Benelli India has had a successful run in the past, all thanks to the popularity its motorcycles garnered. The TNT600i for instance, was the most affordable inline-4 cylinder motorcycle available in the country, when it was on sale. Although 2020 wasn’t that much happening for the company, 2021 is looking very ambitious. Benelli rolled out significant updates across its portfolio and the now, the updated motorcycles are headed our way. Benelli India is gearing up to launch as much as half a dozen motorcycles in 2021.
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The only product from Benelli which is available in the country and complies with the more stringent BS6 norms is the Imperiale 400.
It is slightly unfair, right? That we have to make do with a modern-retro motorcycle while other countries have received the streetfighters, Scrambler and ADV-tourers from Benelli. It is soon going to change because the Chinese bikemaker is planning to launch the Benelli TRK 502, TRK 502X, Leoncino 500, Leoncino 250, TNT 600i, 302S, and 302R. Though the exact timeline of their launch isn’t revealed yet but we can expect Benelli to launch the smaller displacement motorcycles first before bringing in the TNT600i.
Benelli TRK502 and TRK502X
At the heart of the aggressively styled TRK502 and TRK502X beats Benelli’s all-new 499.6cc parallel-twin engine. Designed with four-valve technology, the four-stroke fuel-injected, DOHC, liquid-cooled engine produces 47 HP and 46 NM of torque. Power is put to work by a six-speed transmission, ensuring a broad spread of useable torque, capable of carrying you through diverse road conditions.
The chassis of the TRK502 starts with the steel-tube trellis frame. Both the motorcycles feature 50mm thick USD forks at the front with a travel of 134mm whereas the suspension duties at the rear are handled by a monoshock that comes with pre-load, compression, and rebound adjustability. The TRK 502, being more road-biased, gets 17-inch cast aluminium wheels with 120/70 and 160/60 tyres while the TRK502X comes fitted with 19-inch up front and 17-inch rear wire-spoke wheels for more off-road capabilities. The TRK502X stands a bit taller, with 190mm of ground clearance, while the TRK502 provides ample clearance of 218mm.
Leoncino Twins
On the other hand, the Leoncino 250 and the Leoncino 500 are the Scramblers from the house of Benelli. The Leoncino 250 is slotted as an affordable alternative to the Leoncino 500. Powering the Benelli Leoncino 250 is a single-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, 249cc engine.
The motor features a dual overhead camshaft with 4-valves per cylinder, electronic fuel injection with a 37mm throttle body and a 6-speed gearbox. Maximum power and torque are measured at 26.8bhp of power at 10,500rpm and 20.5Nm of peak torque at 8,500rpm. The Leoncino 500 shares its powertrain with the TRK 502 so we can expect the same amount of performance.
Benelli TNT600i
As of now, the 2020 Benelli TNT 660i is available only for non-European markets and is still powered by a 4-cylinder in-line engine, with liquid cooling and a double overhead camshaft.
The updated motorcycle gets a restyled, full-LED headlight and a completely digital TFT dashboard with new graphics on the tank cowl. Powering the bike is a motor which cranks out 80.4 HP at 11,000 rpm and maximum torque of 55 Nm at 8,500 rpm.