Remember back in 2019, when Benelli said it was bringing the TRK502 adventure bike line to the US? Well, it seems that we’re a bit closer to having that actually happen now.

Originally, Benelli said it would bring the TRK502 into the US for the spring of 2020, but as we all know, things got a bit derailed this season. If these bikes actually arrived in early 2020, I certainly haven’t seen anybody riding one. But, that’s hardly Benelli’s fault; at AIMExpo 2019, when the company announced it was bringing the TRK502 over, COVID-19 wasn’t on the radar. The Benelli TRK502 is manufactured in China, and Benelli is kinda-sorta Italian (Chinese-owned, but still with roots in Italy), and those countries were some of the hardest-hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, Benelli says it’s bringing the 502 into the US through SSR Motorsports. Both the cast wheels model (the standard TRK502) and the spoked wheels model (TRK502 X) are coming; the press release didn’t issue a specific date to expect the machines, but we’d expect them in time for the 2021 riding season.

The TRK502 rolls on 17-inch cast rims, while the TRK502 X has a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear; it’s still not a hardcore offroader, although those spoked wheels would make it better in rough terrain. Both bikes have a steel frame, 20-litre fuel tank, wraparound handguards, and optional aluminum luggage. The 502 engine is a 499cc liquid-cooled parallel twin with four-valve head, and six-speed gearbox.

If it gets here for the early 2021 sales season, it will be most interesting to see the 502’s success. SSR Motorsports is asking $5,999 for the TRK502, and $6,399 for the TRK502X. That puts it pretty close to the asking price for some well-established Japanese bikes—but given the great dual sport sell-off of 2020, some of those bikes might be hard to find. Customers wanting a smaller adventure bike might find the TRK series is easier to get their hands on next season.

Find more details on the bikes at SSR Motorsports’ website.

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