2019 Benelli 502C launch review

Benelli has quickly developed a knack for producing excellent middleweights with models like the Leoncinos and the adventure-inspired TRK 502s.

In its home country – at least in terms of design, if not manufacturing – of Italy, Benelli is particularly going gangbusters, and in other markets around the globe the growth curves have also been impressive.

The company is doing a lot right, which leads us to the latest Benelli to go on sale Down Under – the 502C cruiser.

The Benelli 502C, like the majority of its siblings, gets its motivation from the 499cc parallel-twin engine, which is a pearler – a broad range of power and excellent throttle response. It also has a fruity rumble as well, which adds to the dynamic package.

The flexibility of the powerplant is evident in the specs: peak torque (45Nm) is at 5000rpm, and then a decent gap to maximum power (48hp) at 8500rpm. That’s a fair chunk of strong, useable power to work with – and the urge off the bottom isn’t too bad either, so it’s a cruiser that can really be ridden in a ‘lazy’ fashion.

The launch route encapsulated a typical Benelli 502C ‘day out’ – some city work and then a stroll into more open terrain. And if you fuel up before you leave – it has a huge 21-litre tank – your outing can literally last all day! Perhaps some level of fuel capacity overkill for an ‘urban cruiser’, but welcome nonetheless.

In terms of styling, the fuel tank certainly isn’t obtrusive, and the sculpted flanks proved to be perfect accommodation for my knees. Maybe not for taller denizens, but my 172cm frame made for a beautiful fit.

Related:
2018 Benelli Leoncino Trail review
2018 Benelli Leoncino launch review
2018 Benelli TRK 502X review
2018 Benelli TRK 502 launch review

And that includes the saddle-type seat, which enhances the bike’s sit-in feel – and with footpegs well in front of the rider, there’s also plenty of legroom. And it’s low to the ground, too, with that 750mm seat height. The seat isn’t quite as comfortable as it looks, though, and did cause some mild numbness near the base of my spine after an hour or so.

The reach to the bars is quite pronounced, and when the levers are added into the equation it does make for quite a stretch. The brake lever is at least span-adjustable, so you can adjust to the shallowest setting if you have short – and also in my case, dumpy… – digits.

The Benelli 502C is fun at all speeds, but it’s not the type of machine that revels in being pushed exceptionally hard – although it does have excellent stability, and corners well despite the conservative front-end geometry.

That skinny 160-section rear tyre makes tip-in a cinch as the bike builds up to some decent lean angles. The pegs are the first items to hit the deck, but that’s only at a decent clip.

Instead, it’s the engine that probably doesn’t enjoy being pushed too far beyond its mid-range comfort zone, and excess wind buffeting can also become an issue a higher speeds.

However, the $9790 rideaway Benelli 502C is generally supremely easy to manage, and key attributes include a light clutch and a slick six-speed gearbox. The braking performance is also very healthy from the four-piston front calipers, and the TFT instrumentation isn’t overloaded with superfluous information.

Other than a few bits and pieces, the build quality is also very sound, which is another area where Benelli has made a quantum leap in recent times.

There’s no doubt the Benelli 502C shares some styling similarities with cruiser fare from its Italian neighbour just up the road in Bologna – Benelli is based in Pesaro – but for all intents and purposes the machine is quickly carving out its own niche.

And there isn’t a lot of choice in terms of middleweight cruisers on the Aussie market, with models like the ageing Yamaha XVS650 and the Honda CMX500 a part of the slim pickings.

The $9790 rideaway Benelli 502C trumps both of those machines in terms of styling and performance, and that’s why it has got the gong as our best LAMS cruiser in the 2019 Bikesales Bike of the Year Awards.

As we said in our BOTY critique, the 502C is – like its siblings – a great package with a fair dose of fun factor. Benelli continues to march on.

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC, eight-valve parallel twin
Capacity: 500cc
Bore and stroke: 69mm x 66.8mm
Compression ratio: 11.5:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Maximum power: 48hp (35kW) at 8500rpm
Maximum torque: 45Nm at 5000rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Tubular-steel trellis and plates
Front suspension: 41mm upside-down telescopic fork, non-adjustable, 125mm travel
Rear suspension: Monoshock, adjustable for preload, 50mm travel
Front brakes: Twin 280mm discs with twin-piston calipers, ABS
Rear brake: Single 240mm disc with single-piston caliper, ABS
Tyres: 120-70-17 front, 160/60-17 rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed dry weight: 170kg
Seat height: 750mm
Wheelbase: 1600mm
Fuel capacity: 21 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $9790 rideaway
Test bike supplied by: Urban Moto Imports
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres, with two years of roadside assistance