Benelli TRK 502X Conquers Khardungla Pass

It might be erroneously referred to as the world’s highest motorable road but the Khardungla pass has over time gained a reputation as one of the ultimate proving grounds for intrepid man and machine. From litre-class superbikes to puny scooters, two-wheelers of all shapes and sizes have endeavoured to conquer this tiny patch of snow and rocks perched 17,582 feet above sea level. And thanks to modern engineering not just in vehicles but even road construction, most have succeeded.

The Benelli TRK 502X is the latest motorcycle to conquer the Khardungla pass. Starting from Manali, the adventure tourer covered Jispa, Baralacha, Sarchu, among other places, to reach the mountain pass. In total, the rider covered 1,800km including a 150km off-road stretch on his way to Tsomoriri Lake.

Also read: Benelli TRK 502X, TRK 502: First Ride Review

For those of you who are wondering whether the TRK 502X broke down or not, we are happy to report that it didn’t. So if you own either of the TRK 502s and are considering taking a ride up to the picturesque passes of Ladakh, you can rest assured that your bike is entirely capable of doing so without any problems.

In other news, Benelli is all set to expand its 500cc model lineup with the launch of the Leoncino in a couple of weeks. Finally!

Here’s the official press release from the company:
Benelli TRK 502X Conquers The Highest motorable Road
The journey spanning 1800kms was completed in 7 days proves to be a testimony to Benelli’s build quality and engineering.

Hyderabad, 26 July 2019: Benelli’s adventure tourer - the TRK 502X has proved it yet again; whether it is a ride across the town or across the country, the TRK stands tall as the ideal travelling companion. In the recently held high performance endurance run covering 1800kms in 7 days, the TRK 502X successfully conquered the highest motorable road (Khardungla) in stock condition, starting from Manali, covering Jispa - Baralacha - Sarchu - More Plains - Tanglang La and Leh along the way.

Post this historic achievement, the team, along with the Benelli TRK 502X continued to ride into the deserts of Nubra Valley, post which the team rode onto the Pangong lake followed by an off-road stretch of around 150kms to the Tsomoriri Lake. Furthermore, the Benelli TRK 502X marched on to complete the ride back to Manali without facing any technical or performance related issues due to ice cold weather, varied terrain or even the high altitudes. This achievement comes across a testimony to its impeccable build quality and engineering.

Designed to meet the needs of the most demanding riders who wish to travel without boundaries, the TRK 502X is powered by a refined 500cc twin-cylinder, DOHC, liquid-cooled engine with 4-valves per cylinder. The powerhouse comes mated to a 6-speed gearbox.

The trellis frame is made of steel tubes and plates, to guarantee agility under all circumstances. Up front, both models come with 50mm upside down forks, while the rear gets a vertically mounted mono-shock. The combination offers superb wheel control and a comfortable ride, on road and off it.

The adventure ready TRK 502X gets Metzeler tyres measuring 110/80 – 19inch front and 150/70 – 17inch at the rear, which are wrapped onto spoked rims, offering more flex to tackle rough situations. The TRK 502X uses twin 320mm floating discs with a 2-piston caliper at the front and a single 260mm disc with one piston calliper at the rear with dual-channel switchable ABS.

The TRK 502X is available in 3 colour options – Red, White and Graphite Grey and is priced at INR 5.5 lakhs (ex-showroom, India).