Pulled the trigger on one of these and had it a week now. Absolutely fantastic value for money and a superb ride. So comfortable and the engine is a gem. Well chuffed and highly recommend. Just need the weather to behave itself so I can get out more.
Currently have the 502x and have done 15k miles in 2.5 years and have zero issues whatsoever, unlike my 10k yamaha Niken, which has had gearbox issues at 2k miles and corrodes twice as fast as my Benelli . I'm planning to upgrade to the 702x next year.. I used to be an engineer for Honda, so I'm quite knowledgeable regarding bikes, and this whole Chinese bike debate does make me laugh because every major manufacturer. Honda..Yamaha..Suzuki ... Kawasaki..BMW...even Harley-davidson now has assembly plants in China and South America .. jeez, even my KTM was assembled in India .
@dasboot3350 Good mate...had mine 5 weeks now and I've ridden 1600 miles ...I thought due to have a similar frame to the 502x it would just be a similar bike but it's like chalk and cheese . The handling Power and speed Brakes actually work . Much much better in every dept
Too true. The same could be said for the dealers, too. Yet by the early 70s, they couldn't get enough of the bikes they didn't want to touch with a bargepole, a decade earlier!
I remember the mother of a big family of Brit rocker ton up boys in early 1960 ‘s buying the C100 Honda cub 50 push rod step thru . Once they seen how reliable it was & it always started first time , she hardly got to ride it. Their Brit bikes always leaked oil , needed stripping down frequently & a swine to start .
I don't know why most bikes are so expensive..I bought a Benelli 702s loved it, switch gear was a bit lightweight but so is my new Yamaha. The Benelli was almost perfect especially brakes, suspension and engine. It quit working for no reason whilst riding along bit chancy as it caught me out on a fast road. Switched it off back on and off she went again leaving me nervous. There was an upgrade widget fitted under the seat part of a re-call to ECU then, never happened again..Now the very hard bit, when it came to change the bike no dealer wanted it. I paid 7K was glad to get 3K back after 6 months. It was like all the equity was all gone. Perceptions of the buying public dealers said. I reckon if you kept it always then its not an issue, but try selling these on...Love your video Mr Wheeler, thank you for your efforts.
I am a fan of Italian bikes,and have owned many Guzzis,Ducati's and a couple of m.v's over the years.Now,it seems to ruffle a few feathers that Benelli and Moto Morini are Chinese owned companys,but does it make Ducati any "less Italian" being owned by a German company?.
I've had a Benelli 302s for several years now, and couldn't be happier with it. It's proven reliable, well-appointed for its price range, and an head-turner. I've owned 20+ bikes over the years, and this Benelli is at least as good quality as any of the others.
TBW, I’m so impressed by your riding skills in these wet conditions it’s frightening. I commend you for your skill in providing a running commentary & keeping an eye or 2 out for adversity! Joggers, cyclists, partially flooded roads, cars… wow, you take it all in your stride 👌 The benelli TRK range is Italys most sold motorcycles from the 502 & now the 702. You explain why. Well done.
Thank you for adding something unusual and unexpected to the mix! Nice size for maneuvering slowly. Ugly color (colour) options, nice accessories. My Multistrada was expensive and then I had to add out-of-pocket the luggage, heated grips, and center stand at over $2,500 extra. With a lower-priced and smaller engine bike one wouldn't need to worry about it so much for repair costs and theft, etc.. I applaud you for getting outside, regardless of time of year and weather! You're not a fair weathered biker😉.
Good review of the Benelli 702, I was considering a moto morini before I bought my V7 special, these are let down by residuals and dealer network so I would say a second hand one makes more sense then buying new 🤔 Caio for now👍🏻
Thanks for the review, there are not a lot of this bike. Really like it and consider to get one! One thing I read/hear a lot is the insecure value retention. But even if you lose halve the value in 3 to 4 years, it is still peanuts comparing on the loss of Tiger 900 in its first year. 🙂
I’m in the market for a mid size ADV bike my budget being around 7k I’m seriously considering the TRK. Thanks for the thorough review, they seem few and far between currently via the mainstream almost as if they don’t want to upset their usual suppliers.
I was so close to buying one of these (not the x version) but the 257kg weight with the boxes fitted and a full tank was the deal breaker. The engine is the CFmoto 650 with the stroke tweaked (It's built under licence of the Kawasaki ER6) Just bought a NC750X instead which doesn't even come with a usb charger!!!!
Straight talking as always, love it, and at 7k with the luggage you can’t go wrong. Even if it depreciates at 50% in a couple of years you’ve done 3.5k. Compare that with a new GS at 20k+ and I’m sure that you will lose more than 3.5k, even if it retains 80% of the same period which is unlikely.
It's a lot of bike for £7k that's for sure. From what I've seen so far this seems like the bike that the 502 should always have been. The 502 always looked like the bones of a good bike but quite a hefty beast for that little 47hp engine to lug about whereas this looks much more the ticket.
Very nice looking bike. The large trash size bin muffler on the side looks out of place, but otherwise a nice bike. Glad to see you riding a bike with all terrain tires. More grip in the nasty weather for sure. Thanks for sharing Dave. Ride safe as always and take care. Cheers
Informative as always, Dave. Not my kind of bike, as you might know too well by now😁, but your excellent powers of description leave the viewer with no doubts as to what this bike is really like. It reminds me very much of CFMoto's 800MT, a machine that, considering my personal views of this class, I really do like. In addition, the price of these two bikes represent superb value considering what comes as standard. Really quite remarkable. Keep 'em coming, pal. 👍
eyup! i just got a 502x today and despite being surprised at it gigantesque size and weight, i was left impressed with how much you get for your money. I fancy trying the leoncino and the 400 imperiale. And that taking into consideration i own 4 Ducatis, 2 MV Agustas, 1 R.E. Scram 411, a Yamaha XSR, a Harley 1200 sportster, and a diablo custom café racer. Despite having those more expensive bespoke bikes, i find the Benelli a fine bike indeed.
