Benelli TNT 300 review, test ride

We’ve just ridden the TNT 300, Benelli’s ace in the pack for India, to bring you our first impression of this small capacity twin, with big ambition.

Published on Jan 24, 2015 10:35:00 AM

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Yes, the Benelli TNT 300 is quite a mixed bag, designed and engineered with strong Italian influences, manufactured in China, and finally assembled here in India, but the final product doesn’t seem to have lost out, for after all that, the TNT 300 imparts a high quality, reliable feel that’s just as good as any rival in this market.

Let’s get closer to the heart of the matter. Yes, interestingly, the Benelli TNT 300 is a liquid-cooled, twin-cylinder motorcycle, only just outdone as first of its breed by the Kawasaki Z250. Hit the four-stroke, 300cc bike’s starter, and the fuel-injected engine fires up to willingly greet you with a bass-rich tone that loudly barks out this free revving engine’s sporty intentions. On paper, the TNT 300 makes 36.2bhp at 11,500rpm, while torque output is also adequate, 2.75kgm output at 9,000rpm.

The clutch pulls in a touch on the heavy side, though nothing you can’t live with and the Benelli bike’s six speed transmission shifts with a smooth, positive feel via a toe-only lever, in one-down, rest-up format. Crucially, the smooth performing, parallel-twin format Benelli twin feels at ease in the rush of Indian city traffic, displaying an easy, flexible nature at low rpm, with adequate torque to trundle along even at 3,000-4,000 revs, helped by a close ratio gearbox. And while you can amble along all day, the engine bubbling at low rpm, whack open the throttle when required and the TNT 300 will trot smartly forward, feeling refined and vibe free, as it sends decibel, and adrenalin levels rising.

On open roads, the TNT 300’s short-stroke engine proved ever ready to charge through its rev range and blast forward with impressive urgency. We managed a 0-60kph dash on the TNT 300 in 3.41 seconds, from where this Benelli went on to pass 100kph in a fleet footed 8.38secs, quicker than the Kawasaki Z250, and understandably slower than the Ninja 300. And we took the TNT 300 to a true 154kph top speed, flat out in top gear, with 5^th good for 130kph. The TNT 300’s exciting, high decibel exhaust note will leave the enthusiast in you thrilled, and wanting for more, this being the punchiest sounding motorcycle in its class by fair margin. Rolling on and off the gas on the TNT 300 is a smooth enough affair, although you will want to keep the engine buzzing when pushing the bike to charge hard through a quick set of twisties.