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We finally have the confirmation that there's a new Benelli 600. It has been unveiled in China with all the juicy details and local pricing details up for grabs. There's just one little problem... it is not the updated Benelli TNT 600i we were hoping for. It is not even a Benelli TNT... not even a Benelli! It is called QJ Motor SRK600.
Let's dive a little deeper into this very Benelli-lookin' motorcycle (let us not call it a Kawa just yet). It started with the predecessor, the Benelli TNT 600i which was sold under a variety of names all over the world. Some of them are; Generic GSR600, KSR Motor GRS600, QJiang QJ600 and... Zanella FJ600. If names ever needed Horcruxes, TNT's might be Voldemort.
Now, Benelli's current owners, a Chinese conglomerate by the name of Zhejiang Qianjiang, has brought the next-gen model of the TNT 600i and unveiled it in China. And with the new model, comes another brand name. The motorcycle is called QJMotor SRK600. But we have some reasons to believe that in the rest of the world (including India), it will be sold as a Benelli.
The reason for that belief is that a recent spy video showed the Benelli logo on the full-colour 5" TFT screen, switched on by keyless ignition. So we can rest assured that the bike will make it to the Indian market under the Benelli brand name and perhaps, with the same name, TNT 600i. The reason for the latter is pre-existing recognition. But according to Benelli's new model timeline which was unveiled earlier this year, it can be 600N. But well, names are not important when we talk about naked inline-4 motorcycles that sound like a million bucks and generate enough power to keep almost everyone engaged... almost.
Talking about features, we start with the keyless ignition and backlit switches in addition to the 5" TFT screen mentioned earlier. The LED headlight though creeps a bit too close to the Z1000 territory, to be honest. Other than that, the rear end is sharper, the tank more muscular, the overall stance more aggressive and the colour scheme raspier. Golden USD forks might not be everyone's thing but they are generally well-accepted.
The rest of the componentry depends on the variant. There are three; Standard, Medium, and High. The first one gets suspension from Benelli and brakes from Benelli. The second has KYB suspension and brakes from Xihu. The high is the one which most of the enthusiasts will eye as it comes with Marzocchi's on the front and KYB on the rear in addition to stopping power from Brembo.
The seat height is an easy 800mm. The wheelbase is short which should aid aggressive handling as a bonus for sacrificing straight-line stability. 150mm of ground clearance seems enough for most speedbumps in India. 15 litres of fuel-capacity may be a deal-breaker depending on the efficiency but we believe that the range may very well be less than 300 km. And the bike weighs 198 kg (wet).
Despite being on the slightly heftier side, the motorcycle boasts of a top speed of over 200 km/h and 0-100 km/h numbers well below 5s. That is courtesy of the 600cc inline-4 that makes around 80 bhp of power and 55 Nm of torque. The fuel-injected mill transmits the power to the rear-wheel via a 6-speed gearbox. Now, the numbers may not be earth-shattering but expect it to still sound like the last one did- amazing.
When is it coming to India? With the current situation, we don't see that happening anytime soon. Not all is glum and humdrum though because this time around, the same platform may be used for a fully-faired middleweight sportsbike as well... fancy a 600RR from Benelli?
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Let's dive a little deeper into this very Benelli-lookin' motorcycle (let us not call it a Kawa just yet). It started with the predecessor, the Benelli TNT 600i which was sold under a variety of names all over the world. Some of them are; Generic GSR600, KSR Motor GRS600, QJiang QJ600 and... Zanella FJ600. If names ever needed Horcruxes, TNT's might be Voldemort.
Now, Benelli's current owners, a Chinese conglomerate by the name of Zhejiang Qianjiang, has brought the next-gen model of the TNT 600i and unveiled it in China. And with the new model, comes another brand name. The motorcycle is called QJMotor SRK600. But we have some reasons to believe that in the rest of the world (including India), it will be sold as a Benelli.
The reason for that belief is that a recent spy video showed the Benelli logo on the full-colour 5" TFT screen, switched on by keyless ignition. So we can rest assured that the bike will make it to the Indian market under the Benelli brand name and perhaps, with the same name, TNT 600i. The reason for the latter is pre-existing recognition. But according to Benelli's new model timeline which was unveiled earlier this year, it can be 600N. But well, names are not important when we talk about naked inline-4 motorcycles that sound like a million bucks and generate enough power to keep almost everyone engaged... almost.
Talking about features, we start with the keyless ignition and backlit switches in addition to the 5" TFT screen mentioned earlier. The LED headlight though creeps a bit too close to the Z1000 territory, to be honest. Other than that, the rear end is sharper, the tank more muscular, the overall stance more aggressive and the colour scheme raspier. Golden USD forks might not be everyone's thing but they are generally well-accepted.
The rest of the componentry depends on the variant. There are three; Standard, Medium, and High. The first one gets suspension from Benelli and brakes from Benelli. The second has KYB suspension and brakes from Xihu. The high is the one which most of the enthusiasts will eye as it comes with Marzocchi's on the front and KYB on the rear in addition to stopping power from Brembo.
The seat height is an easy 800mm. The wheelbase is short which should aid aggressive handling as a bonus for sacrificing straight-line stability. 150mm of ground clearance seems enough for most speedbumps in India. 15 litres of fuel-capacity may be a deal-breaker depending on the efficiency but we believe that the range may very well be less than 300 km. And the bike weighs 198 kg (wet).
Despite being on the slightly heftier side, the motorcycle boasts of a top speed of over 200 km/h and 0-100 km/h numbers well below 5s. That is courtesy of the 600cc inline-4 that makes around 80 bhp of power and 55 Nm of torque. The fuel-injected mill transmits the power to the rear-wheel via a 6-speed gearbox. Now, the numbers may not be earth-shattering but expect it to still sound like the last one did- amazing.
When is it coming to India? With the current situation, we don't see that happening anytime soon. Not all is glum and humdrum though because this time around, the same platform may be used for a fully-faired middleweight sportsbike as well... fancy a 600RR from Benelli?
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