Benelli TRK 251 vs Hero Xpulse 200 vs Bajaj Dominar 400 vs Mojo XT 300 vs RE Himalayan vs BMW G 310 GS vs Kawasaki Versys-X 300: Spec Comparison

Benelli’s future lineup for India seems quite commendable, but how does the entry-level TRK 251 stack up against its competition on paper? We find out

[Update: Hero MotoCorp has launched the XPulse 200, XPulse 200T and the Xtreme 200S. Head here for the launch story]

Lately, the entry-level adventure touring segment has seen some stiff competition in the country, with Royal Enfield's Himalayan leading the charge in terms of affordability. With the newly launched BMW G 310 GS and bikes like the Hero XPulse 200 and Benelli TRK 251 following suit, the competition is expected to heat up even more. While a proper road test comparison would be ideal to pick a clear winner, it isn’t possible as the XPulse and TRK 251 haven’t been launched yet. So we did the next best thing: putting them against each other on paper to find out which one would be the best choice.

Engine -

The TRK’s 249cc single-cylinder engine seems to be the second least powerful engine here in terms of outright performance. The Himalayan, which is one of its closest competitors, produces 1.5PS less power at 6500rpm, but has more torque on offer: 32Nm at 4250rpm. Similarly, the Mojo XT 300 produces 1PS and 8.8Nm of torque more compared to the TRK 251.

Essentially more power translates to a higher top speed, while higher torque gives the bike more grunt and aids in getting it off the line a lot quicker. Since the Benelli’s power and torque are produced way up in the rev band, do expect to grab a handful of the throttle before the bike starts responding. This may not be to everyone’s liking as ADV’s are usually tuned to produce more bottom end grunt rather than top speed. If we had to speculate from the given numbers, the motor on the TRK would be rather similar to the one on the GS. For example, the motor on the GS seems to feel a bit slow and less urgent owing to its weight and the top-happy rev band, although this very trait also hints at the bike being more composed. So, we can expect the TRK to behave in a similar manner, but how it performs in the real world is all down to a thorough road test, so stay tuned for that.

Underpinnings -

The TRK 251 employs a steel tube trellis frame with 41mm upside-down front forks and a monoshock at the rear. Both the TRK 251 and the upcoming Leoncino 250 share the same underpinnings, which mean the former is road-biased and misses out on long-travel suspension. For this reason, Benelli has termed the bike as an adventure cruiser rather than a proper ADV, with its off-road centric arrangement. On the other hand, its higher-set handlebar will make for a more relaxed and upright riding posture, perfect for long hauls.

Furthermore, the bike tips the scale at 153kg, which is rather light for an ADV, and considering its sporty suspension setup the bike is sure to handle twisties fairly well. All things considered, it may be an excellent tourer but it probably might disappoint those riders wanting to explore unbeaten paths. Notably, the seat height of the Benelli TRK stands at 835mm, which could be a problem for vertically challenged riders, so do expect the bike to come with a shorter seat height or at least the option for one.

The Dominar 400 and Mojo XT 300 sport a similar setup; however, they are heavier than the TRK by 4kg and 12kg respectively. The Himalayan is the heaviest at 191kg.

Design and features -

On the feature front, the TRK 251 is quite impressive, especially when compared to its competition. The adventure cruiser, which is a toned down version of its elder sibling, the TRK 500, features an all-digital instrument console, an elongated beak and a tall visor. Its digital console reads out all the vital information a rider needs while the tall visor protects the rider from wind blasts at high speeds. As for its elongated beak, it not only adds to the visual appeal but also has practical benefits.

It also gets bifocal projectors headlamps which should light up the road really well at night. And even if it doesn’t, the bike also comes with integrated DRL’s in the tank shrouds which should provide that extra bit of illumination needed at night. You also get a 17-litre fuel tank, the second best fuel carrying capacity in this comparison, which should make frequent refuelling the least of your worries.

The Mojo XT tops the chart with the biggest fuel tank of 21 litres. While the Dominar 400, Mojo XT 300 and Himalayan boast a fair bit of equipment themselves, they do miss out on the most crucial feature: switchable dual-channel ABS!

Price and verdict -

Coming to the question, does the TRK 251 make sense then? Well, at least on paper, the adventure cruiser does look promising. Sure, it does miss out on the adventure bit and the lack of power is alarming, but the bike more than makes up for it in the way it looks and the features it has to offer.

With an expected pricing of Rs 2.3 lakh, it's not really affordable, but it would surely be the perfect option to bridge the gap between the affordable, basic tourers and the more premium, and hence expensive, BMW. Also, the idea of owning an Italian adventure bike just sounds so much better.

That said, if you’re still not too pleased with the way the bike performs on paper, you could wait for our road test review and then make a decision for yourself. Besides, with the booming adventure touring segment, there are plenty of options to choose from today