Chinese-owned Italian brand Benelli seems to have an endless supply of new models in its arsenal, as it's owned by one of the biggest motorcycle manufacturers in China, QJ Motor. With a dizzying array of bikes of all configurations, it can be confusing to pinpoint what exactly the brand has on offer exclusive to China and for the global market.
What we do know now is that its middleweight adventure bike, the TRK 702X, has been announced for the European market, and interestingly, for the US market, too, although US pricing has yet to be confirmed. As the name suggests, the TRK 702X is a middleweight ADV with an engine of about 700cc. This means that it competes head on with the likes of the Yamaha Ténéré 700 and Aprilia Tuareg 660, not just in terms of the engine, but also thanks to its off-road-ready build.
Benelli's adventure bikes are usually sold in two trim options – a standard road-going version and a rugged off-road-capable one given the "X" moniker. As such, we find knobby tires, wire-spoked wheels, and long-travel suspension on the TRK 702X. More specifically, the front forks are beefy 50-millimeter inverted units complete with a full suite of adjustability. They offer a generous 173 millimeters of suspension travel. The 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels are tubeless spoked units shod in Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR rubber.
As for performance, the new adventure bike is rocking a parallel-twin engine, as is commonplace in the segment. More specifically, it has a displacement of 698cc, and is equipped with liquid-cooling and electronic fuel-injection. Max power is pegged at 70 horsepower and 68.2 Newton-meters (47.7 pound-feet) of torque. In Europe, an A2 restricted version is available where power is limited to 47.6 ponies.
In order to be competitive in the market, Benelli has thrown in a lot of tech into the TRK 702X. It's equipped with a full-color TFT display, LED lights, and aluminum luggage racks as standard. Interestingly, the bike is also ready to accommodate a heated saddle and heated grips, though these are optional extras.
Regarding pricing and availability, the new Benelli TRK 702X has been priced at 7,999 Euros in Europe, or about $8,687 USD. Pricing for the US market has not yet been confirmed, however, a visit to Benelli's US website reveals that the bike has been listed. As such, if you wish to learn more about this bike, we recommend getting in touch with your nearest Benelli dealership.
