Benelli, one of the oldest Italian motorcycle manufacturers entered into India through a joint venture with DSK Group of Pune, India in 2015. DSK Benelli entered into India with a bang by launching 5 models together. In 18 months from their start of sales, the company sold over 3000 units and one-third of the total sold bikes were the inline four cylindered TNT 600i. Well, the TNT 600i falls in the middleweight category but weighs 231 kg kerb, which is not light-weight at all and it also did not come with Anti-lock Braking System when launched. But now, the company has equipped the TNT 600i with ABS and it is the first model of the brand to get ABS. So, I took the first ABS equipped Benelli in India for a spin to get the taste of it and here’s what I found about it, read below.
Price of Benelli TNT 600i ABS – Rs. 5.88 Lakhs (Ex-Showroom, Pune)
Its Styling: The TNT 600i ABS is no new in terms of design. Only the minor changes are the addition of the ABS stickers on the front mudguard and new wheel speed sensors on the disc brakes. Being the most seen superbike of the brand on the streets, it still attracts everybody. Its bulky mid-section, the big sculpted tank, the inline-four cylinder engine, the four exhaust pipes and the under-seat twin exhausts easily grabs the attention of a person. During my test ride, I also answered to many people’s questions, who were curious enough to know more and more about this bike. The TNT 600i ABS is a handsome looking superbike and has a great appearance.
Its Switchgear and Instrument Cluster: The instrument cluster and the switchgear remain to be unchanged. The instrument cluster is part-digital and part-analogue unit. The digital display shows speedometer, odometer, engine temperature, single trip meter, fuel gauge and time. The tachometer is in the analogue area and there is also the FI sign which lights up if there is any fault in the FI system. And also to mention there is one more column to the left of the tachometer which now also shows the ABS sign. The instrument cluster is not very attractive but looks decent.
The switchgear being the same offers good feedback but its plastic quality is not something very acceptable. It’s really a great thing to see how the DSK Benelli has incorporated the on/off switch of ABS at the bottom of the left rear-view mirror stalk. And so there was no need for the company to make changes in the existing switchgear units of this bike. Things like the plastic quality and the appearance of the instrument cluster can be easily ignored because of the economical package this bike offers.
Its Ergonomics: The saddle offers an upright seating position. Its seat height is at 800mm and it’s not short at all. Even its handlebar is a bit on the farther side for the short riders. But that’s not much of an issue and the short riders can reach the ground as this bike gets a slim waist. The foot-pegs are paced higher and that makes this bike more comfortable to ride and easy to manoeuvre. The seats are soft and have decent cushioning. At 231kgs it is not light-weighted, as said before, and it’s more of doing a workout while parking it. On the move, it reminds you of it being a heavy machine but its upright seating posture and the wide handlebar allows you to ride it comfortably even at lower speeds.
Its Engine and Performance: The Benelli TNT 600i ABS is powered by the same, Yamaha R6 inspired 600cc mill which produces 84 BHP (62.57 kW) at 11500 rpm and torque of 54.6 Nm at 10500 rpm. It is an inline-four cylinder engine which is tuned finely to perform smoothly and it produces a great exhaust note.
As there are no mechanical changes, the performance of the bike also remains to be the same. 0 to 100 km/h came up in mere 5 seconds. All its power comes in at 11500 rpm. The six-speed gearbox is sleek. I could easily flick around with this bike until I got stuck in traffic. It needed much of throttle inputs to keep moving as it weighs a lot. But what helped me to ignore its drawbacks were its under-seat twin exhausts which produced a great note, an auditory bliss I would say. They produce such a great symphony that you will get energized more to ride it more.
The Benelli TNT 600i ABS performs well, infact it still performs the same but what has changed is the way how it stops now, after it has been equipped with ABS. It was a complete let down when it came with no ABS. But its time to rejoice now, as its care has been taken by the company and it now comes with ABS. To be honest here, there is not much great feedback from the ABS but it does not lower your confidence to bring this big bike to a stop on any terrain and in any weather. It came to a standstill from 80 km/h in 2.76 seconds within 28 m on a completely dry pavement. The inclusion of ABS has reduced the stopping distance by a great margin. The brake lever gets four settings and accordingly the brakes get affected/work out. The ABS turns on, by default, as the bike is turned on and it can be switched off by pressing the ABS button for say around 5 seconds. It returns a mileage of 18 km/l from its 15 liters of fuel tank.
Its Riding Dynamics: The bike weighs 231kgs kerb and so it is not a very dynamic superbike to play around with. It is more cruising oriented than those corner cravings. Even though is gets 50mm inverted forks upfront and a single adjustable Monoshock at the rear, it fairly seems to be quick in changing its directions. Its more of a practical bike as it offers great seating posture and comfort. It is equipped with Pirelli Angel ST tyres which are more suited for touring. They do offer great grip on every surface. The suspensions did not unsettle the ride or they did not feel bumpy over speed breakers. The ride quality is really appreciable and the ergonomics which it offers are satisfying too. Combined this two with ABS, well, you will happily ride this beast daily. It can ride daily, tour well and also perform like a sports-bike with an equal amount of ease. And yes, you can have some real fun of popping a wheelie or doing a stoppie by switching off ABS.
Its Verdict/Conclusion: The ABS variant being offered at 5.88 lakhs (ex-showroom, Pune) is really attractive. The bike may not impress you at first, but give it some time till you get a hang of it and I am pretty sure that it will grow on you. The combination of its comfort, good performance, practicality and ride quality, it simply attracts you more towards it to ride it on daily basis. And while you are on the move, there is the melodious sound being played in the background for you, a harmony of sounds to which you will get addicted and always crave for. It may have some drawbacks but the major drawback of absence of ABS has now been resolved. For that price tag it is really a great value-for-money superbike that you can buy today.
Benelli TNT 600i ABS Technical Data:
* Engine: 600cc, inline-four cylinder, liquid-cooled
* Power: 84 BHP @ 11500 RPM
* Torque: 54.6 Nm @ 10500 RPM
* Transmission: 6-Speed
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Suspension: 50mm Inverted Forks (Front), Adjustable Monoshock (Rear)
* Tyres: 120/70-ZR17 (Front), 180/55-ZR17 (Rear)
* Brakes: 320mm Hydraulic Dual Disc Brake, ABS (Front), 260mm Single Hydraulic Disc Brake, ABS (Rear)
Benelli TNT 600i ABS Dimensions:
* Length: 2160mm
* Width: 800mm
* Height: 1180mm
* Wheelbase: 1480mm
* Seat Height: 800mm
* Ground Clearance: 150mm
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 15 liters
* Kerb weight: 231kgs
Rider – Saurabh Sutar
Photography – Avdhoot Kolhe, Viraj David
