Benelli seems to believe more than ever in the medium-displacement sports bike segment, and from what we saw at EICMA, it is not the only manufacturer anticipating the resurgence of this category, which has been somewhat sidelined for a few years. It is clearly aimed at younger riders, and it does so not with just one model, but with three different bikes. The name Tornado returns on the fairings of three models equipped with three different twin-cylinder engines: 300, 400, and 500.
Benelli Tornado 300
Compact and dynamic, the “small” fairing of the Benelli is an easy sports bike that focuses on fun and aims to conquer those approaching the world of “full-fairing” bikes, and is a bike, as they say in these cases, global. The heart is a 300cc twin-cylinder, four-stroke engine, an evolution of the inline twin already present in the 302S and 302R. The power output is 35 hp (26 kW) at 11,000 rpm and torque of 27 Nm at 9,000 rpm. The 6-speed gearbox has a chain final drive. The frame is a tubular steel trellis with inverted forks with 41 mm diameter adjustable tubes and 120 mm of travel. At the rear, there is a swingarm with adjustable spring preload mono-shock with 147 mm of wheel travel. The 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels have 110/70 front and 150/60 rear tires. It is also worth noting the impressive 14-liter fuel tank capacity for a bike of this type. The brakes consist of a semi-floating 260 mm dual disc with a four-piston caliper on the front wheel, while the rear has a 240 mm disc with a single-piston floating caliper. ABS is naturally present.Moving on to the equipment, we find a full LED headlight unit with a poly-ellipsoidal headlight combined with a reflector parabola for maximum visibility in all conditions. The instrumentation is entrusted to a 5-inch color TFT screen with remote control on the handlebars, which has Bluetooth connection to connect to your phone, indicating incoming calls and notifications. Furthermore, by downloading the app to your phone and connecting via Wi-Fi, you can turn your motorcycle’s instrument panel into a navigator. There is also a TPMS function to monitor tire pressure. This small sporty motorcycle is also equipped with a USB outlet. The fuel tank has a capacity of 14 liters and the seat is 800 mm from the ground.
Benelli Tornado 400
Just like its sister 300, the Tornado 400 is a compact super sport bike for the new generation of motorcyclists, but definitely raises the bar, not only because of its displacement. First of all, it is lighter (172 kg, ten less than the 300) and is equipped with technical elements developed by Benelli R&D exclusively for this bike. Starting with the completely new engine, through a completely new frame geometry and the use of a single-sided swingarm. A bike with a bold, modern and engaging design, enriched by sporty lines. The engine remains a twin-cylinder, four-stroke, 399 cc, but, as already mentioned, it was specifically designed for the Tornado 400. The power is 47.6 hp (35.0 kW) at 10,000 rpm, and the torque is 38 Nm at 8,000 rpm. Due to a stroke ratio (51.8 mm) and diameter (70 mm diameter) of a “super square” engine, defining a displacement of 399 cc, it is capable of reaching over 10,000 rpm, achieving true sports bike performance. The frame is based on a tubular steel structure and steel plates bolted to the crankcase and cylinder head, so that its structure contributes to the overall rigidity of the frame. There is also a 37 mm diameter inverted fork with 115 mm of travel and a new single-sided aluminum swingarm, with progressive linkage and a unique central adjustable shock absorber in the spring preload (141 mm of travel on the wheel). The 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels feature a modern design and are equipped with 110/70 front and 150/60 rear tires. Braking is handled by a 300 mm diameter semi-floating dual disc at the front, with a radial master cylinder and a two-piston floating caliper, while at the rear there is a 240 mm diameter disc with a two-piston floating caliper. ABS is included. The fuel tank is 14.8 liters and the seat height is 795 mm.Regarding the equipment, the Tornado 400 also has a full-led headlight unit, but with state-of-the-art twin poly ellipsoidal overlapping headlights. The instrumentation is entrusted to a 5-inch color TFT screen with remote control on the handlebars, which has Bluetooth connection to connect to the mobile phone, indicating incoming calls and notifications. In addition, by downloading an application to your mobile phone and connecting via wi-fi, you can turn your bike’s instrument panel into a navigator. There is also a TPMS function for tire pressure control. This small sports bike is also equipped with a USB port.
Benelli Tornado 500Finally, we move on to the “biggest” of the three Tornado sisters, the 500. Here too we find aggressive lines and compact dimensions for a modern design aimed at the global market. In this case, the technical base is shared with the Tornado Naked Twin 500, both in terms of engine and frame, and here too the bike was developed entirely by R&D and the Benelli Design Center in Pesaro, which wanted to give a certain originality to the style, not only through the shaping of larger formats compared to the other Tornados, but also with a special luminous signature: the daytime running lights draw the fangs of a lion, the symbol of Benelli. At the rear, on the other hand, the lights are integrated into the turn signals. The Tornado 500 has a 500 cc twin-cylinder engine, four-stroke, liquid-cooled. The maximum power is 47.6 hp (35 kW) at 8500 rpm and the torque is 46 Nm at 6000 rpm. The engine is an “old” – so to speak – acquaintance, but it is already updated to the Euro 5+ standard. For the frame, we find a traditional layout of tubular steel trellis (the same as the naked bike), the fork is a 41 mm diameter inverted Marzocchi, adjustable in spring preload, hydraulic brake in compression and extension, capable of offering a travel of 115 mm. At the rear, on the other hand, we find a swingarm with a central shock absorber with adjustable spring preload and extension damping. The travel, in this case, is 125 mm on the wheel. The 17″ aluminum alloy wheels are fitted with 120/70 tires at the front and 160/60 at the rear. Brembo brakes are provided by a 320 mm diameter semi-floating double disc with radial master cylinder and four-piston radial monobloc caliper on the front wheel. At the back, there is a 260 mm diameter disc with a single-piston floating caliper. The ABS system is standard. The instrumentation includes a 5-inch high-resolution color TFT screen, which has Bluetooth connection to connect to the mobile phone and with which, due to the handlebar-mounted controls, it is possible to make and receive calls. Through the wi-fi connection, it will also be possible to turn the instrument panel of your bike into a navigator. There is also the TPMS function to monitor tire pressure. USB and USBc socket as standard. We conclude with the last important data: the weight is 186 kg, the fuel tank is 16.5 liters, and the seat height is 790 or 810 mm.