Great review BW and great to see you giving time to and an unbiased view of a bike with Chinese content. This looks a great bike regardless of the excellent price. It would be great if could do reviews on some of the similar offerings like CFMoto MT800 / CLX700 or Voge & Kove. The Chinese manufacturers are coming whether people like it or not. Competition is good for customers and they will start to give the established manufacturers a hard time.
Nice video Dave, not my sort of bike and i doubt i could even get my leg over it but at that price you have to wonder why its opposition, especially as so few are actually made in Britain, are so expensive in comparison.
Great review Dave , that's a nice bike for the money, Chinese manufacturers have upped their game over the years ,as you know we own a Zontes, and the build quality is fine , it's about time the naysayers caught up with the times . As for this particular bike it's in the same stable as my 2014 DL650 , which I'll never part with, it's still going strong after 63,000 miles, but if I was in the market for a similar bike these days I'd give one of these a go , at that sort of money! Cheers Mel 🍻
Scenery amazing at the end.... Great bike, love the colour, I reckon we get hung up still on the name, don't you think 🤔, better the money in your pocket to make the memories... Love love love it .. ❤ thanks bw
'Morning, Dave! Good on you for getting out on the bike in the lousy weather and thanks for the review. The Benelli looks very competent, as does your riding of it. I managed a coastal run on the Guzzi on Tuesday, on a nice 35C cloudless day. Today's a very warm 44C, so the bike's stayed under cover. Phew!! 🥵
@@thebingleywheeler Wet? What's that, Dave? Last time we had any rain was late October... A much more reasonable 30C tomorrow, but then 36/43/41/40 on the following days; no rain, of course.
Hmm... compared to this deal the new Himmy pales quite a bit. While it does look a lot better than the Benelli and has that great navigation system - heck - you get a strong twin and the luggage... hmm! I have quite some test driving to do this season. Great video, keep 'em coming mate. Greetings from Bavaria o/
Theres an Italian chap who rode the trk 502 around the world n some very rough stuff in Nepal etc and it survived well! Think there was a reason sold very well in Italy. As is stands the Cf moto 450 adv, rieju 500 and theres a Kove coming soon that tickle my fancy. Am ok on the Himmy for a few years (do a few tours)
In the old days you rode around the world 🌎 on a BMW or a regular Triumph like Ted Simon. He took a Triumph 500 all over the place and wrote a book about it. Jupiter's Travels. Adventure bikes are for a different kind of poser. Heavy, expensive and delicate. My BSA C-15 250 has a high pipe, knobby tires and it keeps up with the water cooled wonders just fine. On the sand trails where I live high HP weight are liability off road. It costs $500 . It's 60 years old and runs great 👍😃. Cheap and cheerful as you Brits say. Lets see if the bike last 60 years. Today's motorcycles are a collection of government regulations on 2 wheels.😢
You have a point. My feeling is that the purpose of the big adventure bikes is to tour with some rough and gravel road capabilities, get there fast then have a gentle play then get home fast. For me however my road bike (RE Interceptor 650) does all of that just a little slower but whatever floats people's boats is fine by me.
Those old BWWs & Triumphs weren’t full of unnecessary tech nerd gizmos ,that could potentially cause issues in the middle of no where . The less tech on adventure & touring bikes the less chance of breakdowns & issues & the more chance of a repair in third world countries .
@@maskedavenger2578 my old Triumph shop gave me a repair manual for a BSA C-12 250. The fuzzy orange 🍊 ones l looked up my mother's home country of Malta and it had a BSA dealership. No address just said next to Christchurch. Triumph and BSA had shops in nearly every country on Earth. They all used the same carburetors, Lucas electrics, Dunlop tires, Girling shocks,so if you needed a part you could get it. Going around the world was more of a challenge than today.
Is it any different to buying a triumph built in in india or Thailand quailty wise, i had gerabox issues with my brand new tiger 1200 which took months to solve as main dealer had no parts available. I think it was at least 6 months without parts.
Good Morning Dave , For the price you can't go wrong , thanks Dave for the review on this bike , unfortunately its to tall in the saddle for me , so as always take care & ride safe
Interesting review, it's difficult to ignore the value for money element offered by the Benelli TRK 702 , it's a great buy for £7K .I'm slowly warming to the idea of purchasing a Chinese built bike however I'm still sat on the fence when it comes to things like dealer network, service intervals, parts supply and after sales service, if I did take the plunge and invest in a Chinese built bike then a Moto Morini would probably be my first port of call, maybe a visit to Appleyards in Keighley is on the cards in 2024.
There actually producing bikes here and now that compete with the competition, people will deny it , but it's true. This bikes been coming for a while and they have done an amazing job , benelli are one to watch ... Great review.
I do love watching your videos. The countryside looks so gorgeous. Where are you riding through in the beginning of this video? Now onto the bike. I was waiting with anticipation for this model but, was slightly disappointed due to the seat height which seemed low and didn't provide the same ergonomics as the 502x. I am going to visit a dealer near me to see if it was just the company lowering the bikes at the mcn show last year to be sure. I do like the looks and the price is so good. I was up in Yorkshire last weekend in Leeds and Harrogate (Betty's of course) and I really enjoyed my time up there. It might have just thrown me a curve ball in life because I am dying to go back to Yorkshire to discover other areas. Anyway keep up the good work and God bless. 👍🏿
@thebingleywheeler To be fair I did write my message early on in the vid and I was enamored by the Yorkshire beauty. I really should have waited. Lol I did notice that when you were sat on it in the front garden it actually looked taller, and as a man with 32-33" in-seem, I thought to my self, I am blooming sure they did something to the height last year in the show. Either way, I will be visiting my nearest dealer to take a look for myself. Thanks for the reply fella and it's always a pleasure to watch your vids. 😁
Isn't the elephant in the room with these types of bikes, residual values. Some bikes are desirable and therefore hold their value well, others just don't, wonder which one this is.
