Benelli TRK 502 / 502 X Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule and service guide for the Benelli TRK 502 and TRK 502 X, the entry-level / middleweight everyday commuter and explorer bikes from Benelli, the Italian manufacturer owned by Qianjiang Motorcycle since 2005, which was subsequently bought by the privately held Chinese conglomerate the Geely Holding Group in 2015.
By the way, even within Benelli, it’s called alternatively the TRK 502X (with no space) or the TRK 502 X (with a space). Their website uses the space, but the owner’s manual doesn’t. I’ll stick with the space!
Both the TRK 502 and TRK 502 X share the same underpinnings, but the 502 X comes with wire-spoked wheels, including a 19-inch wheel up front, and a few small changes that make it more adventure travel ready. But both motorcycles are mostly road-going machines, and they’re maintenance is 99% the same (other than attending to spokes).
The Benelli TRK 502 and TRK 502 X are both based on a 500cc (499.6 cc) parallel twin liquid-cooled motor that with its 11.5:1 compression ratio makes a learner-friendly 35 kW / 47 hp at 8500 rpm, and 50 hp / 37 lb-ft at 6000 rpm. It puts power down through a 6-speed transmission and chain drive.
This site has links from which we earn a commission (which unfortunately nobody can save, not even us). If you appreciate this research work, then please use those links. Thanks.
Benelli TRK 502 Service Intervals
The Benelli TRK 502 / 502 X has 6000 km service intervals, though the manual specifies you should check the braking system more often, in between services.
Every 6000 km / 4000 mi, change the oil and filter, the air filter, and the spark plugs. Also look over the rest of the bike for leaks and lubrication needs.
Every 24000 km / 16000 mi, check / adjust the valve clearances.
The Benelli TRK 502 has a liquid-cooled engine. The manual recommends changing the coolant every 3 years.
Maintenance Schedule
Below is the maintenance schedule for the Benelli TRK 502 / 502 X. It’s broken up into three parts:
- The break-in service
- The service schedule of major items, and
- The regular “inspection checklist”
Break-in service
At the 1000 km mark, do the following:
- Change the engine oil and filter
- Inspect fuel injection
- Inspect the air filter
- Check the spark plug condition and gap (0.7-0.8mm)
- Check the brake pads (minimum thickness: 1mm)
- Check the brake system for leaks
- Inspect the brake system for leaks
- Check the clutch function
- Check the hanger bracket and tighten it up
- Check the nuts and bolts for tightness
- Check the wheel / rim for damage
- 502 X: Check the spokes, and tighten any loose ones
- Check the steering bearings for smooth operation
- Check the cooling system for leaks
Service Schedule
Below is the service schedule of major items like oil changes, spark plug replacement, and valve services for the Benelli TRK 502 / 502 X.
- Beyond the end of the maintenance schedule, keep following it in the pattern shown.
- See above for the break-in maintenance items.
| km x 1000 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 13 | Every |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard inspection checklist — Perform (see below) | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Engine oil — Change | ✓ | ✓ | Check level ever 500 km / 310 mi | ||
| Oil filter — Change | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Air filter — Inspect / Replace | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Spark plugs — Replace (NGK CR8E) | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Valve clearances — Inspect / Adjust | 24000 km | ||||
| Throttle operation — Inspect (operation, free play) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Brake system — Inspect (operation and for leaks) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Steering bearings — Inspect for smooth operation | ✓ | 9000 km | |||
| Cooling system — Inspect for leaks / function | ✓ | 9000 km | |||
| Coolant — Replace | 3 years | ||||
| Brake fluid — Replace | 2 years | ||||
| Brake hydraulic tubes — Replace | 2 years |
Standard service checklist
Below is the list of items to inspect at every standard service.
| Benelli TRK 502 standard service items |
|---|
| Fuel system — Inspect for leaks, kinks in lines |
| Fuel injection |
| Battery — Check voltage |
| Brake pads — Check wear level |
| Brake lines — Check condition, kinks in lines |
| Brake fluid — Check level |
| Coolant — Check level / cooling and anti-freeze capacity. Change if required |
| Clutch — Check function / free play in lever |
| Exhaust hanger bracket — Check tightness |
| Nuts, bolts, fasteners — Check presence, tightness |
| Wheels / Rims — Check for damage |
| Spokes (TRK 502 X) — Check tightness, and tighten as necessary |
Chain Maintenance on the Benelli TRK 502 / 502 X
Benelli suggests you clean, lubricate, and check / adjust the chain tension every 1000 km / 600 miles.
