Road test of RiejuAventura 500 2024 A smooth ride to any corner of France

brohhbeuubeuuhh. A series of hiccups, a choking voice, a few hundred meters on the run-up. Nothing left. We've run out of fuel!
And it's on purpose! Rijeu launched its Aventura 500 with a few hard-hitting arguments and a little detail that the motosphere quickly picked up on: its 1000 km range. Motoplanete therefore chose a December evening to discover the Spanish bike and take it for a spin. The aim was to set off from SLD Motos in Aosta, to cook diots at a friend's place, covering 1,000 km in 1 day at 1° Celsius.

we're not going to do what 90% of the internet media (of all categories) do, making you wait with a racy headline and 1,500 razor-sharp words before delivering the news. When the two tanks were completely torpedoed, the Aventura 500 had covered 938 kilometers. Mission failed? Not quite. It was cold all the way, we ate the diots, and fuel consumption was put to the test by a crazy mistral wind, which led to significant over-consumption. According to the on-board system (the fuel consumption trip is only displayed in Mirror mode), we consumed one liter per hundred over 300 kilometers. Without this icy caprice of nature, the Rieju would have lasted around 1,050 km.

a score within the reach of theShell Eco-marathon. In any case, we set the world record at neighbourhood level ;-). All joking aside, this Rieju trip wasn't limited to this provocative mileage. It's an argument that can create a buzz, focus the spotlight, distinguish itself from the competition, but fundamentally it's far from its main focus. The 500 Aventura is a motorcycle for exploring the world on a small scale, with a wealth of equipment, both in terms of class and price. When you see the high AND low crash-bars, the aluminum engine cover, the gold-spoke wheels, the package holder, the handguards (with aluminum reinforcement) and the center stand, the first impression is that you're looking at a model packed with options. Well, not at all; everything comes as standard. With hardware that's a long way from Wish. The quality seems to be there, with a very decent finish and apparently high-quality materials. The structure of the frame, the footrest supports (especially the passenger ones), the aluminium swingarm, the rear suspension with its perfectly aligned machined grooves, the general treatment given to the various elements - everything seems well made, so much so that the whole demolishes the retro and retrograde image of Chinese junk.

the handsome 7" TFT screen greets the rider with a pleasant little animation, then switches to a most attractive display. It's simple, well laid out and pleasant, but in the end, it doesn't provide much beyond the main info. A small sensor switches it from day to night mode without user intervention.
There is one downside. What is the purpose of this screen's sub-section? Although there's an immediate resemblance with theAfrica Twin's minimalist secondary instrument cluster, we can't say, because nothing lights up, nothing is displayed. Can't you think of anything?
Not on this Rieju, at any rate. In China, its original HJ500-8 clone does have a whole range of information in this additional unit: speed, fuel gauge, battery voltage, etc... Its main display is also richer: outside temperature, altitude, tire pressure, camera system. Hengjian must surely offer several trim levels for its "export" bikes, and Rieju has opted for a less gadget-laden version.

the 500 category is the entry-level for big bikes, and we shouldn't expect any high-quality peripherals. The Rieju doesn't see it that way. Given its aggressive price, it couldn't be fitted with Öhlins suspension or other top-of-the-range equipment, but the mere sight of the beautiful gold-anodized inverted fork gives a feeling of quality. It's no flannel, and you can feel it on the handlebars. The suspension works evenly and ensures comfort in virtually all circumstances. The "feel" of the road is correct, but the feedback is not very communicative. Blame the tires rather than the front end. Hydraulic restraint is well calibrated, and adjusting damping behavior is as simple as can be, with knurled settings on the top of the fork tubes. The rear shock absorber, on the other hand, requires tools. But under certain compressions, the suspensions tend to bang and show their limits.

in use, this Rieju is truly amazing for a bike in this segment, with a healthy, agile chassis that's easy to handle and behaves naturally. Whether it's with a full tank or a dry throat, the Rieju can be ridden with neutrality. However, we sometimes felt a slight "holding point" when swinging from one corner to the other. Perhaps this is due to the steering damper. The turning radius is surprisingly tight, enabling you to turn around in a corridor. Braking, too, is convincing, not too powerful but sufficient and ultimately very much in tune with the machine's behavior. A pleasant riding position, whether seated or standing, completes the picture. However, we feared for our posteriors from the very first meters. The saddle is firm, apparently without concessions. On the other hand, at the end of the test, I found my buttocks to be painless and ready to go for as many kilometers. Not the back, but mine has long since been demolished.

