Italian-origin automaker Benelli, currently under Zhejiang Qianjiang Motorcycle Group in China, recently hit headlines as patent images of two upcoming products leaked online. One of them was supposedly the Benelli 600N (replacement to the TNT 600i) while the other one was the Imperiale 530. As its name suggests, the latter is a bigger displacement sibling of the familiar Benelli Imperiale 400.
In most parts of the world, the Benelli TNT 600i is the only Chinese-make four-cylinder motorcycle on sale. Compared to popular names in the middleweight category, the TNT 600i is substantially outdated with just its affordable price tag as USP (Unique Selling Proposition). For a modern-day inline-four motorcycle, output figures are not that impressive either. Its 600cc unit is good for 84bhp @ 11,500rpm and 54.6Nm @ 10,500rpm. To many, it is one of the least desirable four-cylinder sportsbikes on the market.
QJ Motor, Benelli’s sister brand in China, has unveiled the new SRK 600 (also called ‘Chase 600’) for the 2020 model year. Essentially the successor to Benelli India’s TNT 600i, the QJ SRK 600 surprisingly makes even lesser output than before. It is offered in three variants (Standard, Medium and High) from a starting price of CNY 43,999 or roughly INR 4.66 lakh ex-showroom.
QJ SRK 600’s instrument console
The variants differ considerably in terms of mechanicals. For instance, the base Standard version employs Benelli-branded suspension and braking while Medium packs units from KYB and Xihu, respectively. Meanwhile, the range-topping High variant is equipped with Marzocchi USD forks, KYB monoshock and Brembo braking.
Compared to its predecessor, the streetfighter has become 10mm slimmer and a good 33kg lighter. The wheelbase has also dropped by 20mm. Overall styling has greatly improved and seems to have taken ‘inspiration’ from some Japanese middleweights. Other notable highlights include full-LED lighting, keyless ignition, backlit switches, underbelly exhaust system and 5.0-inch full-colour TFT instrument console.
The 2020 Benelli TNT 600 gets significant styling upgrades
With displacement capped at around 600cc, the inline-four motor churns out 81bhp @ 11,000rpm and 55Nm @ 8,000rpm. This is almost 3.5bhp less and 0.4Nm more than its India-spec BS4 counterpart. Though the figures are still low on paper, weight savings have made up for it. In fact, the QJ SRK 600 can do a 0-100km/h dash in 4.5 seconds and attain a top speed of 201km/h. India would most likely receive the motorcycle with a Benelli badge as a BS6 CKD product sometime in the second quarter of 2021. One can expect an ex-showroom price tag of roughly Rs 7 lakh.
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
