All-new twin set for adventure: Benelli’s 693cc twin could prove a major sales success

Benelli’s 499.6cc TRK502 adventure bike has turned into a massive hit in its Italian heartland – becoming the top-selling motorcycle in that market in both 2020 and 2021. 

Although there are now hopes that the larger TRK800 will replicate that success in more markets, Benelli is already making plans for yet another TRK adventure bike that could be better still. 

The upcoming TRK702 has been type-approved in China, where these pictures have emerged as part of official paperwork. This is where Benelli’s parent company, Qianjiang, are based and where modern Benellis are manufactured. 

The 702 shares the same family face as the TRK800 but appears to use a chassis that’s more closely related to the smaller TRK502’s trellis. Most notably though, it has a new 693cc parallel-twin engine that promises to match the larger TRK800’s peak power.

Called the ‘283MU’ it appears to be a version of the engine that’s currently used on the CFMoto 700CL-X, which itself has a design that takes inspiration from Kawasaki’s 650cc parallel twin.  

Both the Benelli and CFMoto designs use an 83mm bore and 64mm stroke for a capacity of 693cc, and the two engines are visually near-identical. 

The TRK702’s paperwork shows it’s codenamed ‘BJ700-5’, suggesting there are several other Benelli ‘BJ700’ models sharing the same engine under development. Without luggage, the bike is certified with a wet weight of 220kg. The documents also show that the engine is rated at 75bhp. 

Like the TRK502 there’s a steel trellis chassis design with a bolt-on subframe, but the swingarm is cast alloy. The performance will be leagues ahead of the 47bhp TRK502.  

It appears there are four versions of the bike planned: two road-biased models and two more off-road derivatives. Both wire wheels and cast alloys will be offered, the former having a 19in front and 17in rear, with taller suspension, the latter with 17-inches at each end and less ground clearance. 

In terms of tech, expect a colour TFT dash for starters. There may be cameras front and rear, too – a feature that’s starting to become more common on Chinese-made bikes.