The Benelli-Mahavir Group partnership has announced
its plan to launch the Benelli Imperiale 400 in India before the end of next
year. The Imperiale 400 will rival the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and the
Thunderbird 350.
The Benelli Imperiale 400 is a mid-capacity retro
motorcycle that debuted at the EICMA 2017 in Milan, Italy. The classic retro
design is highlighted by a teardrop fuel tank, round headlight, wide handlebar,
split seat and classic fenders. The motorcycle gets an ample amount of chrome
treatment for the wheels, engine, mudguards, and the rear-view mirrors. The
evocative design is supported by the twin-pod instrument cluster and the canvas
saddle bags.
Powering the Benelli Imperiale 400 is a 373.5 cc,
single-cylinder, air-cooled, SOHC engine with fuel injection that comes mated
to a 5-speed transmission. The Euro-4 compliant engine is capable of generating
a peak power of 19.7 PS at 5,500 rpm while developing a maximum torque of 28 Nm
at 3,500 rpm. The motorcycle has a fuel tank capacity of 12 litres, while it
tips the weighing scales at 200 kg kerb. Benelli also has plans to launch the
TRK 251 in India by late 2019.
The Benelli Imperiale 400 uses a steel double cradle
frame to suspend the engine, while suspension hardware includes 41 mm
telescopic forks up front and twin-spring shock absorbers at the back. The
front suspension has wheel travel of 110 mm along with a 65 mm wheel travel on
the rear shocks. Braking department gets 300 mm front disc with two-piston
callipers and a 240 mm disc brake at the back with a single-piston calliper,
while dual-channel ABS is standard.
The Benelli Imperiale 400 comes shod with 19-inch
front and 18-inch rear wire-spoke wheels that run on 110/90 front and 130/80
rear Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp tires. The company will import the
Imperiale 400 into the country via CKD kits from Italy and China, with final
assembly done at the company’s upcoming facility near Hyderabad. The company is
also considering localization of parts if the demand is sufficient for the
bikes. We can expect Benelli to launch the Imperiale 400 not below INR 2 lakh
(ex-showroom).
