By Justin Hayzelden - Published: 23 October 2026
Benelli TRK 902 Xplorer Expert review - MCN
3 out of 5 (3/5)
There’s a lot of competition in the mid-sized adventure bike class, and its perhaps at its fiercest in the sub-£10k segment, where Chinese manufacturers battle it out to deliver the best budget ride without skimping on the bells and whistles. CFMoto, Voge and QJMotor all produce a 900cc (or thereabouts) parallel-twin powered dual-sport tourer that meets the brief, so where does the new Benelli TRK 902 Xplorer fit in – and what does it offer for that appealing £8299 OTR price tag?
Is the Benelli TRK 902 Xplorer right for you?
Reasons to buy:
+ Strong value at £8299 OTR
+ Good mid-range performance once moving.
+ Well-equipped with heated kit, radar, cruise control and luggage option.
Reasons to avoid:
– Poor low-speed fuelling.
– Suspension feels crashy on rough roads.
– Cheap-feeling switchgear and rider interface.
The TRK 902 Xplorer is the biggest Benelli yet, and one of two new models hitting UK showrooms now – the other being the road-focused TRK 902 Stradale.
Despite being fully owned by Qianjiang Motorcycle since 2005, and marketed alongside their in-house brand QJMotor, Benelli retains some European roots. Design and R&D facilities are located in Pesaro, Italy, so although actual production takes place in China, it does give the brand its own identity and serves to create a little separation between the TRK and QJ’s equivalent, the SRT 900 SX, which appears to share the same platform.
With a name no doubt inspired by an interior decorating paint swatch, the Jungle Fog Green livery of our test bike is undeniably striking and plays into the ADV aesthetic rather well – once you get used to it. Clean lines and a stylised headlamp pod with minimalist screen keep the TRK stripped back and purposeful, and the blocky OE Pirelli Scorpion STR tyres set the whole look off a treat. Other colours include the imaginatively titled Dune Sea and Cement Grey.
Seat height is a modest 840mm, and the standover fairly narrow, so I can comfortably touch the ground with both feet and paddle about without fear of jeopardy – even though it takes quite a swing for my 32” inside leg to clear the pillion pad and rear rack when climbing aboard.
From the saddle it’s impossible not to notice the cheap feeling, generic switchgear before you even turn the key, but that leads the eye to the heated grips and seat buttons, cruise control and spotlight switch – execution may not be top drawer, but the necessary creature comforts are there.
The d-pad switch cube is a bit cluttered, and it’s not hard for a gloved thumb to mash buttons when reaching for the indicators.
The 904cc engine spins up with a bark and settles into an eager idle; however, just how keen it is to get going takes me by surprise when I tap into first gear and slip the clutch, giving it just a tickle of twist grip. Crude fuelling causes the TRK to attempt a full-blooded launch, and it takes a steady pair of hands to balance controls for a smooth getaway.
Trying to ease the throttle on for a smooth pull away is a non-starter, as it has a tendency to spike, and that combined with a juddery clutch results in the necessity for an enthusiastic launch to get rolling.
Even so, the first quarter throw of the ride-by-wire throttle returns unpredictable mixed results, and the erratic power delivery I encounter when trying to negotiate a busy roundabout in second gear almost has me heading back to base.
Low-speed mapping clearly needs attention and should be fixable with a software patch or flash – but that’s something we seem to be saying all too often. Maintaining a steady 65mph in 5th or 6th gear with cruise engaged feels like riding on a corrugated surface; such is the pitching caused by the engine hunting at lower revs, and it’s a relief when the time comes to peel off the main road to tackle some twisties.
With a more positive throttle employed, the Benelli shows its true character, and it’s a gutsy performer with a strong pull right through the mid-range. There’s an engaging rawness to the way it churns out grunt, but while that does come with a generous helping of vibrations, they’re suitably damped so as not to be annoying and don’t resonate through handlebars or footpegs.
