In my EICMA overview article for our A & R Pro subscribers, I wrote that the Chinese continue to impress every year with their two-wheeled offers and that it would be good to look at what Benelli brings to the Italian fair because the Chinese brand is used to bringing fascinating machines every year. I was not mistaken.
There was no shortage of medium-weight adventure bikes that debuted on the EICMA (and before), but it was the Benelli TRK 800 that took me the least prepared. Based on the Benelli TRK 502 launched in 2015, the Benelli TRK 800 is a mid-weight ADV with a 19″ front wheel and a lot of bangs for your buck.
Powered by a 754cc parallel twin, the 2022 Benelli TRK 800 delivers 76 HP (56 kW) with a torque of 48 lbs* ft •67 Nm) at 6,500 rpm. The dry weight is estimated at 498 lbs (226 kg). This makes the Benelli TRK 800 a little underpowered and a little overweight to be a tough competitor for the more mature European and Japanese 800 models, but it offers solid offers with its appearance and probably affordable price.
There is a six-speed gearbox connected to a slip clutch. The chassis is a steel grid design with fully adjustable Marzocchi front forks and a rear surprise absorber with adjustable preload and traction level. There is about 170 mm of travel front and rear.
Braking is provided by four-piston Brembo calipers at the front with two 320 discs. And the lighting is an all-LED system with a striking DRL on the front of the bike. The central support is standard and the fuel tank has a capacity of 5.5 gallons (21 liters). This should take you pretty far, and in the matter you get bored, there is a 7″ TFT dashboard that you can look at.
The prices are not yet indicated but will be very affordable by European standards. Availability in Europe will be in the second half of 2022. Overall, the value of the 2022 Benelli TRK 800 is quite impressive. As I said before, Keep an eye on Chinese brands, they are improving year by year. Keep an eye on Benelli in particular.