2021 Benelli TRK502 And TRK502X First Look Preview

It’s been a few years wait, but Benelli Motorcycles USA has announced that its TRK502 and TRK502X adventure-touring bikes will finally be available to American consumers in 2021.

Benelli is a historic name in motorcycling, with its Italian origins dating more than 100 years back, but since 2005, it has been part of the Qianjiang Group based in China. In 2015, SSR Motorsports signed a deal with Qianjiang to import the brand into the States, and in 2016, bikes started to arrive on our shores.

Until now, the US line has been comprised of mainly sport/standard machines and scooters, so the introduction of the adventure-biased TRK lineup marks a notable diversification of the brand’s line in the States. Lower-displacement adventure machines remain a fairly small but growing segment too, so it’s clear Benelli USA is looking to capitalize on the heat of the moment.

But enough editorializing, let’s look at the bikes.

The TRK502 and TRK502X are essentially the same, but the TRK502 is the more road-focused of the two. It’s powered by a 499.6cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine that offers 47 hp at 8,500 rpm and 33 pound-feet of torque at 6,000 rpm.

The mill is housed within a steel trellis frame, with rebound adjustable 50mm fork and spring-preload- and rebound-adjustable shock handling suspension duties. You’ll get dual 320mm discs at the front with four-piston calipers and a single 260mm disc, single-piston caliper setup at the back. ABS is standard. It will roll on 17-inch wheels front and rear.

Curb weight is a claimed 470 pounds, which is a little bit hefty for a midsize bike in this segment. A new Honda CB500X, for example, tips the scales 35 pounds lighter. Some of that gain can be attributed to the generous size of the fuel tank, which will carry 5.3 gallons. MSRP is $5,999.

The TRK502X is packing the same parallel-twin engine inside a trellis frame. The suspension package is essentially the same as well, however, you get about an inch more travel at the rear plus you get compression as well as spring preload and rebound adjustability. It rolls on wire-spoked 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels, indicating more off-road aptitude than the standard 502. The exhaust canister is also different, set higher on the bike than the TRK502.

Seat height is taller on the X model at 33 inches (it’s 31.5 inches on the 502). There are also creature comforts, like an adjustable clutch lever and handlebar, that aren’t present on the 502.

The price is a little steeper for the X at $6,399.

Styling for both bikes is all adventure, with a large beak, tall windscreen, crashbars, somewhat aggressive bodywork, and upright ergos.

All in all, not a bad deal for either machine. Especially since reviews from overseas, where the bike has already been available for some time, proclaim the platform more than adequate. We’ll be excited to see what these bikes have to offer ourselves.