Three riding modes are available, with Normal (rather than Sport or Rain) proving to be best suited for making progress – keep it spinning to iron out the patchy fuelling, and thoughts quickly turn to having fun. The quickshifter isn’t the quickest and will disengage the drive with the lightest touch to preload the lever but works well enough both up and down the ‘box’.
Power delivery is flat and linear once you get on top of it, and the 904cc twin shows it has a character that needs an ECU update or remap to let it properly shine.
Fully adjustable Marzocchi suspension and a stiff, trellis frame give the TRK acceptable, confidence-inspiring manners, and it’s a pleasure to sweep through bends instigating changes of direction with just a nudge on the ‘bars to guide the 19” front wheel.
In the lean, it holds a tight, predictable line, and while it’s not exactly plush, there’s a composed firmness to the long-travel ride that lends itself to the sporty side of touring. Brembo brakes provide plenty of stopping power but lack feel, which could be down to pad compound rather than the effectiveness of the hydraulic components themselves.
Benelli have got the balance of the Xplorer pretty much bang-on, and it rolls through turns with a well-weighted feel. Firm, long-travel suspension units, 170mm stroke fore and aft, give the Xplorer plenty of ground clearance, and a 19” front/17” rear wheel combo, shod with Pirelli Scorpion STR rubber, strikes a decent balance for some light trail action.
It’s fine for making progress on smoother roads, sporty even, but like its shorter sister ship, the Stradale, adequate damping for bumpier stuff seems to be hard to dig out, and it starts to feel somewhat crashy and crude as the road surface deteriorates.
Bumpier back roads highlight its limitations, where damping struggles to keep up within the long stroke units fore and aft.
Feast your eyes
Early warning system
A rear-mounted radar blesses the Benelli with blind spot monitoring and potential collision warnings, notifying you via the rear-view mirrors and on the TFT dash. The latter has a clear display and Bluetooth connectivity but lacks ambient air temp or trip economy.
The radar can be overly sensitive, though, persistently nagging about the kerb and is easily triggered by your own trailing shadow.
All mod cons
Electronics include lean, sensitive rider aids, heated touchpoints and auxiliary lighting. Crash bars come as standard, as does a chunky centre stand to make chain maintenance a breeze. A three-piece aluminium luggage set can be included for £499.
Electronics include a Bosch six-axis IMU, cruise, connectivity, radar detection, a nice big TFT and three stage heated seats for keeping your essentials cosy.
Go the distance.
The flyscreen can be adjusted with a rotary knob, which despite its diminutive size acts as an effective windbreak to keep airflow off the body without buffeting around your helmet. Seats are firm, but supportive, for long days in the saddle. A tall, but not ungainly, riding position puts you in a purposeful pose for long-distance work.
There are no undue vibrations through the ‘bars or rubber-topped pegs, although the bike does tend to pitch back and forth with cruise engaged – an effect of the glitchy fuelling.
MCN Verdict
It’s a shame that we’re still making excuses for the fuelling on some Chinese bikes, but as ever-larger engines go into production, treading the line between throttle accuracy and emissions seems to be an increasingly stubborn issue to solve. Having to slip the clutch to mask the problem is barely a short-term solution, and while brands like CFMoto seem to be well on the way to solving the problem, others are falling short.
That aside, the Benelli TRK 902 Xplorer is a lot of bike for the money and has the inherent performance, handling and comfort to be an effective mid-sized mile muncher. Overall build quality appears good, despite the use of low-cost-looking switchgear and other electrical components (have a peek at the fusebox and relays under the back seat), so if it can survive the rigours of a UK winter or three, the monthly £100 PCP payment would seem like a fair investment, with a two-year warranty covering at least part of that.
The Benelli Xplorer is a lot of bike for the money, and if you budget a bit extra to have the ECU remapped and suspension professionally set up, then it could well prove to be a canny buy.
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/benelli/trk-902-xplorer/2026/
