While Benelli’s TRK502 brought the brand into the country when it came to the dirt the TRK definitely sits more on the road-going side of the adventure class. Benelli’s new BXX 300 gives the brand a far more dirty-worthy option that is set to jump into the battle against the popular Honda CRF300 Rally and Royal Enfield Scram 411.
However, what Benelli is bringing to market isn’t a pure dual sport machine like the Honda. The BXX 300 is somewhat of a hybrid, offering a bit more of a scrambler/adventure vibe than either a full adventure spec or dual sport offering.
The main reason for us saying that is the BXX’s wheel sizing which comes in the form of a 19-inch front wheel matched to a 17-inch rear. This should be good for lighter adventures but isn't as hard-core as a proper dual-sport machine.
Built around a 292.4cc single-cylinder which has been developed from Benelli’s 250cc engine found in the Leoncino 250 overseas, the BXX 300 puts down 28.8hp at 9,000rpm and 24.5Nm of peak torque. Fuel consumption is quoted as only 3.2 litres per 100km, giving the BXX a potential for 400km on a single 13-litre tank of fuel.
Chassis-wise, the bike is well set up with learners in mind with 180mm of travel from the suspension while ground clearance is quoted as 220mm. Unfortunately, unlike the high-spec of the Tornado 500, the BXX 300 only gets the bare basics of suspension adjustment with spring preload adjustment on the rear shock.
Seat height comes in at a reasonably tall 837mm, but this is still much more attainable than the competition.
The frame of the BXX is a steel trellis with lower loops under the engine offering the potential for mounting series skid plates in the aftermarket (the bike comes with a plastic unit out of the box).
While its kerb mass is a bit heavier than experienced hands would like at 165kg, it is still well within the ballpark where a beginner ADV bike can weigh anything from 150-200kg.
Benelli's local distributor, Urban Moto Imports, is yet to announce local arrival or pricing, but with the growing popularity of the small-capacity adventure market, bringing the BXX 300 into the local lineup should be a no-brainer.