One of the mantras around the Ultimate Motorcycling offices is, “Who is this motorcycle for?” While we have our preferences in motorcycles, testing a bike is about setting those aside to discover a bike’s purpose. Most bikes that run through our test garage are reasonably easy to understand and fit into established categories. However, the 2026 Beta Alp X is something else, and that makes my job just that much more interesting.
A little background on the Beta Alp line is in order. The first Beta Alp in the 1990s was patterned after the Bultaco Alpina of the 1970s—so much so that they have a similar name. It was a trials bike that was lightly modified—a seat and a larger fuel tank—to make it more of a trail bike.
By the 2000s, the Alp had abandoned its trials heritage and morphed into a dual-sport bike using air-cooled Suzuki 125, 200, and 350 DR-based motors. These were easy-to-ride dual-sport bikes aimed at casual trail riders. Suzuki finally pulled the plug on the carbureted motors from the 1980s, giving Beta an excuse to move the Alp fully into the 21st century. The 2026 Beta Alp X—and its 4.0 sibling we’re testing separately—starts from scratch with an all-new design with the X aimed at urban adventure.
- The new 348cc motor comes from China. Like us, you may not have heard of Guangdong Tayo Motorcycle Technology Company. As a self-described technology company, it has a robot-assisted assembly line, dozens of patents, and an impressive list of certifications: ISO 9001:2000 (quality management), China CCC (product quality), European CE and EEC (product safety for EU markets), Advanced Certified Enterprise (trusted international trade partner), and EPA—the last one being very important to us. It’s a thoroughly modern powerplant—DOHC, liquid-cooled, and fuel-injected—with its design a collaboration between Beta and the Tayo subsidiary Zontes.
- Rather than being a dual-sport bike, the 2026 Beta Alp X is an urban adventure bike. The first clue as to where the X slots itself is the wheelset. Instead of the standard 21-/18-inch combo for dual-sport bikes, the X has adventure-ready 19-/17-inch wheels with dirt-slanted Shinko Adventure Trail tires. Further, the suspension travel is less than eight inches at each end, putting it in the ADV range. In nods to the Alp’s trials bike heritage, the fork is a traditional design, the front fender hugs the tire, and the retro-round headlight recalls the Alpina. Also, rather than a protective high-mounted exhaust system, the header runs to an unprotected catalytic converter under the motor, which says ADV rather than dual-sport. Finally, the swingarm-mounted license-plate/rear-lighting unit further aligns with the ADV bikes. The footpegs have removable rubber inserts, which I never felt the need to detach.
- I did my testing within the Los Angeles city limits—and that still means some off-pavement riding. It’s a bit of a secret, but LA has unpaved roads—many within five miles of downtown. The legality of them is mixed, and while I (almost) never rode around a sign or locked gate—I couldn’t resist a couple of unmarked paths that beckoned. I tested the Honda CRF300LS on many of these roads. Though they don’t require a full-on dual-sport bike, the ADV-slant of the Beta Alp X suits them fine. There are also unmarked trails in the hills northeast of downtown, so I felt perfectly comfortable riding them on the X. As it turned out, people I ran across in the dirt didn’t have a problem with the quiet and distinctively styled Italian exotica I was riding.
- Weighing in at 331 pounds with the three-gallon tank filled, the off-road riding experience of the 2026 Beta Alp X is more dual-sport than ADV. The X, at 331 pounds with a full tank, is considerably lighter than adventure bikes like the KTM 390 Adventure (387 pounds) and BMW G 310 GS (374 pounds), though it’s about 20 pounds heavier than the dual-sport Honda CRF300L. However, with the chunky 19-inch front tire and relatively light weight, the Alp X feels like nothing else on the trail.
- The ergonomics of the X are casual dual-sport. The seating position is comfortable and natural, and the seat is more dirt-bike-firm than adventure-bike-plush. The shorter-travel suspension keeps the 33.6-inch seat manageable. As someone who rides plenty of high-performance dirt bikes, it feels relatively low. It helps that the X’s steel perimeter chassis is dual-sport narrow, which makes the bike easier to handle when I need to touch my boots down. New riders shouldn’t be put off unless they’re short. The 331-pound curb weight keeps the Alp X from feeling like a handful.
- On dirt roads and easy trails, the Beta Alp X feels planted. Shinko Adventure Trail tires put a large footprint on the dirt. While the block-pattern tire isn’t a full knobby, it’s predictable and far from a pure-street tire. Steering is heavy, and it took me some time to get used to it. If you put too much pressure into the grips, the X will oversteer past a certain point. Eventually, I adjusted to it, and the handling became predictable. New off-pavement riders will think it’s normal with no adaptation required.
- The short-stroke motor doesn’t give you the power delivery you would expect from a bike in this class. Part of the X’s appeal for easy off-road riding is the single-cylinder’s mellow throttle response at low rpm. In some ways, it’s too smooth. The soft low-end power means no snap to the throttle, so a quick power wheelie over obstacles is not going to happen. Instead, picking a good line is rewarded. The motor powers through smoothly, nicely matching the behavior of the wide tires.