That looks like a nice, great value package for a "Tallrounder." Looks a bit like the Multi Strada and the Gs' had a Bastard Son, I'm not keen on that colour mind... and I love a pint of Guinness.
My local enfield dealer where I've just bought my second himalayan after regretting selling first one... has been selling benellies for 2months cant get enough of them .....royal Enfield be warned 🤔😊 versys type motor ???? Had cfmoto 650 and versys 650 both 👍👍👍 but my old 650 vstrom will stay in garage...cheers
Interesting. Makes new himalayan look overpriced for 40 bhp at around £6k. 70bhp for £7k does seem a good price. I'd only buy one though if I was keeping long term as I think depreciation will be high.
When you don't mix your words i love it no back lighting on a twenty grand bike is a joke,you lot with deep pockets all i can say i hope they don't get shallow!
nice to have an up todate video on this bike... thanks for your time making this video... i think the price has just gone up as it was £6800 but wasnt avaliable to purchase... think theres still a waiting time on this bike
All bikes are 7k at every dealer in every colour ...I've called many dealers...no idea who's charging 8300 cos everyone I've spoken to has said around 7k, including luggage and all colours
Both interesting and surprising that you had such a positive response to this model. Yes, the Chinese models are coming, like it or not, and on the face of it represent good value, although the resale story below (and the temporary shutdown) added another dimension. Also interesting to hear that the 702 is described as having a 180 degree crank, as it certainly sounds like a 270 on the video! But as I commented earlier in regard to the new Kove 800 ADV, the primary function of these Chinese alternatives at this point is to pressure the 'known manufacturers' to offer more features for a lower price (or in the case of the Kove, a lighter, smaller machine than the established alternatives). But it will be interesting to see how these models 'shake out' over the coming years, and how the Chinese supply chain and dealerships support them. But I might stick with my new Transalp for the moment.
You are aware every Jap brand...ktm...bmw...harley ...pretty much every brand now have Chinese assembly plants ? And have done for years... The Chinese vs Jap argument went out the window years ago. Even my last expensive KTM was made assembled in India. The only issue is the lack of consumer knowledge in regard to this fact. I spent 4k on an ex demo Trk502x, and it's been miles better than my 10k yamaha so far. Jap brands have slipped in the last few years and I should know because I was an engineer for Honda at the factory and a dealer PS did you know that your Transalp was most likely to have been built in Thailand...........
It’s great value for money. The dilemma would be this vs a second hand known brand for the same money? A T7 with 10,000 miles for instance or a V Strom… Probably better support to stick with a name brand if your planning on big distance travel around the world.
Good review of an affordable bike and I think this will make other manufacturers sit up and take notice and perhaps lower prices as these Chinese made are going to take a large share of the market I just happen to be in the market and will be giving these a look as I can’t find a versys used with under 20k miles and 7 years old for a comparable price Regards from Florida
It seems a very nice bike to me. anyone knows anything about the "Environment zone" classification?? I'm gonna need to trade in my old bike soon cause it's not allowed in the city anymore by end of the year. And this looks like a serious option to me. Only consideration I have is the small windscreen for motorway use. I am fairly wide on the shoulders and standing 1,86 m tall. Afraid I have to do some modification to that screen. Thanks for any input, keep riding. 👍
My Enfield dealer also has the Benelli’s looking for a cheap hack this looks ok. Does it feel top heavy at all? Had a Versys 650 that felt that way. Was fuel Economy good? Good review 👍
To be honest not really top heavy though I suspect that to be more down to it’s relatively low weight rather than too weight distribution….lovely bike to ride 😊👍🏻
Hi mate, I’ve ordered a 702x, coming from a NX500 as I feel I need the extra power, my only concern is going from tubeless to tubed tyres, I’m new to riding so learning all the time, what’s your thoughts on the tyre situation and possible problems I may have, great video, watching it definitely made my mind up for me 👍
Well you can’t plug a tubed tyre on the move so it is a recovery job if you get punctured. You can however make a tubed wheel tubeless (lots of UA-cam videos on this)
Very informative! I'd seriously consider one of these were it not for the lack of vendors in Ireland. It seems like another point of concern is second hand value after a few years. I might have missed it, but how long is the warranty period on these?
Two years, but rather sort service intervals. Just over 3,000 mls, but I'd probably risk doing double,as it's the erf kwaka engine and they allowed 6,000, but it would screw the warranty up. It would be a great bike on those bumpy west coast roads of ROl though lol
Nice review of nice bike, gaining in popularity but for me it would be 2nd hand known brand, not because of badge snobbery but appalling residuals and where I live dealer support. Never owned a new bike and prob never will, but I only do4-5k a year
Good morning Dave. Great review as usual, I agree that it's exceptional value for money but the downside is depreciation. It's fitted with a torque converter. I've discovered, after extensive research, that in the near future all Bingley Wheelers will be fitted with talk converters. This will alow us, your loyal followers, the listen to your videos in perfect received pronunciation. Best wishes, Stephen.
Depreciation is offset to a great extent by the much lower initial purchase price and becomes even less relevant if the bike is kept for longer and not traded as soon as the ash trays are full.
