, to see which motorcycle reigns as king. Stay tuned to cycleworld.com in the coming weeks to see if the Beta 500 RR-S can take the coveted victory.

Competition for the 2020 Beta 500 RR-S would include the 2020 KTM 500 EXC-F, 2020 Husqvarna FE 501s, and 2020 Honda CRF450L. With its retail price of $10,899, the 500 RR-S is priced $500 lower than the 500 EXC-F, $600 less than the FE 501s, and $500 more than the CRF450L.

Beta’s flagship dual sport bike received a major overhaul for 2020. The most notable updates to the 500 RR-S include a redesigned frame, an all-new engine design, and an updated subframe, seat, fuel tank, and bodywork.