4 New Benelli Bikes are Coming to India: Trouble arose in paradise that was the partnership between Italian-motorcycle manufacturer Benelli and the DSK group. Last year, the DSK Group ran into some financial troubles, which ended the partnership between the two, causing Benelli to shut down operations in India. The bike manufacturer bounced back in business when they joined hands with Hyderabad-based Mahavir Group. The Group floated a new company known as Adishwar Auto Ride India (AARI), which will be the head of this venture.
The aim of the partnership is to make a comeback in the market and provide a push to the sales on a greater level. The conglomerate has been in the automobile business for three decades and over the years, they have learnt quite a lot. An assembly plant will be set up on the outskirts of Hyderabad where the CKD production of the bikes will begin quite soon. It is expected to be operational this year at the starting of the third quarter. AARI will handle the sales and service of the Benelli bikes pan-India and will ensure an availability of the spare parts as well. The bikes will change the branding from DSK-Benelli to just Benelli.
The sales will pick up from where they were left off last year. There will be an addition of 4 new bikes in the lineup, along with a replacement of the TNT 300. The replacement comes in the form of TNT 302S, an updated and better-designed version of the TNT 300. The main body frame and the mechanical components of the bike remain the same, while there is a difference in the styling. There is no report about the exact date on which Benelli India will replace the TNT 300, but there are some who believe that the 302S might arrive in India before the end of 2018.
Two of the bikes, whose news gained the most traction, are the new Leoncino 500 and the TRK 502. These will be sold in India by the end of this fiscal year. Both the bikes will draw their power from a 499.6cc liquid-cooled inline twin-cylinder engine that will produce a maximum power of 47.6 hp and a peak torque of 45 Nm. Both the bikes will be offered in two variants each with an optional upgrade to a more off-road focused bike with spoke wheels and knobby tires. The Leoncino’s upgraded version will bear the tag Leoncino Trail while the TRK 502’s off-road twin will be called the TRK 502X.
The 4th bike for the Indian market is Imperiale 400, which is planned to be launched in 2019. It will go up against the Royal Enfield 350cc bikes. Maintaining a price for the bike would be a challenge for the company since the Royal Enfield bikes are manufactured locally while the Benelli bike will be brought in as a CKD. To compete with the Classic 500, Benelli will be launching the Imperiale 530 by the end of next year.
List of 4 New Benelli Bikes
- 302S (Replacement of TNT 300)
- Leoncino 500 Retro/Modern Cruiser
- TRK 502 Adventure Motorcycle
- Imperiale 400 Retro Cruiser Bike
