The International
motorcycle manufacturers are showing their interest in Indian two-wheeler
market, and the engines from 200CC to 700CC are
becoming popular day by day. The Indian auto industry that is looking ahead for a smoother
ride in 2015 is expected be more aggressive next year. The Indian performance bike market is fast and now having
access to world class motorcycles at realistic prices. Soon, this segment will
become even hotter, with many players in Indian Two Wheelers Market preparing
to launch their contenders for this fast growing segment. The following are the
race bikes which are scheduled
in 2015 :
1. Benelli TNT300
2. Hyosung GD250R
3. Honda CBR 300R
4. Hero HX250R
5. Hyosung GD250N
6. Yamaha R3
7. Kawasaki Ninja 250SL
8. Suzuki Inazuma
250F
9. Mahindra Mojo
10. Bajaj Pulsar 200SS
1. Benelli TNT300:
The
Benelli has recently launched its five iconic motorcycles in India with the
joint venture of the DSK. The Benelli
TNT 300, TNT 600i, TNT 600GT, TNT 899 and TNT 1130 are the new arrivals in the
Indian market. Apart from this, the Italian manufacturer has made an
announcement that it will be going to launch a new product to the Indian
line-up by the end of the current year. The Italian manufacturer is readying
itself with its smallest engine sports motorcycle, DSK-Benelli TNT 25. All the
models are designed in Italy, built in China and assembled in India.
STYLING:
Well, to
begin with, let’s talk about the styling and looks of the TNT 300. This is yet
another naked street fighter from Benelli. The TNT 300 features a vertical
headlamp unit which seems to be reminiscent of the Dukes. The headlamp is not a
projector headlamp. The front styling of the TNT 300 makes it look like tall
cowboy. The USD wide forks enhance the sex appeal of the bike and they would
definitely perform very well. The turn indicators go well along with the
vertical headlamp. These are LED indicators and look pretty cool.
The side view of the TNT 300
is catchy. The big muscular fuel tank, which has a capacity of 16 liters, along
with the large side tank scoops give the TNT 300 an extremely edgy appearance.
The twin exhaust pipes popping out from the 300cc engine are left opened to be
seen. These tell us that the TNT 300 is not a joke. Then they combine into one
and turn into a big underbody side exhaust which sounds brilliant.
The rear end
of the TNT 300 is nothing exciting. The tail light is full of LEDs and the
indicators add to the emptiness here. The mud flap is nicely designed and keeps
the wide rear tyre visible from the rear.
The
instrument cluster on board of the TNT 300 isn’t the most modern and advanced
unit that we’ve seen but even after being simple and elegant it does its job
well. The screen is large enough and displays the figures clearly. The big rev
meter sits in the middle and it gives an instant feedback when you twist the
throttle.
ENGINE & SPECIFICATIONS:
The Benelli TNT 300 comes with
a 300cc, parallel twin, 4 stroke, liquid cooled engine. This mighty beats
produces a max power of 36.2 bhp at 11,500 rpm and propels the TNT 300 forward
with a strong push generating a peak torque of 2.75 kgm at 9,000 rpm. The TNT
300 does 0-60 kph in just 3.4 secs and you will be able to see 100 kph in just
8.3 secs. The engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox which follows the 1-down
5-up pattern. Benelli TNT 300 weighs around 185 kilos and this gives it a power
to weight ratio of 195.7 bhp per tonne.
The TNT
300 comes with a short stroke engine. Also, the gearing is short too. So,
people who like to have fun would love this bike. The short gears provide
immense acceleration and overtaking is a breeze. The TNT 300 would provide a
short fun ride without any trouble. However, on the long runs and on highways
the TNT 300 gets a bit under pressure. This is because it lack tall gearing in
the top gears and running at 3 digit speeds on highways comes at high revs.
RIDE & COMFORT:
Benelli has designed the TNT 300 to not only provide
adrenaline rush but to also provide a plush ride when you are in a mood to
cruise along. The motor has got enough torque to provide an easy handling in
city conditions. The seat is very comfortable and so is the upright riding
position. The USD forks upfront and the offset single shock absorber at the rear
are tuned according to the Indian road conditions. The ride is very
comfortable. The bike absorbs most of the bumps, pits and uneven road surfaces
very well.
The
braking duties on the TNT 300 are handled by twin 260mm petal discs mounted up
front and a single 240mm petal disc at the rear. To provide confidence to the
rider and an outstanding grip the Benelli TNT 300 comes with Pirelli Angel
tyres. The front one is a 120/70 unit while the rear is 160/60 unit. Both
mounted on 17 inch alloy wheels.
The tyres and brakes give you confidence to tackle corners
with a breeze. The TNT 300 goes in and out of a corner easily and it changes
direction as you think to do so. The steel trellis frame provides extreme
stability to the TNT 300 and the underbody exhaust keeps the CG of the bike
low. The TNT 300 is a good handler and will definitely bring smiles to the
faces of its fans. But the bike doesn’t come with ABS, not even as optional,
which bugs us a lot. It isn’t a deal breaker but still ABS would have been a
welcomed feature.
VERDICT:
The front of the
Benelli TNT 300 looks a tad bit similar to the Dukes, Benelli has prepared
itself with a nice collection of inventory for the Indian market. The TNT 300
is the most important one of them. If Benelli manages to put an aggressive
price tag to this naked street fighter then this would surely bring a lot of
worries to its competitors out there. The TNT 300 will stand up against the
Kawasaki Z250, the Duke 390, the RC 390 and the Kawasaki Ninja 300. It will
also fight with the to-be launched Yamaha R25. Benelli has done a great job
here. We are expecting the company to price the TNT 300 around Rs 2.5 lakhs and
it would be launched pretty soon in our market. The only downside of the bike
is the lack of ABS which has become pretty necessary for our roads and
definitely with a big bike like this.
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