Benelli TRK 502
Cheaper and more refined than before
Benelli recently relaunched its 500cc adventure tourer the TRK 502 in India and aside from the now BS6 compliant motor, this new TRK does the unthinkable by being cheaper than the bike it replaces by almost Rs 30,000. In a segment where you have motorcycles like the Versys 650 and the brand new Honda 500X, this new price revision is the crucial differentiator so we decided to head out and re-evaluate the TRK’s value proposition.
Like it or not, the TRK 502 will not be ignored. Adventure tourers are supposed to have road presence and that the Benelli has truck loads. It’s no trickery either, in almost every dimension that matters (be it length, height, width or even wheelbase) the Benelli is far ahead of the competition. The front end gets the traditional ADV beak that seems to funnel air into two strategically placed air-dams that feed the massive radiator. The sinewy 20-litre fuel tank adds to the TRK’s presence. The TRK’s final flex is an outer roll-cage that skirts the body with well-built knuckle guards also making their way onto the 2021 bike, just in case it wasn’t butch or imposing enough already.
Shod with 17-inch Pirelli Angel GT touring boots with alloy rims, the standard 502 is a very road-biased motorcycle. Not that it’s unwilling to go off the road, but, this is a motorcycle that’s meant for the highway. Eagle-eyed folks will figure that the rake is a tad too aggressive for an outright off-road machine, but it serves a purpose, something we will broach when we talk about handling. Saving graces in terms of ergonomics, come via the 800mm seat that keeps you closer to the floor and tucked in behind the visor. It’s a large seat pan with plenty of cushion, so even long rides should not be that much of an issue. What works against all of this is the TRK’s massive proportions. Thanks to what seems like a generous use of metal and high quality (better than before) plastics the Benelli weighs down on the world with 235kg. Moving the bike about in parking spaces is a task, drop it and you’re going to need to deploy some lifting techniques
to ensure that you don’t rupture a hernia in the process.
Powering it all is a BS6 compliant 500cc parallel-twin that’s good for 47bhp and about 46Nm of torque, ideally, that should have been enough. Here is the thing though, unlike most adventure tourers and torque biased cruisers the Benelli uses a 360degree crank. The result is a wider rev-band that goes all the way to 9,000rpm, spreading the torque super thin. The feeling is most acute when you’re trying to break free of pesky inertia that’s being reinforced by its massive kerb weight. On the plus side, the wide power band paired with tall gears make the Benelli quite pliant on the highway. Sixth gear will let you cruise at 60kmph with ease and will go all the way to an indicated 170kmph. The motor is quite refined as well, but some vibes do still manage to find their way in when you’re really sending it. Benelli has always been excellent at tuning the exhaust and the TRK is no different. It’s an engaging whirr at idle that just piles on in terms of pitch as you make your way through the rev-band.
Suspension duties on the TRK are handled by a massive 50mm inverted telescopic fork up front that’s not adjustable while the rearmono damper can be adjusted for both preload and rebound. I didn’t
find the need to poke around with the damper, it seemed to have the right amount of damping for a single rider without luggage straight out of the box. Throw some corners at the 502, and you’re going to be happy that it weighs about the same as a small moon, it’s a tall motorcycle after all and that weight helps to keep things tidy to a certain extent. Then there’s the sharper rake, paired with wide bars that offset the momentum of the motorcycle and make it relatively easy to steer even when the corner is sharper than you expected. It’s not going to be slicing through corners like a hot katana but it’s more than enough to get by with comfort.
At Rs 4.70 lakhs, the 2021 TRK 502 is by far the most inexpensive bike that you can buy in this new entry segment middle-weight space. The extremely linear power band, the accessible seat makes it the perfect bike to graduate to when you’re getting on an adventure tourer for the first time. For the price, you get a motorcycle that looks and sounds like a full-size ADV without really having to break the bank. In all, it’s a great road touring motorcycle with undeniable value for money!
THANKS TO GENEROUS USE OF METAL AND HIGH QUALITY PLASTICS
THE BENELLI WEIGHS
DOWN ON THE WORLD WITH 235KG