Benelli TRK 902 Xplorer: New 93bhp Adventure Bike Arrives at £7,999 

Benelli has officially launched its new flagship adventure crossover in the UK, and the TRK 902 Xplorer looks set to take the fight directly to some of the more established middleweight adventure bikes.

Priced at £7,999 + OTR, the new Xplorer sits at the top of Benelli's TRK range and combines a 904cc twin-cylinder engine with serious off-road capability, premium suspension, Brembo brakes and an impressive amount of electronic equipment.

And considering what you get for the money, it could be one of the more interesting adventure bikes to arrive in this category.

Built for the adventure

The TRK 902 Xplorer has been designed as a genuine crossover motorcycle, rather than simply a road bike dressed up to look adventurous.

That becomes obvious when you look at the chassis and running gear.

At the front is a 19-inch tubeless spoked wheel, while the rear uses a 17-inch wheel. Both feature aluminium hubs and rims and are fitted with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR M+S tyres.

Suspension travel is a substantial 170mm, while ground clearance is 215mm. The rider's seat height is 840mm.

Those numbers should give the Xplorer plenty of ability when the tarmac runs out, while still retaining the road manners expected from a large touring crossover.

904cc parallel-twin engine

At the heart of the TRK 902 Xplorer is a brand-new 904cc, forward-facing, twin-cylinder engine.

The liquid-cooled engine features four valves per cylinder and has been tuned with touring in mind. Rather than chasing maximum top-end performance, Benelli says the engine has been developed to deliver strong low- and mid-range performance.

Maximum torque is:

90Nm at 6,500rpm

Maximum power is:

93.2bhp (68.5kW) at 9,000rpm

The engine is Euro 5+ compliant and uses a new intake system with twin 46mm electronic throttle bodies.

A Ride-by-Wire throttle is controlled by a Bosch Motronic ECU, while a slipper clutch is fitted as standard.

That combination should make the 902 a particularly useful engine for long-distance riding, where strong mid-range torque is arguably more important than outright horsepower.

Three riding modes

The electronics don't stop at the throttle.

The TRK 902 Xplorer comes with three riding modes:

• Normal

• Rain

• Sport

The modes allow the rider to alter the bike's characteristics depending on conditions and riding style.

There is also traction control, which can be switched off when required, making the bike more suitable for loose surfaces and off-road riding.

Cruise control is fitted as standard too, which should be particularly welcome on longer motorway and touring journeys.

Serious suspension hardware

Benelli hasn't gone down the budget route when it comes to the suspension.

Up front is a 43mm Marzocchi upside-down fork, offering adjustment for:

• Rebound

• Compression

• Preload

At the rear is a monoshock working with an aluminium swingarm.

The rear shock features a remote adjuster, allowing the rider to alter both hydraulic rebound damping and spring preload.

That should make it considerably easier to set the bike up when moving between solo riding, two-up touring or carrying luggage.

7-inch TFT display

Technology is another major part of the TRK 902 Xplorer package.

The bike gets a large 7-inch TFT dashboard with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity.

The system can integrate with a smartphone and provides access to:

• Turn-by-turn navigation

• Maps

• Phone functions

• Motorcycle information

A dedicated app is used to provide the connected features.

For a bike costing £7,999 before on-the-road costs, a 7-inch connected TFT is a pretty substantial piece of equipment.

Radar-assisted safety

One of the most interesting features of the new Xplorer is its radar-based ADAS safety system.

The system provides three main functions:

Blind Spot Detection (BSD)
Monitors the motorcycle's blind spots and warns the rider when another vehicle is detected.

Lane Change Assist (LCA)
Provides additional assistance when changing lanes by monitoring traffic approaching from behind.

Rear Collision Warning (RCW)
Monitors traffic behind the motorcycle and provides a warning if a potential rear collision is detected.

Warnings are delivered through the TFT display, LEDs integrated into the mirrors and an audible alert.

The individual functions can also be managed independently, allowing riders to customise the system.

