While all the other major automotive events including both the EICMA and Intermot are cancelled, our beloved neighbour is all geared up to host the China International Motorcycle Trade Expo (CIMA). It will take place at Chongqing from September 19, 2020 till September 22, 2020. CIMA is set to be one of the only large motorcycle shows to be held this year. Benelli will mark a significant presence at its home show where it will showcase several new and upcoming motorcycle models at the CIMA.
New teasers
The Chinese brand has teased a new motorcycle which is wrapped under a green silk sheet and also, a new engine.
Whether these teasers are inter-related or not, we will get to know soon but first, let’s explore some possibilities regarding the new engine. Though the pixelated image doesn’t reveal much and the mandarin text which is embedded hints at a ‘mystery’ engine. Keen-eyed fellows will conclude that the unit is a four-cylinder, DOHC design and is liquid-cooled. But wait, there’s more! The casings, barrel, and layout of the engine looks to be identical to that of the older generation MV Agusta Brutale 1000.
Possibilities
We often see manufacturer’s purchasing engine technologies from other manufacturers. It is a cost-effective measure which saves some huge bucks from the whole R&D process. It is likely that Benelli might have purchased the engine building rights from the Italian marque. Benelli has been absent from the litre-class game ever since it pulled the plugs on the TNT and Tre-K 1130 triples. Benelli might be looking for a way to enter the litre-class and this engine might prove to be just the right ticket.
Regarding the upcoming motorcycle which is also teased alongside the new engine, the past couple of months have been pretty busy for us because of all the tasty content which has flowed from the east. A plethora of spy shots of upcoming Benelli motorcycles have kept us occupied and it seems like we will get to see them finally in their official production form. A few days ago, another set of spy pictures of a Benelli from its home country which looked like an updated version of the TRK 502X or as it is known in its home country, QJMotor SRT 500.
One good look at the images and you would realize that the SRT 500 seems slimmer than the TRK 502 without losing out on the bulky ADV-tourer approach. It still isn’t ‘petite’ but then again, who likes a compact ADV-tourer? When it comes to the overall design approach, it is much cleaner and understated as compared to the model it is set to replace. The bodywork of TRK 502 was very cluttered but that isn’t the case with the SRT 500. The front beak is retained but now sports a sleeker design.
Coming to the powertrain now, it will retain the same 500cc parallel-twin liquid-cooled engine albeit in a different state of tune. The BS6-compliant powerplant will most likely produce 49PS compared to the 47.5PS output in the BS4-compliant version. the SRT 500 is expected to come with three different variants. One of them will be a road-oriented version which will come with a set of alloy wheels, suspension setup sourced from Marzocchi and a new aluminium swingarm.
Also read: Benelli Lines Up Nearly Half A Dozen Bikes For India Launch
We are expecting the TRK502X to make an official debut this week at the CIMA. Although, there isn’t any official confirmation regarding this so there’s a strong possibility that the Chinese manufacturer might surprise us by unveiling a sports bike or possibly a super naked from the Chinese Italian concern.