Motorcycle specifications Benelli502 TRK 2018 A counterpoint to the adventurers

The first version of the 502 TRK promised Benelli's arrival in the medium-trail-road segment. In 2017, the (highly Chinese-infused) Italian brand moved beyond projection to realization. Between the presentation and the final version, little has changed: the production 502 TRK adopts better brakes, with radial piston calipers instead of 2-piston axials, and a lower bubble height. Light and moderately powered, the little TRK is an adventure solution for A2s. But will all these "reasonable" solutions be enough to make it in today's highly qualitative, must-have category?
While the benchmark is still the BMW R 1200 GS, there are other ways to get a taste of the trail, and sometimes in a ballsy way. Benelli understood this long before anyone else, and offered us big watts and almost nasty sportiness with the 1130 Tre-K. The name hasn't been forgotten, and has been given a new lease of life with the imperious 502 TRK. A wiser version of the big brother? No, a completely new machine. It doesn't claim to be as fiery as its forebear, and has its sights set on other segments: above all, the A2 license.

clearly, Pesaro's exaltation is not the priority of the brand's Chinese owners. The BN 302, Tornado 302, and this fresh representative of the trail mid-size category bear witness to this. A choice that may prove profitable, as there are not many in this division. The 502 TRK finds itself in direct confrontation with the Honda CB 500 X. And it uses the same weapons. The engine is a brand-new 500 cm3 parallel twin from Benelli. Modern with its double ACT, liquid cooling, 4 valves per cylinder and fuel injection, the engine is perfectly in line with A2 legislation: it delivers 47 hp at a maximum speed of 8,500 rpm. Maximum torque is not too high: 4.6 mkg at 5,000 rpm.

ordinary adventurers will consider this a medium-displacement mill, sufficient for daily use and weekend excursions. Yet it looks lost under that big fairing. The Benelli 502 TRK has poise, shoulders, desire... and copy. Inspiration from the Ducati 1200 Multistrada is obvious, sprinkled with BMW GS. A muscular, menacing, prickly, impertinent look that will not go unnoticed in the jungle of adventurers. An assertive design that will have to be defended by the performance expected from it; the category is implacable.

The 502 silk-screened on the flanks might have made you smile at the 1200s on the road, dreaming of forests and sand; this production version has turned into a cipher. A little more detail reveals that the TRK has no intention of pretending. Its 20-liter fuel tank, combined with the appetite of its medium-sized twin-cylinder, should offer some nice stages. Both frame and swingarm are made of tubular steel. A correctly sized windscreen should offer clear protection; combined with small side deflectors, please! 50 mm upside-down forks, adjustable suspension, 320 mm discs, 6-speed gearbox, LED lighting, handguards and hydraulic clutch. A famous slogan says "it's got it all". Weighing in at 213 kilos dry, the Benelli 502 TRK's 135 mm of suspension travel will enable it to tackle any challenge. The standard 17-inch tires are 120 and 160 wide.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos