Affordability meets Italian style for new Benelli BKX300 mini adventurer

With the wave of new, large capacity adventure bikes, it’s easy to overlook smaller entrants – such as Benelli’s all-new BKX300.

Launched alongside a roadster version called the BKX300S, the new 300 is a single-cylinder adventurer aimed at young riders – boasting ‘easy and light’ manners, decent spec and a likely sub-£5000 price.

As with all other current Benellis, the BKX is built in China (the Italian brand were bought by QJMotor in 2005) but developed and styled at the Benelli Style Center in their hometown of Pesaro, Italy.

According to the press bumf, the lines are intended to be ‘simple, clean yet refined’, with a stand-out element being the LED headlamp complete with daytime riding lights.

The rear, meanwhile, adopts the now common practice of combining the parking, stop and indicator lights in one unit.

At the heart of both derivatives is a 292.4cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke single. Although said to be new, it’s an evolution of the 249cc unit in the Italian market TRK 251 and Leoncino 250.

Not only larger, it features a new exhaust and slipper clutch, is Euro5+ compliant and claimed to produce 29.2bhp at 9000rpm and 18.1lb.ft of torque at 7000rpm. A2 licence compliant, it compares respectably to, say, Honda’s 27bhp/19.6ft.lb CRF300L.

Both BKXs share the same steel double cradle frame with front suspension comprising 41mm inverted forks with a preload-adjustable monoshock rear, giving 180mm of travel.

The wheels of the adventure BKX300 are alloy-rimmed wires (with aluminium hubs) with a 19-incher at the front and 17 at the rear. The BKX300S has cast alloy 17-inchers.

Braking is taken care of by a front 280mm disc with four-piston caliper. Tank capacity is 13 litres. There’s an LCD dash and USB socket. Both are expected later in 2024.

Benelli BKX300 in detail

• Sharp style: Although Chinese built, the BKX300’s styling was created at the Benelli Style Center in Pesaro.
• Single life: The 292.4cc liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-valve single is an overbored version of an earlier Benelli unit and gets larger valves, redesigned balancer, new exhaust and slipper clutch.
• Separated at birth: The adventure BKX300 is joined by a more street-styled roadster variant, the BKX300S, which shares the same platform but has different styling and 17in street wheels.
• Slick cycle parts: The BKX has four-piston front brake calipers and alloy rimmed (and hubbed) wire wheels wearing 100/90×19 and 140/80×17 tyres.
• Spoilt for choice: Alongside the 292.4cc single seen here, both a 125cc and 250cc version will also be available for some markets.