DSK Motowheels and Italian manufacturer Benelli are about to enter the Indian two-wheeler market. The spotlight today is on the BN600GT, a faired 600cc motorcycle from the manufacturer, which could also be joined by its near identical, albeit naked 600cc Benelli sibling. The BN600GT will compete against solidly established motorcycles in our market like the Kawasaki Ninja 650, the Hyosung GT650R and Triumph Street Triple. Let’s take a look at how they all compare on paper?
The Benelli BN600GT is longer than the other bikes compared, measuring 2150mm in length, that makes it 150mm longer than the most compact bike here – the Triumph Street Triple. The Benelli also measures the widest at 800mm, a full 100mm wider than the Hyosung GT650R. The Kawasaki Ninja 650 is the tallest motorcycle measuring 1200mm.The Triumph is, to its credit, the lightest motorcycle here, weighing just 183kg, while the heaviest is the Benelli BN600GT, at 223kg.
The Triumph Street Triple has the largest capacity engine of all here, from a three-cylinder engine which also produces the highest power output of 104.5bhp at 11,850rpm. The Benelli BN600GT comes in next, producing 80.5bhp at 11,000rpm from a 600cc, in-line configuration four-cylinder engine. The 649cc Kawasaki Ninja 650 produces 71.1bhp at 8,500rpm, and faces fierce competition from Hyosung’s GT650R, powered by a 647cc, V-twin engine that produces 72.6bhp at 9,000rpm.
When it comes to torque, the Triumph Street Triple takes the podium once again, with 6.9kgm produced at 9,750rpm. The Kawasaki Ninja 650 produces 6.4kgm at 7,000rpm and the Hyosung GT650R, 6.2kgm at 7,500rpm. The Benelli BN600GT produces 5.6kgm of torque made at 8,000rpm. All four motorcycles deploy six-speed gearboxes to transfer power to their rear wheels.
The Benelli BN600GT uses upside-down front forks with a side-mounted monoshock at rear, with alloy swingarm in place. The Hyosung GT650R and the Triumph Street Triple use upside-down front forks too, with a monoshock at rear. The Kawasaki Ninja 650 use telescopic front suspension mated to the rear monoshock.
The Benelli BN600GT has a large capacity 27 litre fuel-tank, a big advantage when touring on your bike, where the other bikes trail behind - the Triumph Street Triple with a 17.4 litre fuel tank, the Hyosung GT650R storing 17 litres, and the Kawasaki Ninja tank taking in 16 litres.
DSK Motowheels and Benelli have yet to reveal pricing for the BN600GT in India, but we expect to see aggressive pricing from the new player, in the region of approximately Rs 6,25,000. The Kawasaki Ninja 650 is priced at Rs 5,51,300 (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Hyosung GT650R at Rs 5,32,900 (ex-showroom, Delhi) and Triumph Street Triple at Rs 7,45,170 (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Rayomand Darius
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
