Spurred by the huge success of the affordable Benelli TRK502 and TRK502X in Europe, the Chinese-owned Italian brand is set to expand the TRK range with an upcoming TRK702, soon.
the Benelli TRK702 will feature a bigger 23L tank and built-in front and rear camera (dashcam).
powered by Kawasaki-sourced 693cc two-cylinder engine.
After officially unveiled the TRK800 at EICMA last year, the Benelli is now working on a brand new TRK702.
While the TRK502 is an adventure touring motorcycle with light off-roading capabilites and the TRK800 is pitched as a sports tourer (despite the 19-inch wire spoked wheels option), Benelli plans to placed the TRK702 as a more off-road focused two wheeler.
This is supported by a latest patent leaked in China that showcased an upcoming 700cc motorcycle.
In a glance, the patent could be mistaken as the TRK800 but further observation notice a different engine layout.
Also the tank is larger (23L), which could means that the TRK702 is following the same trend set by the new Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid.
However, the patent also revealed something a lot more exciting. The TRK702 will feature front and rear cameras, which essentially means that the motorcycle is fitted with built-in dashcam.
While the bike’s development is still in an early stage, Benelli might display the concept model at this year’s EICMA show.
Jenama Benelli kembali meningkat naik sejak diambil alih syarikat gergasi China, Qianjiang.
Dibawah pengurusan baharu, ibu pejabat serta jabatan penyelidikan dan pembangunan (R&D) Benelli yang terletak di Itali meneruskan pembangunan beberapa model baharu sambil dibantu bahagian pembuatan dan pemasangan di China.
Kolaborasi dua bahagian ini berjaya menghasilkan motosikal Itali dengan harga lebih rendah dan mampu milik.
Dikalangan model yang ditawarkan, motosikal ‘adventure’, TRK 502 paling mendapat perhatian ramai.
Sejak diperkenalkan pada 2018, TRK 502 bingkas menjadi model paling popular dan berjaya muncul sebagai model paling laris di Itali pada tahun 2020.
Rekod itu kemudiannya dipecahkan pada 2021 apabila 6,543 unit berjaya dijual.
Menuju ke tahun 2023, Benelli sekali lagi bakal mengorak langkah baharu apabila akan melancarkan varian TRK yang lebih besar, dikenali sebagai TRK 702.
Perkara itu didedahkan menerusi paten terbaru yang difailkan di China oleh syarikat induk, Qianjiang.
Menariknya, paten tersebut turut mendedahkan rupa jelas TRK 702, yang semenangnya menawarkan rekaan serba baharu berbanding TRK 502.
Menurut dokumen yang difailkan, TRK 702 akan dikuasakan enjin parallel-twin 693cc dengan penyejukan cecair mirip dengan platform CFMoto 700CL-X.
Berupaya menghasilkan 75hp dan 70Nm, Benelli TRK 702 ini dijangka bakal memberikan saingan sengit terhadap segmen ADV pertengahan.
Bagi pemegang lesen B2 dan penunggang yang mahu berjinak dengan ‘motor besar’, anda kini berpeluang memilih di antara sebuah motosikal jenis adventure dan scrambler.
Benelli TRK 251
Direka khas bagi penunggang yang mahu memulakan pengembaraan, Benelli mendakwa TRK 251 mampu mendominasi laluan mencabar meskipun dikendalikan penunggang novis.
Enjin satu silinder dengan sistem penyejukan cecair dan double overhead camshaft ini mampu menghasilkan 20.0kW pada 10,500rpm yang disalurkan menerusi transmisi 6-kelajuan.
Ciri lain yang terdapat pada TRK 251:
wet multi-plate clutch
pressure splash lubrication
electronic fuel injection
long acting catalyst
oxygen sensor exhaust sistem
tangki 18L
Bagi memastikan keutuhan jentera, TRK 251 turut didatangkan dengan kerangka steel trellis.
Benelli Leoncino 250
Bagi si hispter yang mencari jentera penuh gaya dan mampu milik, Leoncino 250 adalah jawapan untuk anda.
Leoncino 250 merupakan adik kepada Leoncino 500 yang telah pun dipasarkan ke Malaysia lebih awal. Menariknya, Benelli masih mengekalkan reka bentuk sama ke dalam versi lebih kecil ini.
Lahir daripada Centro Stile Benelli di Itali , rupa keseluruhan Leoncino menampakkan lagi legasi pengeluar motosikal Itali itu.
Leoncino 250 dilengkapi enjin thumper 249cc yang mampu menghasilkan 25hp pada 9,000rpm dan 21Nm pada 7,500rpm.
