Two new 500cc road twins from Benelli
Words NZ Autocar | Photos Benelli
Benelli revealed a couple of new road-going 500s at the recent EICMA motorcycle show, both powered by a 500cc parallel twin.
Using the same 500cc engine as the TRK model, it now powers two new middleweight models. One is a fully faired sportbike known as the Tornado 500, while there’s also a roadster version called the Tornado Naked Twin 500. It will presumably be known in time as the TNT 500.
The former is a sportbike with a full fairing and clip-on handlebars. It will compete with Kawasaki’s new Ninja 500 and Honda’s CBR500R, along with CFMoto’s 450 SR.
Benelli’s 500cc parallel twin has been tweaked to meet Euro 5+ emissions standards. Claimed output is 36kW at 8500rpm, with 46Nm of peak torque arriving at 6000 rpm, meaning it will be LAMS compliant.
The Tornado 500 is similarly sized to Honda’s CBR500R with a wheelbase slightly longer at 1420mm. The seat height is 790-810mm while wet weight is a stated 186kg. Up front are 41mm inverted forks by Marzocchi along with four-piston radial-mount Brembo calipers acting on 320mm discs. Bosch ABS is standard.
Ahead of the rider is a five-inch TFT display that will offer Bluetooth connectivity and navigation.
The Tornado Naked Twin 500 is essentially the same, minus the full bodywork. Prices and arrival times are not yet to hand.Â
