What happens when you take five different categories of bikes and compare them head-to-head in the nastiest off-road terrain possible? Dirt Rider recently found out, as our 2014 Ultimate Off-Road Shootout pitted five very different machines against each other in an attempt to determine where each bike shined, where it came up short, and who each machine would be absolutely perfect for. The comparison included three four-strokes and two different two-strokes, ranging in size from 250cc to 450cc. Each category was represented by a different brand, with testing taking place over several different weeks in a variety of locations. In the end, our diverse group of testers had a clear idea of how each bike worked, and they were able to develop a logical ranking for the five motorcycles, the full breakdown of which can be found in the July 2014 issue of Dirt Rider magazine.
In this video, Dirt Rider test rider Gary Sutherlin explains a bit more about the Beta 350 RR, which represented the 350cc Four-Stroke category. Again, this is just a glimpse of the overall opinions that we developed throughout the duration of testing. For the complete story, grab a copy of the July 2014 issue to read more.