This is quite a sophisticated safety package for a motorcycle at this price point

21-litre fuel tank

Long-distance touring is clearly a major consideration with the Xplorer.

The motorcycle gets a 21-litre metal fuel tank, with the tank design deliberately narrowed towards the rider.

Benelli says the bike has a claimed average fuel consumption of 5 litres per 100km.

On paper, that gives the TRK 902 Xplorer a theoretical range of around:

420km / 261 miles

That's calculated from the full 21-litre capacity and the claimed 5L/100km consumption, so real-world range will obviously depend on riding conditions, speed, load and terrain.

Nevertheless, a 21-litre tank combined with a claimed 5L/100km consumption should make the Xplorer a capable long-distance machine.

Adventure-focused equipment

The Xplorer comes with plenty of equipment designed specifically for adventure riding.

Standard equipment includes:

• Tubeless spoked wheels

• Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR M+S tyres

• Aluminium skid plate

• Tubular crash bars

• Centre stand

• Three-level heated seat

• Heated grips

• USB socket

• Cruise control

• TPMS

• Quickshifter

• Traction control

• Cornering ABS

• Radar-based ADAS

The Quick Shift system can also be deactivated, giving riders the choice of using it or returning to conventional clutch-assisted gear changes.

Heated seat and grips

For riders who intend to use their motorcycle throughout the year, the standard heated equipment is particularly interesting.

The TRK 902 Xplorer comes with both heated grips and a three-level heated seat.

Combined with the bike's touring-focused engine, cruise control and 21-litre fuel tank, it reinforces the idea that Benelli sees this as a motorcycle capable of doing considerably more than simply tackling green lanes at the weekend.

Styling and design

The Xplorer gets a distinctive new look, particularly around the front end.

A compact manually adjustable windscreen is mounted within a distinctive quadrilateral frame, giving the bike a more purposeful appearance.

The indicators have also been moved into the handguards.

This allows Benelli to fit LED auxiliary spotlights lower down and in a more protected position.

The fuel tank is another distinctive feature.

It's constructed entirely from metal, with the plastic covering restricted mainly to the upper section. The section closest to the rider has been shaped to remain narrow, helping the bike feel slimmer around the rider's legs despite its 21-litre capacity.

Chassis

The chassis has been developed by Benelli's R&D department in Pesaro.

It uses a tubular steel trellis frame with reinforcement plates, designed to provide the required torsional stiffness while maintaining a balance between road handling and off-road capability.

The aluminium swingarm and adjustable Marzocchi suspension complete the chassis package.

With 170mm of suspension travel and 215mm of ground clearance, the Xplorer certainly has the numbers to suggest that Benelli isn't treating off-road riding as an afterthought.

Colours and availability

The Benelli TRK 902 Xplorer will be available through Benelli dealerships in three colours:

• Jungle Fog Green

• Dune Sea

• Cement Grey

The UK price has been announced at £7,999 plus on-the-road costs.

So, is the TRK 902 Xplorer worth a look?

On paper, the Benelli TRK 902 Xplorer certainly looks like an interesting proposition.

For £7,999 + OTR, you're getting a 93.2bhp adventure motorcycle with a 21-litre tank, 19-inch front wheel, adjustable Marzocchi suspension, Brembo brakes, cornering ABS, traction control, cruise control, quickshifter, heated equipment, a 7-inch TFT and even a radar-assisted safety system.

The claimed 90Nm of torque should also make the 904cc twin well suited to touring and carrying luggage, while the 170mm of suspension travel and 215mm of ground clearance suggest that Benelli has given the Xplorer genuine off-road ambitions.

Of course, specifications only tell part of the story. Real-world weight, handling, engine character, suspension performance, fuel economy and how well all those electronics work are the things that will ultimately determine whether the Xplorer can compete with the established adventure bikes.

But at £7,999, Benelli has certainly put together an interesting package.

And if the TRK 902 Xplorer delivers on what's promised, it could be one of the most equipment-heavy adventure bikes available for the money.