Benelli 502C mileage and running cost

502C's claimed mileage is 22 kmpl, and unusually, owners and our own riding land right on it: expect 20–23 kmpl in everyday use. Few bikes get this close to their brochure figure.

Among the 51 cruisers we have reviewed it ranks 30th for mileage, 3 kmpl below the group average of 25 kmpl.

At Delhi's petrol price of ₹94.80 a litre and a real-world 21.5 kmpl, the 502C costs about ₹4.41 per km in fuel. Ride 30 km a day and that is roughly ₹3,439 a month, or ₹41,271 a year, before servicing.

The 21-litre tank gives a realistic range of about 452 km, so a 30 km commute means a fill-up every 2 weeks.

Spread over five years and 46,800 km, the 502C works out to about ₹19.9 per km all-in, of which 22% is fuel and 71% is the purchase price itself. Resale value is not counted; expect roughly 50–60% of ex-showroom after five years for a well-kept example.

Cruisers reward relaxed riding. Keep the 502C in its torque band rather than revving it, and the highway figure will beat the city one by a wide margin because 216 kg costs fuel every time it stops and starts.

Filling only to the first click and keeping the 21-litre tank above a quarter helps in two ways: fuel that sloshes out of a brimmed tank is wasted, and a near-empty tank on a hot day loses more to vapour. Realistic range is about 452 km, so on a 30 km commute you will fill up roughly every 2 weeks.

At 216 kg the 502C feels a pillion more than a lighter bike does. Two-up in the city, budget for 4–6 kmpl less than the solo figure.