After a series of many revelations and speculations about the launch date of the Benelli Tornado 302, the Indian arm of Italian two-wheeler company DSK Benelli on Tuesday expanded its entry-level product portfolio with the launch of a new sports bike, called the Tornado 302R in the Indian bike market. It was earlier reported that DSK Benelli had necessary clearance from the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) but the launch has been delayed due to various reasons. And after a long wait, the Italian bike maker has finally launched it in the Indian market at price tag of Rs. 3.48 lakh (Ex-showroom, All India).
First showcased in India at the 2016 edition of Auto Expo (Delhi), the Benelli Tornado 302R is a fully-faired motorcycle of company’s popular 300cc naked roadster, the TNT 300. However, the booking services for the Benelli Tornado 302R have already commenced at the company’s 25 authorised dealerships across the country at a down-payment of Rs. 25,000. The DSK Benelli Tornado 302R will be available in three body colour options including Red Nero, White Rosso and Silver Verde.
Design wise, the elegant and muscular Benelli Tornado 302R is based on a traditional Steel Trellis frame chassis that makes the motorcycle weigh less than its naked sibling, the TNT 300. The Benelli 302R borrows its styling and design from the TNT 300, especially at the rear section. The Benelli 302R comes equipped with a full fairing body and dual split headlamp setup, wide handlebar, a beefy fuel tank (14-litre), 17-inch alloy wheels, LED tail lamp with clear lens turn blinkers. Dimensionally, the fully faired Benelli 302R measures 2,175mm in length, 746mm in width, 1,146mm in height and offers a 150 mm ground clearance. The bike has a dry weight of 180 kg (16kg lighter that TNT 300 –196 kg).
Taking about its mechanical department, the fully-faired Benelli Tornado 302R is powered by a liquid cooled, 300 cc, in-line twin-cylinder, BS-IV compliant 4-stroke engine that generates 38 bhp of peak power at 11,500 rpm and 27 Nm of maximum torque at 10,000 rpm. The engine comes mated to 6-speed transmission that sends power to the rear wheel. The Tornado 302R has an electronically restricted top speed of 170km per hour.
In terms of safety, Benelli Tornado 302R comes engineered with Daytime Running Lights, ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) technology as standard in India. Suspension duties are handled by an adjustable 41mm KYB inverted upside down front forks and a Hydraulic monoshock setup suspension at the rear. Safety features on the bike include 2 x 260mm petal-type front rotors with radially mounted 4-piston callipers and ABS as standard equipment for ensuring maximum safety. Further, its rear brake comes with a 240mm petal-type rotor with single piston calliper and ABS as standard equipment.
In the Indian lucrative market, the Benelli Tornado 302R will compete against the Yamaha YZF-R3, Kawasaki Ninja 300 and the KTM RC390 in its segment.
