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Benelli 752S Review (Baujahr 2023)

The stylish Italo naked bike for less than 7,000 euros in the test

04.05.2024

Photos: Motorradtest.de

Benelli sends a cheap and very nice naked bike for 6,999 euros into the race. Competitors such as the Suzuki SV 650 and the Kawasaki Z650 await, but they are not that much more expensive. Markus and Dietmar tried out how the Benelli 752S drives and feels during an extensive test drive.

Monster or Brutal?

The Italians are known to be good at design. Developed and designed in Pesaro, the 752S is no exception. With the classic tubular trellis frame, short rear end and raised, small stainless steel exhaust, the Benelli almost looks like a Ducati Monster. From the front, it is also reminiscent of an MV Agusta Brutale because of the stylish headlight. In addition, the fat fork and the license plate holder mounted on the axle with integrated turn signals - not bad, right? The Benelli 752S is available in green or black. Markus thinks the green one is more beautiful, Dietmar the black one.

Green or black, that's the question. Both are really chic.

Dimensions and seat ergonomics

The seat height of the Benelli is 825 mm, which is typical for its class. There are hardly any other surprises either. You sit the way you sit on naked bikes. Quite upright with a bit of sporty inclination forward, wide handlebars, front wheel oriented, ready to go. By the way, the seating feeling for the front passenger is surprisingly good. Normally, the pillion has nothing to say on a naked bike, but here it feels relatively comfortable. The weight of the Benelli is 223 kg ready to drive. So it is not a lightweight, the competitors sometimes weigh 30 kilograms less. Do you notice that when you're driving? We'll see later.

That's what it's like to sit on the Benelli 752S. Not so bad for the passenger.

360-degree tour of the Benelli 752S

Manageable technology

The Benelli 752S has a 4.3-inch TFT color display, which is okay to read. There are backlit switches, a gear, temperature and fuel level indicator - and nothing else.

No cell phone connect, no riding modes, no QuickShifter. You know what's coming next: Don't bother us at all, because nothing distracts and you don't have to deal with unnecessary noise.

In terms of lighting, the 752S is a good choice. Full LED incl. the turn signals, daytime running lights, hazard warning lights, everything on board. And as I said, we really like the light mask in the Porsche 911 fried egg design. And even from the rear, the light looks extravagant, which is due to the specially positioned turn signals. The two switches on the left and right are a bit strange. And there is no automatic turn signal reset either - well, half as wild.

Chic tank, chic tubular trellis frame, chic fork. Design is what the Italians can do.

That's what it sounds like and that's how it rides

The sound of the in-line twin of the Benelli 752S is nice and bubbly. Fortunately, it is not very loud, but the engine does make a noise when you turn the crank. We particularly like the small, raised stainless steel exhaust and the twin-pipe two-arm swingarm, which visually merges into the license plate holder, which is also divided into two parts. Skillful is skillful.

On the road, the Benelli turns out to be more agile than expected. After all, it weighs 223 kg (ready to drive), so one could have assumed a sluggish driving behavior. But that's not the case. The 752S goes into the corners willingly and seems very stable. It conveys a good confidence and thus encourages a sporty driving style.

The good brakes deserve special praise. At the front, a 4-piston Brembo fixed caliper works on each of the 320 double discs and decelerates the machine on command and with force. There's really nothing to complain about. This also applies to the tyres: Benelli uses Pirelli Angel GTs in the sizes 120/70 and 180/55 on the 752S. Considering the price of the bike, this is a positive surprise.

The Kayaba chassis doesn't disappoint either. It is not adjustable except in the spring tension at the rear, but it is inherently well tuned, neither too hard nor too soft. It's just fun to whiz around with the Benelli 752S and there is hardly any movement in the load even with a brisk driving style.

76 hp at 8,500 rpm and 67 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm from 754 cc.

What stands out in the competitive environment, however, is the rather moderate performance of the engine - or rather the machine. Because the engine is actually sufficiently strong with 76 hp from our point of view, but the Benelli 752S weighs significantly more than other mid-range naked cars - and of course you notice that. Somehow the last punch is missing and the engine also seems a bit constricted on top. Please don't misunderstand: The 752S is anything but a lame duck, but a little more steam or hip fat would have made this good naked bike a very good naked bike.

So the question arises as to who the Benelli 752S is suitable for. From our point of view, it's quite simple: for those who like style and who perhaps don't want to ride a run-of-the-mill bike. Because one thing is very clear: the 752S is visually a feast for the eyes - and what is one of the most important aspects of a motorcycle? That's right, how she looks!

Benelli offers a two-year warranty on the 752S. Why isn't it called the 754S - see displacement??? Presumably, the two are supposed to point to the row twin, it doesn't matter. We see the already mentioned Suzuki SV650, the Kawa Z650 as well as the Triumph Trident 660 and the Yamaha MT-07 as competitors. All of them deserved Nakeds, but some of them were noticeably more expensive than the Benelli.

>>> Data Comparison Benelli 752S vs. Mid-Range Naked Bikes <<<

Result

The Benelli 752S is a simple but well-made mid-range naked bike for a fair price. Racers probably won't be happy with it, but connoisseurs and bikers with the claim to want to ride something special will. Brakes, tires and chassis were convincing in the test, and the rather simple equipment also suits this machine. Maybe the Benelli 752S is even the perfect second bike for adventure bikers who don't want to push the fat BMW or anything else out of the garage every time they go for a coffee ride. Just test drive the Benelli, it's not that expensive. And two bikes are just better than just one, right?

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