Benelli Imperiale launched at Rs 1.69 lakh

Until last year, Royal Enfield was the flagbearer for classic motorcycles. With Jawa’s comeback, we could finally look beyond the thumpers. And now, we have another player in the market to grab a piece of the pie—Benelli. The brand has launched the Imperiale 400 in the country at Rs 1.69 lakh (ex-showroom) to take on the Jawa and the Royal Enfield Classic 350. Bookings are already underway and customers can book theirs at Rs 4,000.

The Benelli Imperiale is powered by an air-cooled, single-cylinder, SOHC 374cc engine belting out 21bhp at 5,500rpm and 29Nm at 4,500rpm, mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Yeah, that’s a proper old-school motor, except for the fuel-injection. We aren’t sure if it meets BS6 regs as of yet.

Staying true to its retro classic genes, the Imperiale gets a teardrop-shaped tank, round headlamp, twin-pod analog instrument cluster as well as a spring-assisted rider’s seat. The Imperiale gets a single 300mm disc at the front and a 240mm disc at the rear with dual-channel ABS. 41mm telescopic forks and pre-load adjustable twin shocks take care of the suspension duties. At 205 kg, it is almost 10kg heavier than its closest rival, the Royal Enfield Classic 350.

Benelli is offering a three-year unlimited km warranty as standard and even two-year complimentary service to woo customers. At Rs 1.69 lakh, the bike is Rs 16,000 expensive than the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and Rs 5,000 more than the Jawa. Though it makes tad more power than the RE, it falls behind Jawa, at least on paper. Watch out this space for a detailed comparo, coming out soon!