The brand was supposed to re-launch in India in 2017, but failed because of financial shutdown.
The Benelli TRK 502 X, Benelli’s most off-road centric bike, was recently seen on Indian roads for the first time. This suggests that the Italian bike maker might be looking to introduce the adventure-touring bike to the Indian market.
The 502 X was first showcased in India at the 2016 Auto Expo and was announced to be launched by mid-2017. But its former partner – DSK Group – was undergoing financial crises and all Benelli operations were put on hold. The Chinese-owned Italian brand got a second chance to resume production when they signed on a new venture with Adishwar Auto Ride India (AARI) which is a subordinate company of the Mahavir Group.
The Hyderabad-based group had plans to help Benelli re-launch the brand once again. To further pursue this venture, the Mahavir Group took up the responsibility of sales and dealership expansion for the brand in India. A new plant was set up outside Hyderabad where CKD units were assembled. In the future, the company plans to localise the parts so as to cut down on operating costs.
The TRK 502 will be offered in two variants- the off-road suited 502 X and the base model. It will be offered in two variants – the 502 X which is captured in the spyshots and the TRK 502 which is the base model. Both bikes share the same styling but have differences to accommodate for their terrain of use.
The TRK 502 uses 17-inch alloy wheels at the front and the rear while the 502 X uses a 19-inch spoked wheel at the front and a 17-inch spoke wheel at the rear for off-road usage.
50 mm USD forks and a preload, rebound and compression-adjustable monoshock are used to handle the suspension in both variants. Braking is taken care by a 320 mm twin-disc setup at the front and a 260 mm single disc at the rear. Dual-channel ABS is standard for both variants.
Both motorcycles run on the same 499.6cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin motor that is capable of generating a maximum power of 47.6 HP and a peak torque of 45Nm. The engine setup is completed with the 6-speed transmission. To give the rider a longer range during a touring stint, both bikes feature a 20-litre fuel tank.
The Benelli TRK 502 and the 502 X are expected to be priced around Rs. 5.5-6 lakhs (ex-showroom). You can expect them to hit the market by March 2019.
Benelli TRK 502 X
– Spotted on Indian roads for the first time
– Were supposed to be made available in 2017
– TRK 502 and 502X expected to be made available in India by 2019
Source – AutocarIndia.com