I might have missed it, but are the wheels tubeless? A bit of a must these days with the roads being so poor. I'm interested as to why it needs spotlights, when it wasn't ridden in the dark? Or perhaps just an aesthetics thing?
Not that bigger deal, just carry some tire goo, too get you out the shite, or a few tools and a spare tube. I can remember as a kid , fixing a flat on the hard shoulder of the M69 on a 400/4, when I was heading to the BMF rally, back in 79
If I was after a 700cc mid sized adventure styled bike , I would defiantly give this Benelli some consideration , the new Chinese built Benellis appear to be better built in China than in the Italian factory’s & a lot more reliable . The only elephant in the room is the usual issues ,such as continued part availability & consistent importer & dealership network . Last time I bought an Italian brand there was 3 importers in as many years , & the 3 rd importer was no help to me whatsoever. If it wasn’t for the fact I service ,repair & rebuild all my own bikes & was able to think outside the box ,I would have been left with a total lemon . As the nearest dealer stopped flogging the brand & wanted no more to do with the importer or the new one either . Also Benelli seem to crop up every couple of decades under new owners & then suddenly disappear again . Hopefully now their being produced in China & better qualify maybe this time they might stick around longer . 👍
@@thebingleywheeler Are Moto GB the dealers or importers ,as importers who take on too many companies ,usually end up overstretching themselves as the try to be all things to all men in their search for profit . This usually ends eventually in poor costumer satisfaction as the importer has bitten off more than they can chew by importing too many motorcycle brands . Time will tell I suppose. 👍
To good to be true ? Great price and looks a good bike. I would like to hold judgement for a few years, resale value ? Long term reliability ? parts availability? Or are we paying to much for European and Japanese bikes ?
Personally,I think we're ripped off, £200 for a different colour on a BMW and let's face it ,they don't do that exciting a choice in the first place. Who cares if this loses half its value in depreciation, still less than you'd loose on any of the main manufacturers 🤔
An Italian bike built in China would normally have me running for the hills but might take a look. I'm in the market to change my 10 year old gs for something lighter to move around (getting to that age!) At that price I could sell the gs and have that without spending any extra cash. Quite mind boggling really.
Put it this way with the money your saving how many trips away does this add to your budget. I have two Enfield's and love them and people said dont buy Indian bikes !!
So, like most other adventure bikes, it's way too tall for us old, short guys with no inside leg length. What would appeal to us is a bike that automatically lowers itself by 50mm or so when you come to a stop. This would be much more usable that a lot of the other whizz-bang junk they're putting on bikes nowadays.
They may employ a few folk in Italy to put a bit of gloss on things. But it's a Chinese bike produced by a Chinese company. My concience wouldn't let me buy one.
Good morning Dave, cracking ride in less than ideal conditions, expertly ridden and narrated however I downgraded your review one star because of a major omission … why no Eddie? Andy.
Just a typical Benelli thou… they are impressive when new, but longevity lets them down. The Benelli range has never aged well, after time the cheapness shows through… and their resale is woeful.
i hate chinese stuff , [ unless it's chow mein ] , BUT the price , the luggage , the sweet running motor e.t.c. are going to sway a lot of buyers , = as i don't see much of a down side , unless spares become a problem = like sinnis , keeway e.t.c. , also with modern shite paints it will be important to spray these bikes with a gt85 product or similar = or the bike will disappear before your eyes ;;
Pulled the trigger on one of these and had it a week now. Absolutely fantastic value for money and a superb ride. So comfortable and the engine is a gem. Well chuffed and highly recommend. Just need the weather to behave itself so I can get out more.
Deals with the weather well 👍🏻
Currently have the 502x and have done 15k miles in 2.5 years and have zero issues whatsoever, unlike my 10k yamaha Niken, which has had gearbox issues at 2k miles and corrodes twice as fast as my Benelli .
I'm planning to upgrade to the 702x next year..
I used to be an engineer for Honda, so I'm quite knowledgeable regarding bikes, and this whole Chinese bike debate does make me laugh because every major manufacturer. Honda..Yamaha..Suzuki ... Kawasaki..BMW...even Harley-davidson now has assembly plants in China and South America ..
jeez, even my KTM was assembled in India .
Great points there pal 😊👍🏻
@@thebingleywheeler just ordered a Dune sea Trk702x ....let's see how this goes lol
Ignorance and miss informed makes me laugh ,only curry is the only thing made in the UK!
@@peter58murray Hi Pete, looking at the Dune 702x myself. How are you getting on with it compared to the 502x?
@dasboot3350 Good mate...had mine 5 weeks now and I've ridden 1600 miles ...I thought due to have a similar frame to the 502x it would just be a similar bike but it's like chalk and cheese .
The handling
Power and speed
Brakes actually work .
Much much better in every dept
As Tim said. If you keep your bikes for 4 years or more it’s a no brainer. Seriously good value for a capable bike.
Yes it’s one of those issues which feeds on itself
Will it last 4 years?
it´s under warranty for those 4 years@@duncanjowett5575
I'm old enough to remember when the Japanese bikes arrived on our shores.....they were sneered at by "proper" bikers....for a while....
Too true. The same could be said for the dealers, too. Yet by the early 70s, they couldn't get enough of the bikes they didn't want to touch with a bargepole, a decade earlier!
I remember the mother of a big family of Brit rocker ton up boys in early 1960 ‘s buying the C100 Honda cub 50 push rod step thru . Once they seen how reliable it was & it always started first time , she hardly got to ride it. Their Brit bikes always leaked oil , needed stripping down frequently & a swine to start .