- The suspension is cushy. Beta did not put anything near racing suspension on the new Alp X. However, they didn’t under-damp it, so the chassis doesn’t wallow on the trails. With the soft power delivery, the X is more about exploring at a relaxed pace, perfect for navigating trails while enjoying the view. If you want to go fast or get big air, Beta has a line of high-performance RS dual-sport bikes it will sell you, though we’re still waiting for the ’25s. The high-profile Shinko tires add to the comfort when trail riding and working your way down interesting dirt roads. Shifting the six-speed transmission is uneventful, and the clutch pull is light enough for long urban rides.
- The Alp X is steady as she goes off-road, making it all about exploring the unknown in urban and suburban locales without drawing negative attention. It doesn’t make a spectacle of itself, so it doesn’t provoke people who might generally be hostile toward motorcycles in unexpected places. I’m sure if I were ripping around on a Beta 350 RS, my interactions would be different. Sometimes, riding undercover is the way to go, and the X does just that.
- The 2026 Beta Alp X doubles as a fun commuter motorcycle. The 19-/17-inch tire combo works great on the street. The meaty tires put plenty of rubber on the asphalt, so you can confidently ride everything from rain-grooved urban freeways to twisty canyons. The 348cc motor is a short-stroke design, and its power resides in the top half of the rev range, allowing me to make (relatively) quick overtakes without downshifting—the redline is 10,000 rpm.
- With the throttle twisted, the motor willingly climbs to 90 mph on the freeway. The Alp X is planted at high speeds, though I get a faceful of windblast. When traffic is cranky, the X splits lanes like a champ. On surface streets, the X is agile without being skittish, and the long-travel suspension sucks up poorly maintained pavement and facilitates jumping curbs when needed. The seat height is just low enough that I can graze the soles of my boots flat on the ground at a stop—and the bike’s light weight keeps it from being intimidating.
- The 290mm front disc and Nissin caliper provide confidence-inspiring braking on the Alp X. There’s no snatchy bite, just a secure, linear reduction in speed as you squeeze the lever. Working in combination with the Shinkos’ footprint, I never had a moment when I felt I couldn’t stop quickly enough. Of course, the Alp X isn’t hugely heavy, which helps. The rear brake has good feel for when you need to supplement the front, or when finessing low-speed braking when coming to a stop. At speed, the rear ABS triggers occasionally. Also, there’s a healthy amount of engine compression braking from the thumper to work with, so I found myself rolling off the throttle to slow down when not in any kind of hurry.
- The 35-horsepower single has two power modes, though power delivery isn’t the biggest differentiator. Off Road is the mode I quickly settled on, regardless of where I was riding. According to Beta, the Off Road mode offers higher performance, while the Road mode gives incrementally lower fuel consumption at the expense of some throttle response. I switched between them, and they didn’t feel any different. Still, I’ll take Beta’s word for it that Off Road is more aggressive, and that’s what I want with a small engine—I don’t care about the mpg. Also, you can shut off the rear-wheel ABS in the Off Road mode, which I did in the dirt. So, Off Road mode it is, 24/7.
- ABS and power modes are managed via some unusual switchgear and a sometimes frustrating TFT dash. There is a dedicated left-thumb switch for the power modes and a button for turning the ABS on and off. Lighting choices are handled by an odd dome-shaped button with a knurled outer knob. When the lighting is right, the TFT looks great, including after dark. However, on overcast days, it’s virtually unreadable. The speed and gear position numbers are large, with the other fonts small and painfully thin. The fuel gauge can be hard to decipher in direct light, with only the alarming red marking at the bottom easily visible, even with a full tank. Beta needs to pump up the brightness.
- With a price tag of $6499, the 2026 Beta Alp X makes urban adventuring affordable. This is a motorcycle you can ride to work every day. On the weekends, you can do urban exploring, or venture into the hinterlands and get to know the local dirt roads. While you won’t be waxing anyone in the canyons, it’s still a fun ride in urban and rural twisties. A good motorcycle makes you smile. A great motorcycle puts a grin on your face that won’t go away, and that’s exactly what the Alp X does—what a deal.
Photography by Don Williams
RIDING STYLE
2026 Beta Alp X Specs
ENGINE
- Type: Four-stroke single
- Displacement: 348cc
- Bore x stroke: 84.5 x 62mm
- Maximum power: 35 horsepower
- Compression ratio: 12.3:1
- Valvetrain: DOHC; 4 valves
- Fueling: EFI w/ 44mm throttle body
- Cooling: Liquid
- Starting: Electric
- Transmission: 6-speed
- Clutch: Wet multi-disc
- Final drive: O-ring chain
CHASSIS
- Frame: Perimeter-style steel
- Front suspension; travel: Non-adjustable 43mm fork; 7.3 inches
- Rear suspension; travel: Linkage-assisted, spring-preload adjustable shock; 7.7 inches
- Tires: Shinko Adventure Trail
- Front tire: 100/90 x 19
- Rear tire: 140/80 x 17
- Front brake: 290mm floating disc w/ Nissin caliper
- Rear brake: 220mm disc w/ caliper
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
- Wheelbase: 56.7 inches
- Seat height: 33.6 inches
- Ground clearance: 10.2 inches
- Footpeg height: 14.6 inches
- Fuel tank capacity: 2.9 gallons
- Curb weight: 331 pounds
- Colors: Dark gray; light gray
2026 Beta Alp X Price: $6499 MSRP
2026 Beta Alp X Review Photo Gallery
