By Justin Hayzelden Published: Yesterday 15:35
There’s a lot of competition in the mid-sized adventure bike class , and its perhaps at its fiercest in the sub-£10k segment, where Chinese manufacturers battle it out to deliver the best budget ride without skimping on the bells and whistles. CFMoto , Voge and QJMotor all produce a 900cc (or thereabouts) parallel-twin powered dual-sport tourer that meets the brief, so where does the new Benelli TRK 902 Xplorer fit in – and what does it offer for that appealing £8299 OTR price tag?
Reasons to buy: + Strong value at £8299 OTR + Good mid-range performance once moving. + Well-equipped with heated kit, radar, cruise control and luggage option.
Reasons to avoid: – Poor low-speed fuelling. – Suspension feels crashy on rough roads. – Cheap-feeling switchgear and rider interface.
The TRK 902 Xplorer is the biggest Benelli yet, and one of two new models hitting UK showrooms now – the other being the road-focused TRK 902 Stradale.
Despite being fully owned by Qianjiang Motorcycle since 2005, and marketed alongside their in-house brand QJMotor, Benelli retains some European roots. Design and R&D facilities are located in Pesaro, Italy, so although actual production takes place in China, it does give the brand its own identity and serves to create a little separation between the TRK and QJ’s equivalent, the SRT 900 SX , which appears to share the same platform.
With a name no doubt inspired by an interior decorating paint swatch, the Jungle Fog Green livery of our test bike is undeniably striking and plays into the ADV aesthetic rather well – once you get used to it. Clean lines and a stylised headlamp pod with minimalist screen keep the TRK stripped back and purposeful, and the blocky OE Pirelli Scorpion STR tyres set the whole look off a treat. Other colours include the imaginatively titled Dune Sea and Cement Grey.
Seat height is a modest 840mm, and the standover fairly narrow, so I can comfortably touch the ground with both feet and paddle about without fear of jeopardy – even though it takes quite a swing for my 32” inside leg to clear the pillion pad and rear rack when climbing aboard.
From the saddle it’s impossible not to notice the cheap feeling, generic switchgear before you even turn the key, but that leads the eye to the heated grips and seat buttons, cruise control and spotlight switch – execution may not be top drawer, but the necessary creature comforts are there.
The d-pad switch cube is a bit cluttered, and it’s not hard for a gloved thumb to mash buttons when reaching for the indicators.
The 904cc engine spins up with a bark and settles into an eager idle; however, just how keen it is to get going takes me by surprise when I tap into first gear and slip the clutch, giving it just a tickle of twist grip. Crude fuelling causes the TRK to attempt a full-blooded launch, and it takes a steady pair of hands to balance controls for a smooth getaway.
Trying to ease the throttle on for a smooth pull away is a non-starter, as it has a tendency to spike, and that combined with a juddery clutch results in the necessity for an enthusiastic launch to get rolling.
Even so, the first quarter throw of the ride-by-wire throttle returns unpredictable mixed results, and the erratic power delivery I encounter when trying to negotiate a busy roundabout in second gear almost has me heading back to base.
Low-speed mapping clearly needs attention and should be fixable with a software patch or fla…