Re: Benelli TNT 300 Ownership Experience

Well, I knew you would resort to selling your bike eventually. You've been a mute spectator for quite a while now, was wondering where were the experiences if any. Hope, you'd be getting yourself a set of new wheels.

Cheers!
VJ

Re: Benelli TNT 300 Ownership Experience

No plan of new two wheels for now. but who knows... !!!

Re: Benelli TNT 300 Ownership Experience

Yesterday I had third service done for my bike. Cost 7.2K . Had to replace rear break pads only after 5.5K Kms (mostly used in the city traffic).
One +ve news is that Benelli is introducing AMC from May 1st. Confirmed by SVC guys. Looks like cost of ownership /year may come down by 50%. Fingers crossed.

Re: Benelli TNT 300 Ownership Experience

How do I feel after owning Tornado for 2 years and 25000 km

Hey guys,

Hope all is well at your end. Hope all are enjoying their Tornado machines. I was sitting idle and then I thought of using this time to put down my experience of owning Tornado.
On 24th April, my Tornado will be celebrating his 2nd Birthday. For last 6 to 7 months, he is having a laid back time in the garage with occasional rides around the city.
And, I am using this time indulging in fitness routines and dreaming about my next big ride with my Tornado.

Last two years minus last 6 months have been unforgettable and crazy. Pressing the rewind button now.

One month before I brought my Tornado home, I was not even aware of the name Benelli. It was one of my friends who poked me to have a look at this, while my mind was already made up to get a Thunderbird, not the Triumph's one, but Royal Enfield's. When I watched power drift's and zigwheel's videos, I was not all that impressed. But when I saw him in flesh, I was in love with this beast. I took him for a small test ride and next thing I did was to take my mom and better-half to a nearby restaurant to convince myself and them before placing a good booking amount on dealer's table.

Next 10 odd days I waited with bated breath. Then came the D day. 24th April. The day when everybody were celebrating birthdays of Great Sachin Tendulkar and Kannada matinee idol Dr. Rajkumar, I indulged myself with home coming of my Tornado.

I also have an Avenger 220 in my garage which helps me with my daily commute; which I have abused to the core; and never bothered about it's maintenance. But it is my first love which saw me through my initial touring days and which also has been taking care of my daily chores though I did not shower same amount of attention towards it. But, after Tornado entered my garage, my love for Avenger has only grown more. Pressing the fast-forward button now.

Two years down the lane, here are my thoughts, not in perfect order, about Tornado:

• A Logan who weighs 196 kilos but can be fast like deadpool if not like much fitter and faster batman and Superman.
• He can take any amount of beating, and munch any number of miles, and can go anywhere as long as you can handle his weight and do not drop him.
• You don't wanna drop him because he ain't comes cheap and his servicing isn't cheap. once in 4 months or 4000 km, whichever is earlier, and expect nothing less than Rupees 5k during each service.
• He has his share of intrinsic shortcomings: horn stops functioning because of wrong positioning; relay start conks; low beam bulb issues; oil sensor failure; But all these have been covered under warranty. Also, a good rapport with service center folks helps. be humble and don't shout even when things are not going smooth.
• He's a head turner not only with his handsome looks but also with the way he sings and talks.

Following parts have been changed over two years:

• Low beam bulb caused shorting of circuit which left me stranded in a village. Everything was covered under warranty as I had not made any change to electricals.
• Horn conked couple of times due to its positioning exposing it to lot of heat. Covered under warranty.
• Low beam conked again in the middle of a ride through western ghats forcing me to use high beams and forcing other drivers and riders to cough out many curses. Again covered under warranty.
• During one of my rides I put it through lot of bad patches and pot holes, making its rear suspension vomit lot of oil. This was covered under warranty. But trust me this happened due to me zooming it through lot of pot holes. Any bike unless it is made for trails would have broken much earlier. But this is a sturdy beast.
• One day suddenly oil sensor light started acting up. then next thing I see was oil was all over the road. Oil sensor was changed under warranty.
• After 25000 km, front oil seal gave up and started throwing up. Changed as wear and tear. Had to pay from my pocket.

Moral of the story is: Take care of your Tornado at authorized service center at prescribed intervals and anything that goes bad would be taken care of under warranty. And, yeah I repeat, have good rapport with service center folks.

• Rear brake pads were changed once he crossed 17000 Km. Then they were cheap. New set are going strong after 8000 km.
• Front brake pads are still going strong and are stock.
• Front and rear Tyre are giving up. Still stock and was recently told by service center guys that they could still last for another 1000 km. So, 25000 and still counting on stock.

Once Tyre are changed, my long rides would take off. I am thinking between Metzeler M7 and Pirelli GT. My pick could be Metzeler after hearing rave reviews but Pirelli had already proven its worth. Let us see which side I will sway.

And, Tornado has never given me trouble during my long solo rides through some secluded patches.