I don't know why most bikes are so expensive..I bought a Benelli 702s loved it, switch gear was a bit lightweight but so is my new Yamaha. The Benelli was almost perfect especially brakes, suspension and engine. It quit working for no reason whilst riding along bit chancy as it caught me out on a fast road. Switched it off back on and off she went again leaving me nervous. There was an upgrade widget fitted under the seat part of a re-call to ECU then, never happened again..Now the very hard bit, when it came to change the bike no dealer wanted it. I paid 7K was glad to get 3K back after 6 months. It was like all the equity was all gone. Perceptions of the buying public dealers said. I reckon if you kept it always then its not an issue, but try selling these on...Love your video Mr Wheeler, thank you for your efforts.
I am a fan of Italian bikes,and have owned many Guzzis,Ducati's and a couple of m.v's over the years.Now,it seems to ruffle a few feathers that Benelli and Moto Morini are Chinese owned companys,but does it make Ducati any "less Italian" being owned by a German company?.
Always loved the look of the TRK 502 and this looks just great and what value, wow. CF Moto are turning out some good stuff too.
Agreed, I'm liking the looks of the CF Motos too
Saw the green one of these in showroom today, great looking adv. Great review, thanks👏👏👏
I've had a Benelli 302s for several years now, and couldn't be happier with it. It's proven reliable, well-appointed for its price range, and an head-turner. I've owned 20+ bikes over the years, and this Benelli is at least as good quality as any of the others.
I have a 2023 benelli 302s and I've put 10,000 miles on it. It has never let me down!
Ive got a TRK502X and i think its great. The 702 looks like quite a step ahead. Great review.
TBW, I’m so impressed by your riding skills in these wet conditions it’s frightening. I commend you for your skill in providing a running commentary & keeping an eye or 2 out for adversity! Joggers, cyclists, partially flooded roads, cars… wow, you take it all in your stride 👌
The benelli TRK range is Italys most sold motorcycles from the 502 & now the 702. You explain why. Well done.
Thank you Steve for those kind comments it’s nice when people understand that riding whilst giving decent commentary is not easy 👍🏻
Just put my deposit down, and pick it up next month. I can’t wait 😃
Great choice Martin I think you’ll love it 👍🏻
Thank you for adding something unusual and unexpected to the mix! Nice size for maneuvering slowly. Ugly color (colour) options, nice accessories.
My Multistrada was expensive and then I had to add out-of-pocket the luggage, heated grips, and center stand at over $2,500 extra.
With a lower-priced and smaller engine bike one wouldn't need to worry about it so much for repair costs and theft, etc..
I applaud you for getting outside, regardless of time of year and weather! You're not a fair weathered biker😉.
Cheers Edward….i got very wet 😂
@@thebingleywheeler That's what it's all about!
Good review of the Benelli 702, I was considering a moto morini before I bought my V7 special, these are let down by residuals and dealer network so I would say a second hand one makes more sense then buying new 🤔 Caio for now👍🏻
Love to stop by,commute from Oregon is a bit far though, kidding aside, keep up the good work
Thank you for taking the time and effort to present us with a great review of a fine and interesting bike. Well done BenellI and TBW.
Thank you most kind 😊👍🏻
Thanks for the review, there are not a lot of this bike. Really like it and consider to get one! One thing I read/hear a lot is the insecure value retention. But even if you lose halve the value in 3 to 4 years, it is still peanuts comparing on the loss of Tiger 900 in its first year. 🙂
I’m in the market for a mid size ADV bike my budget being around 7k I’m seriously considering the TRK. Thanks for the thorough review, they seem few and far between currently via the mainstream almost as if they don’t want to upset their usual suppliers.
i like these bikes quite fancy one of these.
I was so close to buying one of these (not the x version) but the 257kg weight with the boxes fitted and a full tank was the deal breaker. The engine is the CFmoto 650 with the stroke tweaked (It's built under licence of the Kawasaki ER6)
Just bought a NC750X instead which doesn't even come with a usb charger!!!!
Straight talking as always, love it, and at 7k with the luggage you can’t go wrong. Even if it depreciates at 50% in a couple of years you’ve done 3.5k. Compare that with a new GS at 20k+ and I’m sure that you will lose more than 3.5k, even if it retains 80% of the same period which is unlikely.
Exactly Chris 👍
It's a lot of bike for £7k that's for sure. From what I've seen so far this seems like the bike that the 502 should always have been. The 502 always looked like the bones of a good bike but quite a hefty beast for that little 47hp engine to lug about whereas this looks much more the ticket.
Looking forward to seeing tests on the Kove 800
Very nice looking bike. The large trash size bin muffler on the side looks out of place, but otherwise a nice bike. Glad to see you riding a bike with all terrain tires. More grip in the nasty weather for sure. Thanks for sharing Dave. Ride safe as always and take care. Cheers
Informative as always, Dave. Not my kind of bike, as you might know too well by now😁, but your excellent powers of description leave the viewer with no doubts as to what this bike is really like. It reminds me very much of CFMoto's 800MT, a machine that, considering my personal views of this class, I really do like.
In addition, the price of these two bikes represent superb value considering what comes as standard. Really quite remarkable.
Keep 'em coming, pal. 👍
Cheers Mark and will do 👍🏻
eyup! i just got a 502x today and despite being surprised at it gigantesque size and weight, i was left impressed with how much you get for your money. I fancy trying the leoncino and the 400 imperiale. And that taking into consideration i own 4 Ducatis, 2 MV Agustas, 1 R.E. Scram 411, a Yamaha XSR, a Harley 1200 sportster, and a diablo custom café racer. Despite having those more expensive bespoke bikes, i find the Benelli a fine bike indeed.
