If rebranded as Benelli, this motorcycle could extend the R-series by retailing it as ‘502R’
Benelli earlier this year announced that it would be launching as many as seven new models in India by August this year. These included Benelli TRK 502, TRK 502X, Leoncino 500, Leoncino 250, 302S, 302R and TNT 600i out of which the first three models have already launched in the country in their latest BS6 avatars.
The Italian brand’s parent Chinese company, Qianjiang Motor, is slated to introduce multiple models in the coming future which are speculated to be rebranded as Benelli models in overseas markets. Another such model was recently spotted in China which is expected to wear the Italian brand’s logo in future.
This bike in the latest spy shot is reportedly going to feature a 500cc motor which might be derived from the company’s scrambler Leoncino 500. Given that Benelli doesn’t have a 500cc middleweight faired superbike up its sleeve, the speculations seem very much plausible.
The motorcycle in the spy pic is not wearing any camouflage and could be clearly visible donning the QJ logo. In fact, the design wears an uncanny similarity to the 250cc faired sportbike recently leaked on the internet from an approval document.
Design
Similar to the quarter-litre motorcycle, the 500cc bike wears a faired outfit with a white paint scheme. The fairing is neatly placed with minimal sharp lines and a small air duct for enhanced aerodynamic qualities. The front end of the bike is almost identical to its quarter-litre counterpart which gets a split LED headlight with integrated LED DRLs, rearview mirrors mounted on the front fairing along with a narrow windscreen.
Other styling commonalities include a split seat setup, rear-set footpegs and a clip-on handlebar which should make for a sporty riding experience. It is clearly visible that QJ Motor has designed this bike to suit beginners as well as shorter riders.
No grab rails are visible for the pillion although it can be integrated with the rear cowl. In addition, the raised tail section and compact upswept exhaust also mirror the 250cc superbike.
Expected Specifications
Coming to its specs, this motor is expected to be powered by the same 500cc twin-cylinder motor which also performs its duty on Leoncino 500. This engine kicks out 46.8 bhp at 8500 rpm and 46 Nm of peak torque at 6000 rpm and is paired with a six-speed gearbox. As far as hardware goes, the motorcycle is equipped with a pair of USD forks at front and a mono-shock at rear which will handle suspension duties. Braking will be carried out by twin rotors up-front and a single disc at rear.
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
