VOL. 55 ISSUE 33 AUGUST 21, 2018 P103
J
ust one year ago in Benelli
launched the 500cc parallel-twin
TRK 502 adventure tourer pro-
duced in China by its owner Qianjiang/
QJ. It's since been a global sell-out,
with 7000 examples delivered in
Europe in the past year, and 15,000
versions around the world—though not
yet in the USA. (Be patient, though,
it'coming.) Well-equipped and evi-
dently well-engineered, judging by the
positive posts on social media from so
many of its customers, the Chinese-
built twin is lot of motorcycle for the
money, costing just 5990 euros in
Italy, including 22% tax. That's approxi-
mately $6800-plus U.S. dollars.
Now this strong-selling tarmac-fo-
cused version has been joined by the
TRK 502X, a more ruggedly equipped
true dual-purpose bike selling for the
same low price as its sister model,
Benelli's new twin-
cylinder 500cc parallel-
twin adventure tourer is
developed in Italy but
built in China by owner
Qianjiang/QJ.
and available in white, black and red.
Jointly developed in Italy and China
by Benelli and QJ technicians, its
manufactured in China to reduce costs
leads to that crucial edge on price.
The chance to ride this latest variant of
Benelli's twin-cylinder success story
over a grueling route in the Apennine
mountains, including off-road along
Italy's famed strade bianche white dirt
roads, allowed me to compare and
contrast it with its predecessor.
The TRK 502X uses the same
liquid-cooled 499.77cc eight-valve
parallel-twin BN502 engine measur-
ing 69 x 66.8mm, and according
to Benelli's R&D Manager Stefano
Michelotti, is mechanically identical
to the normal model, save for a new
raised 2-1 exhaust system with longer
headers and a redesigned silencer for
extra ground clearance compared to
the low-slung exhaust on the TRK 502.
The revised exhaust also delivers a
wider spread of torque via a remapped
Bosch ECU. This results in an identical
power output of 47.6 bhp at 8500 rpm,
but delivered in an even more linear,
more fluid way, and peak torque is now
slightly less at 33.20 lb-ft at 5000 rpm
but with that broader spread for easier
use off-road.
The BN502 engine has a 360º
crank, with both pistons rising and
falling together, like on a classic-era
Norton or Triumph. "In determining
the layout of our twin-cylinder family
of engines," says Michelotti, "we had
to decide which crankshaft format to
use—180º or 270º or 360º. We chose
the 360º layout giving greater flexibility
and better lowdown performance, and
a more individual sound."