Any advice on how to get rich and buy at least half of your collection? 😂
Great review BW and great to see you giving time to and an unbiased view of a bike with Chinese content. This looks a great bike regardless of the excellent price. It would be great if could do reviews on some of the similar offerings like CFMoto MT800 / CLX700 or Voge & Kove. The Chinese manufacturers are coming whether people like it or not. Competition is good for customers and they will start to give the established manufacturers a hard time.
I’m hoping the CF Moto will feature soon on the channel 😊👍🏻
Nice video Dave, not my sort of bike and i doubt i could even get my leg over it but at that price you have to wonder why its opposition, especially as so few are actually made in Britain, are so expensive in comparison.
Great review Dave , that's a nice bike for the money, Chinese manufacturers have upped their game over the years ,as you know we own a Zontes, and the build quality is fine , it's about time the naysayers caught up with the times .
As for this particular bike it's in the same stable as my 2014 DL650 , which I'll never part with, it's still going strong after 63,000 miles, but if I was in the market for a similar bike these days I'd give one of these a go , at that sort of money!
Cheers Mel 🍻
Thank you Mel 😊👍🏻
Scenery amazing at the end.... Great bike, love the colour, I reckon we get hung up still on the name, don't you think 🤔, better the money in your pocket to make the memories... Love love love it .. ❤ thanks bw
Cheers Martine yes far better the money in your pocket to pay for trips etc 😊❤️
'Morning, Dave! Good on you for getting out on the bike in the lousy weather and thanks for the review. The Benelli looks very competent, as does your riding of it. I managed a coastal run on the Guzzi on Tuesday, on a nice 35C cloudless day. Today's a very warm 44C, so the bike's stayed under cover. Phew!! 🥵
44 wow!! I’d rather be wet….cheers for the kind words pal👍🏻
@@thebingleywheeler Wet? What's that, Dave? Last time we had any rain was late October... A much more reasonable 30C tomorrow, but then 36/43/41/40 on the following days; no rain, of course.
Now that's a proper heatwave!
Hmm... compared to this deal the new Himmy pales quite a bit. While it does look a lot better than the Benelli and has that great navigation system - heck - you get a strong twin and the luggage... hmm! I have quite some test driving to do this season.
Great video, keep 'em coming mate. Greetings from Bavaria o/
Theres an Italian chap who rode the trk 502 around the world n some very rough stuff in Nepal etc and it survived well! Think there was a reason sold very well in Italy.
As is stands the Cf moto 450 adv, rieju 500 and theres a Kove coming soon that tickle my fancy. Am ok on the Himmy for a few years (do a few tours)
Thanks for the review. Interesting stuff. Are heated grips available for it?
Yes plus for £150 there is a heated seat too.
In the old days you rode around the world 🌎 on a BMW or a regular Triumph like Ted Simon. He took a Triumph 500 all over the place and wrote a book about it. Jupiter's Travels. Adventure bikes are for a different kind of poser. Heavy, expensive and delicate. My BSA C-15 250 has a high pipe, knobby tires and it keeps up with the water cooled wonders just fine. On the sand trails where I live high HP weight are liability off road. It costs $500 . It's 60 years old and runs great 👍😃. Cheap and cheerful as you Brits say. Lets see if the bike last 60 years. Today's motorcycles are a collection of government regulations on 2 wheels.😢
You have a point. My feeling is that the purpose of the big adventure bikes is to tour with some rough and gravel road capabilities, get there fast then have a gentle play then get home fast. For me however my road bike (RE Interceptor 650) does all of that just a little slower but whatever floats people's boats is fine by me.
Those old BWWs & Triumphs weren’t full of unnecessary tech nerd gizmos ,that could potentially cause issues in the middle of no where . The less tech on adventure & touring bikes the less chance of breakdowns & issues & the more chance of a repair in third world countries .
@@maskedavenger2578 my old Triumph shop gave me a repair manual for a BSA C-12 250. The fuzzy orange 🍊 ones l looked up my mother's home country of Malta and it had a BSA dealership. No address just said next to Christchurch. Triumph and BSA had shops in nearly every country on Earth. They all used the same carburetors, Lucas electrics, Dunlop tires, Girling shocks,so if you needed a part you could get it. Going around the world was more of a challenge than today.
Is it any different to buying a triumph built in in india or Thailand quailty wise, i had gerabox issues with my brand new tiger 1200 which took months to solve as main dealer had no parts available. I think it was at least 6 months without parts.
Good Morning Dave , For the price you can't go wrong , thanks Dave for the review on this bike , unfortunately its to tall in the saddle for me , so as always take care & ride safe
Cheers Steve much appreciated buddy 👍🏻
Interesting review, it's difficult to ignore the value for money element offered by the Benelli TRK 702 , it's a great buy for £7K .I'm slowly warming to the idea of purchasing a Chinese built bike however I'm still sat on the fence when it comes to things like dealer network, service intervals, parts supply and after sales service, if I did take the plunge and invest in a Chinese built bike then a Moto Morini would probably be my first port of call, maybe a visit to Appleyards in Keighley is on the cards in 2024.
Take a trip to Appleyards and give them a close look…..it’s better than listening to the urban myths 👍🏻
There actually producing bikes here and now that compete with the competition, people will deny it , but it's true. This bikes been coming for a while and they have done an amazing job , benelli are one to watch ... Great review.
I do love watching your videos. The countryside looks so gorgeous.
Where are you riding through in the beginning of this video?
Now onto the bike. I was waiting with anticipation for this model but, was slightly disappointed due to the seat height which seemed low and didn't provide the same ergonomics as the 502x. I am going to visit a dealer near me to see if it was just the company lowering the bikes at the mcn show last year to be sure. I do like the looks and the price is so good.
I was up in Yorkshire last weekend in Leeds and Harrogate (Betty's of course) and I really enjoyed my time up there. It might have just thrown me a curve ball in life because I am dying to go back to Yorkshire to discover other areas.