Chain tension on the Benelli TRK 502 / 502 X is defined as being free play (in the middle of the chain, in the lower segment) of 28-35 mm. Measure this with the bike on a sidestand and with no load on it.
If you need to adjust the chain (usually tighten it), follow this procedure:
- Put the motorcycle on its side stand on a level surface.
- Loosen the rear axle nut.
- Loosen the locknuts.
- Adjust the adjusting nuts, using the reference marks on either side to make sure the same adjustment is done on both sides. Keep doing this until you get to target slack.
- Retighten the axle nut, re-confirm the slack, and then tighten the lock nuts.
Benelli TRK 502 / 502 X Tire specs
The Benelli TRK 502 has a 17/17 cast tire combo, and the TRK 502 X has spoked rims. Here are their tire size and recommended pressure specs.
Benelli TRK 502 (cast rims)
| Wheel | Tire size | Tire pressure (cold) |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 120/70 ZR 17 (tubeless) | 220 kPa / 2.2 bar / 32 psi |
| Rear | 160/60 ZR17 (tubeless) | 250 kPa / 2.5 bar / 36 psi |
Benelli TRK 502 X (spoked rims)
| Wheel | Tire size | Tire pressure (cold) |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 110/80 R 19 (tube) | 220 kPa / 2.2 bar / 32 psi |
| Rear | 150/70 R 17 (tube) | 250 kPa / 2.5 bar / 36 psi |
About the Benelli TRK 502 / 502 X
The Benelli TRK 502 is a middleweight commuter / everyday adventure bike, loosely in the same class as the Honda CB500X or a modestly powered Kawasaki Versys 650. It has an upright, comfortable seating position, a 500 cc engine that gives it enough power for everyday riding (up to around 100 mph / 160 km/h if you want), and cheap additions of things like luggage and other accessories.
The TRK 502 is powered by a 500 cc liquid-cooled DOHC 8-valve parallel twin with a 180-degree crankshaft. It’s tuned for midrange, and only makes learner-legal power of 35 kW / 47 hp at 8500 rpm, with the redline shortly afterwards. Though it’s not that satisfying an engine to rev out — this engine, like the bike, lives in the midrange.
The TRK 502 is made by Benelli, an Italian brand owned since 2005 by a Chinese manufacturer and now conglomerate. So it carries Italian branding, marketing, and style (“Is that a Ducati?”), but is sold with Chinese manufacturing prices. That’s what makes the Benelli TRK 502 and 502 X so appealing — it’s cheap! And for the price you do get a lot of bike.
The engine is good for on-road work, with quite high mileage of under 4 L per 100 km. Claimed mileage is under 3L per 100 km (34 km/L). It makes good usable torque for everyday riding, though at freeway speeds it can lack oomph if you want to do quick passing.
The Benelli TRK 502 X is the more adventure-esque version of the two. It has a larger-diameter 19-inch front wheel, along with spoked rims and tubed tires. But both bikes are quite capable of the same kind of roads — mild dirt roads — and not much more.
In early reviews of the TRK 502, many owners criticised the weight, referring to the claimed wet weight of 235 kg / 518 lb when first released at EICMA. That came down since, and the claimed wet weight per Benelli is a more modest 213 kg / 470 lb. It’s still no featherweight, but it’s also not a dirt bike.
Another indication that it’s not a dirt bike is the suspension travel. Up front you have 140 mm, which is shy of six inches (i.e., less than a V-Strom 650), and at the rear there’s a perplexingly little 45mm travel, which is around the same as you’d get on a jarring bobber. This means that you’d be in for a very bumpy ride if you go on anything beyond dirt.
The rest of the specs are quite impressive (it’s really a mixed bag!). The front brakes are twin 320mm discs with 2-piston calipers on them, and the front inverted fork has a beefy 50mm stanchion tube, though it’s not adjustable.
One of the best things about the Benelli TRK 502 and 502 X is how popular it is. There’s a cottage community of websites and Facebook groups dedicated to it, so there’s a lot of knowledge out there about how to modify it and overcome its limitations. Plus, mechanics know it well by now, which makes regular maintenance a much smoother process.
Reference — Manual for the Benelli TRK 502 / 502 X
The above comes from the manuals for the Benelli TRK 502 / 502 X available from Benelli.com here.
Note: There are some small differences between the manuals for the 502 and 502 X. For example, the manual for the 502 X mentions replacing the coolant, but the manual for the 502 doesn’t (as verified in 2023). This is presumably an omission as they share a motor and are both mostly road motorcycles.
See screenshots of the maintenance schedules below. Note the guidance on coolant in the manual for the TRK 502 X.
