Main bearing failures on 2018 2019 2020 Xtrainer RR250 & 300

[Goatse]

It's curious why they would replace the cases? Has this been covered? Is this happening on both oil injected and premix models?

I'd imagine the bearing is seizing up, which causes the outer race to spin, which then damages the cases.

[Johnny Depp]

It's curious why they would replace the cases? Has this been covered? Is this happening on both oil injected and premix models?

I'd imagine the bearing is seizing up, which causes the outer race to spin, which then damages the cases.

Right, still seems unlikely, in most cases the bike would quit running I'd think before then. Either way Beta is really stepping up on this.

Oil injected models only having this issue?

[Twitch909]

Very interesting to see how they respond. I've been chasing up everyone's stories and reported them all in this vid: https://youtu.be/AJOE3I0Vc4M

It seems quite a few dealers are at least providing free parts or heavily discounted ones in some cases where the bikes are out of warranty, because the main bearings are a known issue.

In a few cases under warranty other dealers have tried to say it was the owner's fault e.g. they must have drowned the bike or ran it without oil - but the owners say they've done absolutely nothing wrong.

Update: Beta are covering the parts under warranty - Not labour, And hopefully I should have the bike back this week.

[betajuice]

Unfortunately I've had a pile of new cases reported since making a vid about this, most at low hours. One happened before even the first hour was clocked up, the rider barely got into the trail.

Initially there weren't many cases in the USA when I first started looking into this but it seems it is now more common. I've been told one Beta representative saying it could be as high as 10% of the two stroke models... apparently another said 1% which is more likely from what I can see so far.

Apparently the factory is staying tight lipped about the problem so distributors and dealers are trying to work out the issue themselves. Initially some were saying it was probably a dodgy batch of bearings but now they are leaning toward incorrect installation in the factory.

Also at first it appeared to be mainly 2018 models affected and I was hoping it had been fixed for 2019 models, but there are 2019 main bearing failures as well now.

https://youtu.be/KwxvaJwvz6E

[Goatse]

I just had my left main start Whispering to me 2 weeks before our first race. So instead of chasing around the noise, I split the cases. The bearing was clean, no rust, no play, but did make noise when I spun it by hand. The new one I had before splitting them was silent when doing the same.

After replacing it the bike is now silent.

2016 with 160 hours (150 when the noise started).

[Goatse]

now they are leaning toward incorrect installation in the factory.

TBH this actually crossed my mind when reading the manual. When closing up the second/left case side, they instruct you to just place the left side on, and use the bolts to snug it down. But AFAIK you're not supposed to use this method as it puts all that resistance/force directly into the center race of the main bearing.They do tell you to heat the bearing, but maybe buddy at the factory isn't being quick enough and the bearing is shrinking before being pulled in.

[betajuice]

Just an update on the original vid in the first post. I emailed a pile of questions about these main bearing failures in late model RR250, RR300 and Xtrainer models to Beta head office and the technical department in Italy, Beta UK, and Beta USA. Beta USA have responded, still waiting to hear from the others.

According to Beta USA:
- the cause has been an assembly problem at the factory (so not faulty bearings apparently)
- they estimate the failure rate at less than five percent
- they state the oil injection system has nothing to do with the failures
- Beta USA doubts that Beta head office will release a service bulletin due to the low rate of incidence
- they believe the issue has now been resolved and won't occur in the 2020 models. 

[betajuice]

As reported above, eventually Beta said there was an assembly problem.

Some months later Beta head office changed the reason to it being a supplier issue which would appear to put the blame back on the bearing supplier. I have spoken with mechanics about this and they are skeptical that such a well established Japanese company as NTN would have such poor quality control (and not have the failures reported in other brands too as it's quite a common bearing). 

The statement was made in an interview with Enduro 21. The relevant statement from Beta's marketing manager is below: 

Stefano Soldani: “We had a problem with the two-stroke 250 and 300 models, due to an error of one of our suppliers. It was not spread to all of the bikes produced last year but the ones that were assembled with the wrong batch that the supplier sent us were affected. We worked really close with our dealers and distributors and we gave complete support to the customers affected by it. We are not the kind of company that, when something is wrong, turns their face around. We know that the mechanics is not always perfect so it’s very important to give the correct service to the users. It’s under control.”

https://enduro21.com/index.php/40-general/4309-your-questions-answered-beta-s-2020-enduro-models

[betajuice]

GETTING CLOSER TO THE CAUSE OF MAIN BEARING FAILURES?
Trying to work out exactly why these main bearing failures occur has been tough. Initially Beta head office did not respond to our emailed questions. Then eventually making the issue public saw Beta USA push head office for an answer and they were told it was an 'assembly problem' but with no details. Then some months later head office changed to saying it was a 'supplier issue' and they were given a bad batch of bearings. A recent chat with a distributor indicates it's back to being an 'assembly' problem now.

Anyway, we might be closer to more detailed answer. In a small number of cases, Beta owners have had two or even three main bearing failures occur. In one of the latter cases, a Beta mechanic eventually discovered that the original 'assembly problem' reported by head office was that the engine case can warp too easily when heat is applied to make installing the main bearing easier (we assume this is only the left hand side which has an interference fit).

It seems the factory changed to warming up the left hand hand case on a hotplate instead of with a blow torch to prevent the case warping.

This would explain why some owners were having multiple failures in a row. We hope head office has made all Beta distributors, dealers and mechanics aware of this. Sadly we have heard some dealers still haven't even been informed about this main bearing failure problem. It would be good to see Beta head office issuing service bulletins to their distributors and dealers, as other major manufacturers do.

2020 MAIN BEARING FAILURES
Unfortunately it appears that 2020 Beta models are experiencing main bearing failures. Sources in Romania, South Africa and Australia say cases are still occurring although at this point it appears to be at about half the earlier rate... so possibly when Beta said they fixed the problem during the 2019 run it made a difference but wasn't a complete solution?

[throttle]

I just picked up a 2019 300RR that had this happen. Dealer was upfront about it. Completely new top end including the cylinder, crank plus mainshaft and of course new bearings and case seals all around. Original owner raced and put 10 hours on the new top end at the end of his season and I doubt he really broke it all in. Runs and rides like a champ for now. None of the casing pieces appears to have been changed out. This is the newest dirt bike I've ever owned but my 3rd 300cc, hopefully she holds up as well as my previous bikes that never need more than regular maintenance and top ends.