Anyway keep up the good work and God bless. 👍🏿
Hi thank you the opening shots are in a local beauty spot called Shipley Glen. The seat felt pretty high to me and I am tall 😊👍
@thebingleywheeler To be fair I did write my message early on in the vid and I was enamored by the Yorkshire beauty. I really should have waited. Lol
I did notice that when you were sat on it in the front garden it actually looked taller, and as a man with 32-33" in-seem, I thought to my self, I am blooming sure they did something to the height last year in the show. Either way, I will be visiting my nearest dealer to take a look for myself. Thanks for the reply fella and it's always a pleasure to watch your vids. 😁
Isn't the elephant in the room with these types of bikes, residual values. Some bikes are desirable and therefore hold their value well, others just don't, wonder which one this is.
I think that will change in time
“Sand” I was wondering what they were going to call the beige colour scheme. 😀 Looks good and great value though for a useful bike.
That looks like a nice, great value package for a "Tallrounder." Looks a bit like the Multi Strada and the Gs' had a Bastard Son, I'm not keen on that colour mind... and I love a pint of Guinness.
My local enfield dealer where I've just bought my second himalayan after regretting selling first one... has been selling benellies for 2months cant get enough of them .....royal Enfield be warned 🤔😊 versys type motor ???? Had cfmoto 650 and versys 650 both 👍👍👍 but my old 650 vstrom will stay in garage...cheers
Interesting. Makes new himalayan look overpriced for 40 bhp at around £6k. 70bhp for £7k does seem a good price. I'd only buy one though if I was keeping long term as I think depreciation will be high.
On benelli, it is and that's it's issue at the moment 👍🏻
When you don't mix your words i love it no back lighting on a twenty grand bike is a joke,you lot with deep pockets all i can say i hope they don't get shallow!
nice to have an up todate video on this bike... thanks for your time making this video... i think the price has just gone up as it was £6800 but wasnt avaliable to purchase... think theres still a waiting time on this bike
£8300 for the Stone Special
All bikes are 7k at every dealer in every colour ...I've called many dealers...no idea who's charging 8300 cos everyone I've spoken to has said around 7k, including luggage and all colours
Both interesting and surprising that you had such a positive response to this model. Yes, the Chinese models are coming, like it or not, and on the face of it represent good value, although the resale story below (and the temporary shutdown) added another dimension. Also interesting to hear that the 702 is described as having a 180 degree crank, as it certainly sounds like a 270 on the video!
But as I commented earlier in regard to the new Kove 800 ADV, the primary function of these Chinese alternatives at this point is to pressure the 'known manufacturers' to offer more features for a lower price (or in the case of the Kove, a lighter, smaller machine than the established alternatives). But it will be interesting to see how these models 'shake out' over the coming years, and how the Chinese supply chain and dealerships support them.
But I might stick with my new Transalp for the moment.
You are aware every Jap brand...ktm...bmw...harley ...pretty much every brand now have Chinese assembly plants ? And have done for years...
The Chinese vs Jap argument went out the window years ago.
Even my last expensive KTM was made assembled in India.
The only issue is the lack of consumer knowledge in regard to this fact.
I spent 4k on an ex demo Trk502x, and it's been miles better than my 10k yamaha so far.
Jap brands have slipped in the last few years and I should know because I was an engineer for Honda at the factory and a dealer
PS did you know that your Transalp was most likely to have been built in Thailand...........
It’s great value for money. The dilemma would be this vs a second hand known brand for the same money? A T7 with 10,000 miles for instance or a V Strom… Probably better support to stick with a name brand if your planning on big distance travel around the world.
Good review of an affordable bike and I think this will make other manufacturers sit up and take notice and perhaps lower prices as these Chinese made are going to take a large share of the market
I just happen to be in the market and will be giving these a look as I can’t find a versys used with under 20k miles and 7 years old for a comparable price
Regards from Florida
Cheers John regards to Florida 😎👍🏻
It seems a very nice bike to me. anyone knows anything about the "Environment zone" classification?? I'm gonna need to trade in my old bike soon cause it's not allowed in the city anymore by end of the year. And this looks like a serious option to me. Only consideration I have is the small windscreen for motorway use. I am fairly wide on the shoulders and standing 1,86 m tall. Afraid I have to do some modification to that screen. Thanks for any input, keep riding. 👍
My Enfield dealer also has the Benelli’s looking for a cheap hack this looks ok. Does it feel top heavy at all? Had a Versys 650 that felt that way. Was fuel
Economy good? Good review 👍
To be honest not really top heavy though I suspect that to be more down to it’s relatively low weight rather than too weight distribution….lovely bike to ride 😊👍🏻
Hi mate, I’ve ordered a 702x, coming from a NX500 as I feel I need the extra power, my only concern is going from tubeless to tubed tyres, I’m new to riding so learning all the time, what’s your thoughts on the tyre situation and possible problems I may have, great video, watching it definitely made my mind up for me 👍
Well you can’t plug a tubed tyre on the move so it is a recovery job if you get punctured. You can however make a tubed wheel tubeless (lots of UA-cam videos on this)
Very informative! I'd seriously consider one of these were it not for the lack of vendors in Ireland. It seems like another point of concern is second hand value after a few years. I might have missed it, but how long is the warranty period on these?
Two years, but rather sort service intervals. Just over 3,000 mls, but I'd probably risk doing double,as it's the erf kwaka engine and they allowed 6,000, but it would screw the warranty up. It would be a great bike on those bumpy west coast roads of ROl though lol
Nice review of nice bike, gaining in popularity but for me it would be 2nd hand known brand, not because of badge snobbery but appalling residuals and where I live dealer support. Never owned a new bike and prob never will, but I only do4-5k a year
Thanks
Thank you so much I really appreciate that…cheers 😊👍🏻
These Chinese made bikes seem to be really improving.
