New Benelli range launched
New scrambler, adventure bike, sports bike and monkey bike from Chinese-owned Benelli
CHINESE-OWNED Italian marque Benelli has unveiled a new range including 500cc scrambler and adventure models, a 300cc sports bike and a Honda MSX125-alike 125cc monkey bike.
The scrambler is called the Leoncino – lion cub in English – after a 125cc model produced in 1951. It’s got a 500cc parallel-twin which slots in with A2 licence requirements by making 47hp and 33lbft.
It’s got a steel trellis frame, upside-down forks, four-pot radial-mounted Brembo calipers on twin front brake discs, a 19-inch front wheel and knobby tyres. Weight is a claimed 170kg.
The adventure model, also a 500cc parallel-twin and A2-compliant at 47hp, is called the TRK 502. It’s also got upside-down forks, four-pot Brembo calipers on twin wavey front discs and a 19-inch front wheel.
The sports bike uses the 300cc-parallel twin from the naked BN302 to make 36hp. It’s called the Tornado 302 - risking unflattering comparisons with Benelli’s exotic 900cc triple of the same name made in the 2000s. It’s got a steel trellis frame, upside forks, and, unusually for its class, twin front discs.
The monkey bike, called the Benelli Tornado Naked T, comes as a 125 or 135cc single making a claimed 11.7hp or 12.6hp. Like the others, it’s got a steel-trellis frame and upside-down forks, but on 12-inch wheels.
The range was unveiled at this week's Eicma motorcycle show in Milan. It's due to go on sale in the second half of 2016 with pricing to be confirmed.
Have a closer look at the Leoncino in this video.
