Benelli expanded its 300cc portfolio by unveiling a new sports-tourer in China, which is home of its parent company – Qianjiang. The new Benelli 302 Tourer joins the Benelli 302R and the TNT300 which are already on sale in India.
Being a tourer, the new motorcycle gets a complete redesign which includes a full fairing body and tall windscreen to keep windblast at bay. It also gets a large projector headlamp and fairing-integrated turn indicators. The fuel tank shape is also different and we suspect that tank capacity has also been increased for better range while touring. The handle bar has also been positioned a bit higher in comparison to the Benelli TNT 300 for a more comfortable riding position.
Powering the Benelli 302 Tourer is the same 300cc twin-cylinder engine as on the Benelli TNT 300. On paper, the powerplant delivers 34hp and 27.1Nm of torque (TNT 300's engine produces 37hp and 25.7Nm of torque). However, what isn't clear is if the difference in number is due to the motor being retuned or owing to the different measurement techniques used in China. The unit continues to employ a six-speed gearbox as its siblings. The frame, USD forks and off-set monoshock too have been carried forward from the Benelli TNT 300. One aspect that really works against the new motorcycle is weight – the Benelli 302 Tourer tips the scale at 216kg, which is really high for a 300cc motorcycle. The Triumph Tiger 800 XR weighs 199kg!
Probability of the Benelli 302 Tourer landing on India shores is low given the recent legal troubles faced by the owners of DSK-Motowheels.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