Good morning Dave. Great review as usual, I agree that it's exceptional value for money but the downside is depreciation.
It's fitted with a torque converter. I've discovered, after extensive research, that in the near future all Bingley Wheelers will be fitted with talk converters. This will alow us, your loyal followers, the listen to your videos in perfect received pronunciation.
Best wishes, Stephen.
Depreciation is offset to a great extent by the much lower initial purchase price and becomes even less relevant if the bike is kept for longer and not traded as soon as the ash trays are full.
@@favourites96Exactly. You’ve still got the 3 grand + in your pocket which you saved on the initial purchase.
Ha ha great point Stephen cheers buddy 😊👍🏻
@favourites96 very good point indeed
Is that a gloss finish on the paint ?, (not a matt finish) thanks
Matt
The price on that one?
I might have missed it, but are the wheels tubeless? A bit of a must these days with the roads being so poor. I'm interested as to why it needs spotlights, when it wasn't ridden in the dark? Or perhaps just an aesthetics thing?
On tour you might have to ride in the dark?
Not that bigger deal, just carry some tire goo, too get you out the shite, or a few tools and a spare tube. I can remember as a kid , fixing a flat on the hard shoulder of the M69 on a 400/4, when I was heading to the BMF rally, back in 79
If I was after a 700cc mid sized adventure styled bike , I would defiantly give this Benelli some consideration , the new Chinese built Benellis appear to be better built in China than in the Italian factory’s & a lot more reliable . The only elephant in the room is the usual issues ,such as continued part availability & consistent importer & dealership network . Last time I bought an Italian brand there was 3 importers in as many years , & the 3 rd importer was no help to me whatsoever. If it wasn’t for the fact I service ,repair & rebuild all my own bikes & was able to think outside the box ,I would have been left with a total lemon . As the nearest dealer stopped flogging the brand & wanted no more to do with the importer or the new one either . Also Benelli seem to crop up every couple of decades under new owners & then suddenly disappear again . Hopefully now their being produced in China & better qualify maybe this time they might stick around longer . 👍
Should be OK dealer wise now moto gb are the dealers
@@thebingleywheeler Are Moto GB the dealers or importers ,as importers who take on too many companies ,usually end up overstretching themselves as the try to be all things to all men in their search for profit . This usually ends eventually in poor costumer satisfaction as the importer has bitten off more than they can chew by importing too many motorcycle brands . Time will tell I suppose. 👍
We have been distributing Benelli in the UK since 2005. @@maskedavenger2578
To good to be true ? Great price and looks a good bike. I would like to hold judgement for a few years, resale value ? Long term reliability ? parts availability? Or are we paying to much for European and Japanese bikes ?
Personally,I think we're ripped off, £200 for a different colour on a BMW and let's face it ,they don't do that exciting a choice in the first place. Who cares if this loses half its value in depreciation, still less than you'd loose on any of the main manufacturers 🤔
Dealer network has a lot to be desired in the northwest USA anyway
Isn’t Ktm made in china now? And the company that own benelli also own Volvo so can’t be that bad
An Italian bike built in China would normally have me running for the hills but might take a look. I'm in the market to change my 10 year old gs for something lighter to move around (getting to that age!) At that price I could sell the gs and have that without spending any extra cash. Quite mind boggling really.
Pushing it around, I don't think you'd find any difference to your GS , as the Benelli weights in at 237kgs
Some Benelli bikes are allegedly put together in Malaysia.
Put it this way with the money your saving how many trips away does this add to your budget. I have two Enfield's and love them and people said dont buy Indian bikes !!
So, like most other adventure bikes, it's way too tall for us old, short guys with no inside leg length. What would appeal to us is a bike that automatically lowers itself by 50mm or so when you come to a stop. This would be much more usable that a lot of the other whizz-bang junk they're putting on bikes nowadays.
The 702 is lower than the 702 x, 795mm I think
Looks a great bike too tall for these little 29 inch legs. Bennelli are great bikes.
They may employ a few folk in Italy to put a bit of gloss on things. But it's a Chinese bike produced by a Chinese company. My concience wouldn't let me buy one.
Good morning Dave, cracking ride in less than ideal conditions, expertly ridden and narrated
however I downgraded your review one star because of a major omission … why no Eddie?
Andy.
Cheers Andy….i must find a way of securing him on the bike 😂
I personally would wait to see how they stand the test of time, the Japanese bikes in this catogarey are too compelling
For the price it’s a no brainer, I think the BMW gs 1300s are near enough £30k fully specced up. If you don’t like Chinese, get over it
Wise word pal cheers 😎👍🏻
That doesn't look like a TFT screen to me.
Designed and prototyped in Italy, mass produced in China, and get QC'd back through Italy before sold in Europe.
Just a typical Benelli thou… they are impressive when new, but longevity lets them down. The Benelli range has never aged well, after time the cheapness shows through… and their resale is woeful.
Wow! Nothin' like pissin' on the campfire, is there? 🙄
"Wappleyard's"...pmsl
Almost 100lbs more than a Tuareg
i hate chinese stuff , [ unless it's chow mein ] , BUT the price , the luggage , the sweet running motor e.t.c. are going to sway a lot of buyers , = as i don't see much of a down side , unless spares become a problem = like sinnis , keeway e.t.c. , also with modern shite paints it will be important to spray these bikes with a gt85 product or similar = or the bike will disappear before your eyes ;;
Benelli and keeway are built by the same company Quinjaing!
Correct