Benelli TRK 251 first ride review

The Benelli TRK 251 is powered by a new 249c, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine. So, a fairly modern mill, this. In terms of outputs, the single is good for 25.4bhp at 9250rpm and 21.1Nm at 8000rpm. Now on paper, this seems adequate for a beginner touring motorcycle. But out in the real world, the power just doesn’t feel enough. Performance feels more on par with a 200cc motorcycle than a 250cc one. This is not particularly helped by the fact that the way the motor delivers its power is rather peaky. This translates to not a particularly tractable motor meaning you need to work that gearbox. You only really get a move-on once the tacho needle crosses the 5500rpm threshold. By, the time you cross around 7000rpm there are a fair bit of vibrations seeping into the pegs, the handlebar and even the seats. So if comfortable cruising is what you’re looking to do you’d best cruise around the 100-110kmph mark. Which in all honesty is fine for our unpredictable Indian conditions but a little more oomph would have made for a much better ride. However, credit where it’s due, in typical Benelli fashion, the company has managed to engineer a sublime exhaust note that will definitely leave you wondering that the bike displaces more cee’cees than the number on the name says.

Benelli TRK 251 ride and handling