the Rieju Aventura 500 manages very well with its chassis, unless it's pushed into a use for which it wasn't designed. It's on the engine side that the discrepancy is glaring. It's not that it's a bad engine; it's just that its use is "more or less" right - an explanation is in order.
Rieju, or rather Hengjian, took its engine from Loncin, with the widespread LX68MR twin-cylinder. This 471 cm3 block is rated at 47.5 horsepower. Perfect for A2 license requirements. Young license holders will be delighted with this mill. Quite supple, but still requiring a little lever assistance at low speeds (it builds experience and reminds you of the plateau), it gently pushes its world, reassuringly and progressively. Neither shy nor impressive, the connecting rods shake with a rather rough and not necessarily melodious noise. In some respects, its sound reminded me of that of the Z 650, which is not necessarily flattering.

but while the moulbif will satisfy the expectations of the not-so-energetic and bucolic biker, it proves too limited for playful or truly road-going use. For a start, it vibrates; not the deep, throbbing pulsations you'd expect from a bi, but the dry, throbbing ones. Acceptable in the low to mid-range, but annoying beyond that. Eventually, however, you get used to it at steady speed. But that's not the main problem. At 130 km/h, the rev counter reads 6300 rpm. This is high, especially as the red zone begins 1,700 rpm later. Surprisingly, the red zone begins before peak power, at 8,500 rpm. In any case, there's little incentive to venture into it. The engine seems to be telling us that this is not the best speed for it. In fact, it's around 110-120 km/h that the pace seems most appropriate.

190 kilos dry weight is not too heavy for a modern trail bike. Even with its 40 liters of benzine, the Sino-Spanish doesn't really make its weight felt. But the twin doesn't. More than power, it's the lack of torque that makes itself felt on relaunch. With 4.4 mkg under its belt, the Rieju can't work miracles. A good climb will weigh down the bike's fenders, while overtaking will require dropping two or three gears. This isn't a fault, but the engine feels more like a big 2.5 than a 500. The Honda block, with the same wattage, is far more convincing.
The gearbox is beyond reproach. The selection locks in perfectly, with smooth, precise handling. The kind of mechanism that makes you forget about it after 100 meters, only to use it without a second thought.

let's ride for a while, to warm up in this night of water and horizons. Both tanks have been filled to the brim, and the waterproof combarde is once again going to be the world's best friend. Like a small migratory bird, the Aventura passes through towns and villages without restraint. A small event occurs after Valencia. The first bar on the fuel gauge has just disappeared - after 281 kms. There are still 9 km left on the odometer. Could this bike go 2,800 kms in one go? Lol.
No, the gauge is relatively progressive. If the first segment holds out for a long time, the next 3 release much more quickly. Then comes the reserve, capable of swallowing a hundred kms or so. Once dry, or whenever you like, switching from one tank to the other requires a bit of fiddling: turn a selector wheel on the side of the hoses to choose the arrival of the petroleum beverage, then press a button on the right of the dashboard to engage the fuel pump on tank 2. Quite strange at first, since you're never quite sure which tank you're feeding from. The designers certainly wanted to save (penny-wise and pound-foolish) money, whereas a sensor on the fuel tap could have automated this.

a word of caution: the Aventura is tall. This can lead to some imbalances at stops, red lights and various stops. I'm not very tall either, but it's better to prepare your body shape for stops. And make sure you know where the side stand pin is. It doesn't come instinctively under the heel. Placed further back and higher up, the appendage requires eye contact and a little precision. What's worse, when you're wearing well-designed studs, it's a real pain to engage the kickstand, which tends to get stuck in the sole, making the feel of it even more uncertain with each kickstand. The middle sibling is also a bit surly: the passenger footrest is just above the support rod, making it difficult for the boot to perform the operation.
In terms of connectivity, the Aventura 500 offers a smartphone link via the Carbit Ride app. Although this connection is rather quick, we weren't really able to fully exploit it due to lack of time and an interface in English and Spanish only, which put us in check at the first difficulty. There is a navigation application integrated into the interface, but we didn't manage to get it to work. For this trip, however, we were easily able to use the Mirror Link function and the Waze app.

the Rieju Aventura 500 is a paradox. Here's a bike that's rather pleasant to look at, with its Africa Twin face, pleasant to ride, comfortable, with a bubble offering good protection, ready to do a lot (a LOT) of miles but with an engine that doesn't give it the means to achieve its ambitions. OK, we've done it, left in the evening and returned the next day (almost) 1000 km later without refuelling. But touring riders won't be satisfied with this mill, which isn't torquey or full enough. It's a pity, because the Rieju is exciting in so many ways. On a personal note, let me suggest that the same bike, with an 800 V-strom block, heated grips as standard, 8000 bullets to spare and good tires, would be a hit.

M.B. - Text and photos / with the participation of Sebastien de Malfin
and the Rieju SLD Motos dealership