KIWI RIDER 05 2019 VOL.1 | Page 26

BENELLI 502C CRUISER CONFIRMED FOR NZ One of the biggest surprises of recent years has been the rebirth and rise of Italian manufacturer Benelli. With a range of LAMS approved models already making a dent in the Kiwi market, the Italian-Chinese brand is slowly building up its offerings to cover more aspects of the marketplace. Case in point is the soon to arrive 502C, Benelli’s entry into the LAMS cruiser class. Based around the same 47hp parallel twin engine as the Leoncino 500 and TRK 502, the 502C boasts authentic Italian styling with eery similarities to another Italian cruiser. 26 KIWI RIDER The 502C also features a steel trellis frame like previous Benelli entries into the New Zealand marketplace. Interestingly, the 502C also features a huge 21-litre fuel tank which, with Benelli’s claimed average fuel economy of 4.2L/100km, suggests a potential range well above 400km per tank. Benelli Australia and New Zealand importers, Urban Moto Imports, have confirmed the 502C will be destined for the New Zealand market with dates and pricing still to be confirmed.