The India spec Benelli TNT 300 weighs 11 kgs more than the international version while power has been bumped up by 1 BHP to counter the additional weight. The bike is offered in two variants, one with MRF tyres while the other with Pirelli rubber.
Benelli has finally launched five of its high-performance motorcycles at competitive prices in India that are sure to make some good noise for the age-old (114-year-old to be precise) bike maker. With its most affordable offering being the TNT 300 twin-cylinder street-fighter priced at Rs. 2.83 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi), you could soon see more riders graduating to this twin-cylinder beast for the sheer refinement and a splendid exhaust note. However, Benelli has made some changes to the India-spec model compared to the international version (that was initially showcased) in a bid to have a lower asking price.
Compared to the international spec version, the India-spec Benelli TNT 300 will be offered with two tyre options sourced from MRF and Pirelli. Those opting for the standard version of the TNT 300 will get the smaller 110/60/R17 at the front and 150/60/R17 tyres at the rear sourced from MRF that keeps the price low (same tyres as the Duke 200). However, there is also the larger and meatier 120/70/R17 at the front and 160/60/R17 rubber at the rear from Pirelli that offers impressive grip levels over the MRF. The Pirelli though is offered as optional and escalates the bike’s price further by Rs. 8000/-. The MRF tyres with their lower rolling resistance (narrower contact patch) will offer better acceleration though.
In addition, the India-spec TNT 300 is also heavier weighing a hefty 196 kgs while the version sold overseas weighs 185 kgs. The increase in weight could be mostly due to the addition of the saree guard and other localised parts on the Indian model. Nonetheless, Benelli has countered this issue by giving the 300cc inline twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine a slight bump in power which now produces 38.26 BHP at the same 11,500 RPM, 1 BHP higher than the international version; while torque has taken a minor hit (by 0.5 Nm), reduced to 26.5 Nm available at 10,000 RPM, instead of 9000 RPM.
Other mechanicals continue to remain the same on the Benelli TNT 300 including the brakes and suspension and the bike will be available in a total of three colour options including Rosso (Red), Verde (Green) and Nero (Black). The automaker is also offering a warranty period of two years or 24,000 kms on the TNT 300, whichever comes earlier. 1 free service is offered with the motorcycle.