Ciri lain yang terdapat pada Leoncino 250
electronic fuel injection
TLI ignition
dual overhead camshafts
Inverted 41mm front forks
rear swingarm with a central mono-shock
kaliper depan empat piston (280mm)
kaliper belakang satu piston (240mm)
paparan digital penuh
Kedua-dua TRK 251 dan Leoncino 250 ditawarkan pada harga RM13,888 dan RM14,688 bagi versi ABS.
Motosikal Benelli TRK 502 telah dilancarkan sebagai pilihan mampu milik bagi mereka yang inginkan motosikal ‘sport-tourer‘ kelas pertengahan yang ringkas.
Walaupun ia tampak ringkas, motosikal Benelli TRK 502 ini direka dengan cantik sekali lengkap dengan gaya Itali.
The Benelli TRK 502 was launched as a budget option for those who seek a simple, midrange sport-tourer.
Simple as it is, the Benelli TRK 502 is prettily designed with Italian flair.
It was comfortable and frugal on fuel.
We Malaysian motorcyclists love to tour and we’d do it on any sort of bikes. I had an ex-colleague who along with his friends, rode 135cc kapchais all the way to Chiang Mai, Thailand and back. There are those who completed the Thousand Corners at Mae Hong Son on classic Vespas. Another group rode the Ducati Scrambler to the Chinese border. I’ve joined cross-border where the participants rode sportbikes. Also, consider the fact that the record holder for the longest continuous motorcycle ride at 5,600km was a Malaysian, who rode non-stop without sleep for four-and-half days.
It’s for this very reason that Malaysia is also a hotbed for sport-touring and adventure-touring motorcycles.
However, these 650cc and above machines cost from just below RM 40,000 and up, putting them out of the reach of a large number of enthusiasts.
Well, that’s changed with the addition of Benelli TRK 502. Priced from RM 30,621, it’s a price point that’ll appeal to a few.
The Benelli TRK 502 is certainly pretty when viewed. It has that aggressive signature Benelli dual headlights, swooping lines and large diameter brakes. The long “snout” reminded us of another Italian sport-tourer.
Getting on was easy as the seat was low, so both feet touched ground. But the reach to the handlebar was a bit “different.” At 167cm tall, I found the wide handlebar was further in front than most bikes. But that wasn’t the whole story. It was also high up, therefore lifting both my elbows and the shoulders up in the air. Adjusting the handlbar backwards by just a smudge had the control housings banging on top of the fuel tank, so it may as well be fixed. The footpegs were set to the front which meant the knees almost didn’t fold at all.
The combination of footpegs set low and forward, low seat and high handlebar way up front, made me felt like I was riding a bagger with lowrise ape-hangers. On the other hand, taller riders should find it alright. That said, your body will get used to its riding position in no time.
It was also due to this that the bike felt heavier than it really was when lifting it off the sidestand, riding and idling at the stoplights.
The engine started up within a few revolutions most of the time. I said most because there were a few times when it just cranked and cranked without catching, and only to start after calling it a few choice words. Good thing the battery was new and strong otherwise I’d be stuck. I even got laughed at by a couple, “Hahaha, the guy’s big bike couldn’t start,” they said in Chinese, not realizing that I understood them.
I came across the same issue when I tested the TRK 1190 and TnT 302 years before. Hope Benelli fixes this issue. The TnT 600 I reviewed didn’t have this issue.
But when the bike ran, it was comfortable. The large-sized windscreen and bodywork kept windblast off the face and torso.
The handling was commendable, although it wasn’t that agile. It was stable due to its long wheelbase and low seat height, however. The rear shock pumped up and down when slamming the bike through fast corners, but the bike maintained its line. Both front and rear suspension coped well to road bumps by clunking loudly over them.
Did someone abuse this demo bike before we tested it?
The brakes were really good, without a fault. I rode it in pouring rain a few times and they grabbed hard without sending the bike into a death wobble. The ABS worked as advertised when brakes are applied hard over wet speedbreaker lines.
The engine accompanies you with the combination of a roar and howl. It revved slowly but it held its speed effortlessly at higher speeds. Torque was good too, given the capacity. Passing other vehicles was done briskly with the right amount of revs.
However, I couldn’t escape the fact that finding NEUTRAL while the engine idled was like trying to find a billion ringgit without resorting to breaking the law. Against, this was just like the previous models, except for the TnT 600
What I truly welcomed was the addition of the large Coocase panniers and top case. What I didn’t appreciate, though, was rain leaking through the top case and inundating the contents inside which included my camera. To fair, it seemed that someone had dropped the bike on box or the box on the ground before. But for a complete peace-of-mind, just opt for those from GIVI.
All in all, the Benelli TRK 502 was alright. I did what it meant to do, despite the few niggles we mentioned. It’s priced to offer Italian styling and some performance at an accessible value, so that you could take it on an extended trip. Being a 500cc bike, it’s touring on a budget for everyone.
