Well, the Milan show is just around the corner, and we've just got the first images of the new bikes we'll see there. Benelli is a name many of us thought had bit the dust big time, tripped up by typically Italian financial problems. And although there were ill-founded rumours - printed in Motor Cycle News - of a link-up with TVR, Benelli is now in the hands of a Chinese firm, Qianjiang. And it's Chinese cash that has helped produce the Tornado 1130 pictured here. It's an easy upgrade - the 1130 motor was already fitted to the firm's TNT naked streetfighter, which shares chassis and frame with the Tornado. But if Benelli can produce big enough numbers, this super-torquey engine could make the difference to the 900 Tornado we've tested previously. And if Benelli can also pin down build quality and electrical issues that dogged previous models, we'll be very happy to see it.
It's not just the Tornado that's new for next year either; the TNT 1130 is also back, and the firm is also showing off a Multistrada-type on/off road styled machine, dubbed the TRE-K (Trek - geddit?). Check the story above for a look at the TRE-K concept drawing.
0 comments:
Post a Comment