Benelli TRK 702 Review (Baujahr 2023)
Full-blown adventure bike with 70 hp for well under 8,000€
Photos: Motorradtest.de
Benelli's market share in Germany is still below 1 percent. This could change with the new Benelli TRK 702, as German motorcyclists are known to prefer machines from 700 cc. Markus and Dietmar took a closer look at the price/performance hit adventure bike with 70 hp.
A lot of motorbike for little money
Benelli wants only 7,299 euros (plus transfer) for the new TRK 702. Comparable machines are available from 9,000 euros upwards. To mark the launch of the new machine, there is also a special offer in which the suitcase set worth 1,399 euros is available free of charge. The TRK 702 is offered in grey and white. The sister model Benelli TRK 702 X with spoked wheels, longer suspension travel and different seat ergonomics is available in three colours for 7,699 euros.
The machine is based on the
Benelli TRK 502, which has been extremely successful in southern Europe, which we have also tested. This "smaller" version of the TRK 702 has 48 hp and has been the best-selling motorcycle in Italy and Portugal in recent years. In this respect, it is hardly surprising that Benelli is now catching customers in Germany with a more powerful variant.
Dimensions and seat ergonomics
The seat height of the TRK 702 is only 790mm. This is surprisingly little and leads to an unnecessarily sharp knee angle, at least for taller riders. Advantage: Even smaller riders can easily get both feet on the ground, which contributes to the all-important stability with the weight of 239 kg (ready to ride). The driver and front passenger have plenty of space and the front passenger does not get unnecessarily close to the driver. So you can cruise around for hours in pairs - especially if the mounted suitcase set gives the passenger a feeling of "sitting like in a car".
That's how comfortable the driver and passenger are on the Benelli TRK 702.
360-degree tour around the Benelli TRK 702
Technology - less is more
The technical equipment of the TRK 702 is manageable. There is ABS, but otherwise no technical helpers. The throttle is picked up via a classic Bowden cable (no ride by wire) and so it is clear that there are no riding modes and no traction control.
What is available, however, is a 5-inch TFT color display with very good readability. In addition to speed and rpm, the gear engaged, the fuel level, the coolant temperature, the time and a small on-board computer are displayed. To operate the displays, there is an Enter and a Select button on the left. The operation is easy, which unfortunately cannot be said of the connection with the myBenelli app and the full-map navigation. We have put a separate video online below...
The lighting system comes very stylishly complete in LED including the turn signals. A hazard warning light system is available, but an automatic turn signal reset is not.
That's what it sounds like
The Benelli TRK 702 sounds quite robust. This is probably mainly due to the 180-degree pin offset of the in-line twin. The intake noise and mechanical noise of the engine are rather low, so you can mainly hear the exhaust. Sounds good, you can hear it for yourself, soundcheck at the top right.
This is how it drives itself
And how does it drive, the TRK 702? Actually quite similar to the TRK 502 - only with more bang! Of course, even with 70 hp you are not at the end of the food chain, but in contrast to the 48 hp of the 502, it is now moving forward quickly. Both bikes offer plenty of road holding, it is pleasantly comfortable to ride and even potholes or bad road conditions can do little harm to the TRK 702. The front fork is not adjustable, but it is well tuned. By the way, the bike doesn't feel like a 17" front wheel, but it does. However, this doesn't make it a curve robber like many a cross-over bike, it rather makes you want to ride a comfortable travel enduro, with which you want to cover long distances - and can do so without your back complaining.
The braking system does a solid job without attracting attention with any particular deceleration performance. The same can be said about the gearbox, but the gear ratio is a little too short for our taste. Of course, this brings points when accelerating, but it also ensures that you are in 5th or 6th gear in no time, even though the speedometer only shows 70 km/h.
Either way, riding the Benelli TRK 702 is fun, but don't expect the same fine-tuning as you would on a GS or a Tiger 1200. What a miracle, at this price! Overall, however, the TRK 702 works well and does exactly what it is supposed to do and what you expect from it. Or to put it another way: It has everything you need and does without all the bells and whistles that you don't really need as a biker. In addition, we also find them visually very successful. Small details such as a double USB socket delight the driver just as much as solid handguards and high-quality tyres from Pirelli.
What annoyed us, on the other hand, was the fiddly connection to the smartphone. Just creating an account in the myBenelli app was really quite cumbersome and only possible in Italian. In addition to the usual personal data, you will also be asked to enter the vehicle number - enjoy! Well, in the end we managed to do it and the pairing between the app and the TRK also worked, but then another disappointment: To use the full-map navigation, which we were particularly looking forward to, another app is needed. Why didn't Benelli integrate this into the already existing app?
Instead, you have to install the CarbitLink app, create an account here as well and pair your smartphone again - and this is also extremely cumbersome via a WiFi hotspot! It's nice that Benelli, unlike its competitors, offers full-map navigation, but the road to get there is really rocky. Once everything is set up, it works, but I don't want to be a Benelli dealer who has to explain this to his customers! Enough complaining, we'll show you what this navigation solution looks like in the following video. Here is also the
link to a video from Benelli, in which the connection of the machine to the smartphone is explained - of course in Italian, anyone can do it.
And here is our complete review of the Benelli TRK 702 - enjoy!
Conclusion - what sticks
The Benelli TRK 702 is a well-made adventure bike for the road. If you prefer to ride off-road, you should take a look at the TRK 702 X with a 19-inch rim at the front, longer suspension travel and mixed tires. The TRK surprises with a grown-up appearance and benevolent driving characteristics. The 70 hp inline twin is fun and sounds very good to our ears. Thanks to the tubular steel trellis frame, the machine also looks great. But the real highlight of this bike is without question the price: 7,299 euros - so the competition has to dress warmly!Price/Availability/Colors/Years of Construction
- Price: 7.299€
- Availability: since 11/2023
- Colors: Grey, White
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