The Benelli TNT 300 offers practicality without compromising on fun and also gets one of the best aural notes in the segment. It is Benelli’s entry-level offering for India.
One of the oldest names in the motorcycle industry globally, Benelli has finally entered the market with DSK Motowheels as the Indian partner bringing its range of high capacity two-wheelers for the growing club of performance bikers. Having showcased its products late last year, Benelli has officially launched its most affordable offering for India, the TNT 300 (BN 302 in other markets) street-fighter motorcycle priced at Rs. 2.83 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). The newest contender in the performance friendly 300cc segment, let’s take a quick look at what the youngest Benelli has to offer.
Design – With the 2015 version being launched in India, the new Benelli TNT 300 is a mix of Italian styling coupled with modern elements. The street-fighter looks mature in its appearance but also gets funky bits like a trellis frame and the offset monoshock done up in red. The bike gets daytime running lights integrated into the headlight cluster along with the crystal LED tail light, a muscularly styled fuel tank and chunky split grab rails at the rear.
Other highlights include LED turn indicators, leaf shaped wing mirrors, single seat and a variety of badges all around the TNT 300. You also get an underbelly exhaust while the analog-digital instrument cluster is easy to read and does the job just fine. Special mention though goes to the flip open key of the TNT 300, a unique feature in the segment.
Engine – Powering the Benelli TNT 300 is a 300cc liquid-cooled, inline twin-cylinder engine that churns out 38.26 BHP of power at 11,500 RPM and 26.5 Nm of torque at 10,000 RPM, paired to a 6-speed gearbox. The TNT 300 is capable of doing the 0-100 km/hr run in 8.19 seconds (according to our tests) and an achievable top speed of 158 km/hr. With a kerb weight of 185 kgs, the street-fighter is not at all light per se, but still returns an average fuel efficiency of 28 km/l.
Mechanicals – The Tornado 300 boasts of some impressive hardware including Upside Down (USD) forks at the front and an adjustable monoshock at the rear while stopping power comes from 260 mm dual front wave discs and a 240 mm single petal disc at the rear. In addition, the street-fighter rides on multi-spoke alloy wheels wrapped around 120/70/17 front and 160/60/17 rear Pirelli tyres that provide ample grip. The exhaust note on the TNT 300 is one of the best in the segment and certainly turns more heads than you will imagine. Benelli has not equipped the TNT 300 with ABS, which is disappointing.
Competition – The Benelli TNT 300 will be facing heat from some established products in the segment including the ABS equipped KTM Duke 390 as well as the Kawasaki Z250 with the former being the only bike to be manufactured here completely.
The Benelli TNT 300 resides where the now discontinued Suzuki Inazuma could be. Not only is the bike a good tourer but will also provide a lot of fun quotient to its riders, engaging the young and old alike. A relatively new brand in the country, Benelli has set-up nine standalone dealerships pan India and will be retailing its entire range from these locations.
Make sure to check out our review of the Benelli TNT 300 HERE and also listen to the intoxicating exhaust note of the bike in this video below.
[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMbYgdr2hS8 540 375]
