The Benelli 502C looks very similar to a Ducati Diavel. This is certainly no coincidence and at the same time a compliment, because the A2 Cruiser from Pesaro actually looks great. Whether the first good impression is confirmed while driving, Marcus and Dietmar have checked. The Benelli 502C, which has been available since 2019, costs only 6,000 euros.
The machine was developed and designed in Italy and is manufactured in China, otherwise this price would hardly be conceivable. If you think that the 502C is an economy pack, we can reassure you, nothing here seems cheap or cobbled together in a hurry. They are only available in one color, matte black, which fits perfectly with this type of motorcycle for our taste. There are some nice details, such as the short rear, the double-tube silencer that seems to have been sawn off, a beautiful matte black tubular frame and the license plate holder attached to the axle.
The Italians really know how to design. The dimensions of the datasheet also confirm the first visual impression. This machine not only looks powerful, it is actually very large, length 2.24 m and wheelbase 1.58 m, a Ducati Diavel is not much bigger.
The seat height is 795 mm, which is rather high for a cruiser. The handlebars are ultra-wide and the footpegs are placed far forward. All this results in a typical cruiser sitting posture that invites you to glide along casually. You actually want to start rolling right away. The Benelli 502C surprises with a small but easy-to-read TFT color display.
The speed, engine speed, fuel level, outside temperature. temperature of the cooling water and the gear engaged are displayed. Apart from the ABS, there is nothing to do with technical helpers. With an A2 bike, however, this is not particularly surprising, because assistance systems are not as important here as on a machine with 100 hp or more. When it comes to lighting, Benelli goes all out again, not only can LED's be admired in every nook and cranny, the whole thing is also extremely tastefully decorated.
Especially from the front, The 502C looks striking, which is due to the insect-like light mask. But the rear turn signals are also a special feature. These are attached to the license plate holder, which in turn is mounted on the axle and thus enables the short rear.
The turn signals are ultra-bright, you will definitely be seen when turning. We really like the lighting equipment of the Benelli 502C. The sound of the 502C is rather thin, as expected for a 500. When stationary, it rumbles and the sound even reminds a little of a two-cylinder boxer, but you don't hear so much while driving.
On the first few meters, the aha effect sets in. It actually feels exactly what you'd expect from a cruiser. Once you have reached the footrests at the front and slowly get going, you cruise relaxed along the country road and enjoy life.
The very, very wide handlebars allow full control when cornering and everything else works great on the Benelli. The gearbox is smooth, as is the clutch and the operation of the load. There are no puzzles, you have the bike immediately under control and feel comfortable.
There are certainly motorcycles where the A2 is a little annoying due to low power. Not so with the Benelli 502C, here the 48 hp fit like a glove, because you don't want to drive fast with such a machine. However, one should not underestimate the 2-cylinder, which we already know from the Leoncino and the TRK.
For 48 hp, it goes forward surprisingly quickly. We simply don't believe the low torque of only 46Nm. Especially the start from the revseller feels like much more.
As I said, it doesn't really matter with this machine, we probably would have had a lot of fun with 20hp. Speaking of driving pleasure, the chassis is clearly too hard for our taste. Especially the rear suspension should have been softer for a cruiser. When driving through potholes or the like, there is a strong salute to the intervertebral discs, but the fork at the front is also too tight for our taste.
On the other hand, there is praise for the brakes, which have no problems with the 220kg machine. The modulation is not quite as great, but the braking power is good. Benelli deserves extra praise for his choice of tires. The Pirelli Angel GT is mounted here at this price a big surprise and an excellent choice. Another surprise is the fat range of over 500 kilometers on one tank of fuel.
The tank holds 21.5 liters and that's what it looks like. It is very wide, which means that people with long legs do not fit under the wide edge of the tank. Dietmar's knee closure was not so great, but Marcus had no problems.
Result the Nelly shows once again that you can get extravagant motorcycles that also work well for little money. The 502C is without question a special bike, which apart from the Honda CMX 500 Rebel hardly has to fear any competition. There are simply no other cruisers in the A2 class. The machine is neatly made, you don't have to worry about a cheap load despite the price. It drives casually, conveys a lot of driving fun and calms the driver down all by itself through its manner.
You don't want to race with this machine, so it's not underpowered. We had a lot of fun testing the Benelli 502. 3, 2, 1, go the little fox! Come on, you can do it! Loosey-gooey! 3, 2, 1, go the little fox!
100 kmh, yes!