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Benelli TRK 502 X: Can Budget Adventure Work?
The Benelli TRK 502 X costs €6,399 in Germany—less than half the price of a comparable KTM or BMW and roughly €2,000 less than budget-focused alternatives like the Suzuki V-Strom 650. At this price point, compromise is inevitable; the question is whether those compromises occur in areas that matter for your intended use. Having spent a month with a TRK 502 X, I can report that the answer depends heavily on expectations and honesty about how the bike will actually be ridden.
The engine is a 500cc parallel twin producing 47 horsepower—A2 licence compliant in European markets and genuinely adequate for everyday use. It's neither exciting nor disappointing, delivering power smoothly from low revs with enough urgency to merge onto motorways without concern. Fuel consumption averages 4.5 litres per 100 kilometres, providing approximately 400 kilometres from the 20-litre tank. Long-distance touring is feasible without fuel anxiety, which wasn't always true of previous Benelli models with smaller tanks.
Weight is the TRK 502 X's defining limitation. At 235 kilograms ready to ride, it's heavier than many 1000cc adventure bikes and substantially heavier than anything else in the 500cc class. This mass manifests as reluctance to change direction, particularly at slow speeds where the bike demands physical effort to manoeuvre. The 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels suit on-road use but offer less off-road capability than the 21/18 combinations found on more serious adventure machines. Calling the TRK 502 X an adventure bike is marketing optimism; calling it an adventure-styled road bike is accurate.
Build quality surprised me positively. Chinese assembly under Italian badge sometimes produces poor fit and finish, but the TRK 502 X I tested showed tidy welds, consistent paint, and switchgear that clicked with satisfying precision. Benelli's quality control has demonstrably improved over recent model years, and the TRK 502 X reflects that investment. Long-term reliability data remains limited in Western markets, though Asian owners report few significant problems over high mileages.
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For the intended purpose—touring on sealed roads with occasional gravel detours, commuting, weekend trips—the TRK 502 X delivers remarkable value. It comes equipped with features (panniers, crash bars, hand guards) that would cost extra on more expensive machines. For genuinely off-road adventure work, the weight penalty makes more capable alternatives worth the price premium. Know your use case before purchasing, and the TRK 502 X can be an excellent choice. Buy it expecting KTM capability at a fraction of the price, and disappointment awaits.