Tornado is here to stay with me, hopefully forever along with my Avenger and Punto

Enjoy your rides brothers. For more hit on:

Long one
Short one
Another long one
Insane one
All in one

Re: Benelli TNT 300 Ownership Experience

@experimentalhead



Just when I was thinking of penning down my thoughts.

I am just waiting for getting my 24k service done.

Regarding the tires, I have been on the M7RR for a month now. Not many kms done but as of now, I can definitely say that the bike is more flick-able now. Probably because of the rounder tire profile.

I just wish that tire dealers start getting 160 size in more brands. Most places have the 180 or 190 size in Pirelli Angel GTs available. Even the Michellin PR4s in this size is a rare sight.

Re: Benelli TNT 300 Ownership Experience

Congrats on owning the TNT300 for more than 2 years. Looks like you have had a great amount of fun with it... Keep posting. Loved your write-ups and the awesome pictures.

I have been riding my Unicorn and my father's RX100 for the past 10-12 years, and now feel the urge to go further and get into touring on bikes.
Have been looking at possible solutions (bikes) since a year or so, and the TNT300 has caught my attention alongwith a few others like CBR250R, Yamaha R3 and RE TB500. Could you please answer a couple of questions that I have in mind?

1. I took a test ride of the bike, and it did not feel small to me per se, but the snaps of me sitting on the bike tell another story. Whether snaps are reliable or not I am not sure (some folks saying pics dont do justice to the bike), but what has been you experience? I am 5'10'' and a "bit" on the heavier side. Would it suit me as per your exp?
2. Hate to ask this, but the financial side of things cannot be undermined . What is the mileage you get in the city and on the highway?
3. Any news from Benelli about reduction of service intervals? I had heard that they were going to turn alternate service points into mere "checks", rather than full service.

Best Regards,
Saurabh Tare

Re: Benelli TNT 300 Ownership Experience

Congrats @experimentalhead

Do post your thoughts @brokenbinil

I'm 23k with 1 year of riding and 1.5 months of ownership. (4 months out of India and 1 month idle due to flood in Chennai). Ill pen down my thoughts once you are done

Re: Benelli TNT 300 Ownership Experience

1. I took a test ride of the bike, and it did not feel small to me per se, but the snaps of me sitting on the bike tell another story. Whether snaps are reliable or not I am not sure (some folks saying pics dont do justice to the bike), but what has been you experience? I am 5'10'' and a "bit" on the heavier side. Would it suit me as per your exp?

When I saw the first pic of Tornado, even I felt it was not big. My wife infact compared it to my brother's FZs. But when we saw the Tornado in flesh, we realized it's bigger than what it appears in pictures.

2. Hate to ask this, but the financial side of things cannot be undermined . What is the mileage you get in the city and on the highway?

Mileage on highway: Varies from 28 to 31 depending on how hard you ride it. I normally keep it between 90 and 120 and get around 29/ 30. In city, I get around 23.

3. Any news from Benelli about reduction of service intervals? I had heard that they were going to turn alternate service points into mere "checks", rather than full service.

No news yet. But there is some information floating around about AMC by some dealerships bringing the cost of maintenance per year by some good amount.

Re: Benelli TNT 300 Ownership Experience

Those are good figures. Thanks. Wow... AMC... any figures being talked about for the AMC?

Re: Benelli TNT 300 Ownership Experience

No info about AMC in Bangalore. Somebody was discussing about this on this thread. Check either top of this page or previous page. Somebody from Pune or Thane was talking about AMC.

Re: Benelli TNT 300 Ownership Experience

Good to hear that Benelli folks have confirmed about the AMC. Any figures quoted by them on the same?

Re: Benelli TNT 300 - AMC PLAN DSK BENELLI

Just got the details of AMC which has been rolled out by DSK Benelli for the TNT 300.



I have not got the time to personally go and clear the doubts at the SVC.

Info I Got :

This includes the cost of Engine Oil too and change interval will be one year.
This includes the cost of consumables too.

Wear & Tear parts like brake pads and chain sprockets will be as per actuals + labour as and when required.


Questions I have:

1. Engine oil change interval is 12k km or not?
2. What are the details of things included in the cost?
3. What are the details of things NOT included in the cost?

Re: Benelli TNT 300 - AMC PLAN DSK BENELLI

Thanks for the info man! That is indeed good news and helps a lot.

But its a bit confusing.
1. Does this contain services that have already been done on your bike... Since it has such specific spare part and labour costs?
2. On what grounds have they reduced those in the prepaid column? I mean from a new buyer's point of view... how would they calculate the AMC?

Re: Benelli TNT 300 - AMC PLAN DSK BENELLI


True, it's a bit confusing. I am planning on a visit to the SVC to figure this out. As soon as I have more details, I will share them. As of now, from the present point of view the move seems to be a good one from DSK's end.

Re: Benelli TNT 300 - AMC PLAN DSK BENELLI

Great... Thanks!