Benelli TNT 600GT Review

These are exciting times for Indian motorcycling enthusiasts. With manufacturers focusing as much on performance motorcycles as anything else, the market is opening up like never before. It started with Kawasaki and Triumph gradually bringing in its entire range to India and now thanks to its association with DSK, Benelli follows the suit. 

Sadly though there haven’t been any new entrants in the middle-weight sport touring segment, the Kawasaki Ninja 650 still being the only offering in the class. And ironically, it is the segment that makes a lot of sense for Indian conditions. But that, is about to change with the launch of the Benelli TNT 600GT. So is the TNT 600GT the product that this segment has been marking its time for?

Like most Italian motorcycles, the Benelli TNT 600GT too is extremely peculiar in terms of its design. While it isn’t the kind of design that will make you stop and take notice, in the TNT 600GT the devil is in the details. The red monoshock, the large heel plates for the rear passenger, the sharp cuts on the rear panel and the neatly positioned bolts on the engine add a touch of precision to the design. The decepticon like headlights with the short windscreen and the large fairing and integrated turn indicators makes it look intimidating. The massive tank blends into the seat to give the profile a nice wavy look. That said the bulky front and the relatively undersized rear don’t quite come together in perfect unison. Thankfully though, the rear panniers that Benelli is going to offer as standard equipment do balance things a little. 

Talking about equipment, the TNT 600GT gets projector type headlamps, reach adjustable brake lever, hazard lights and a semi-digital instrument cluster. For a motorcycle that can attain good speeds and weighs 223kg, the absence of ABS is felt. All the buttons on the switch gear are well within reach and easy to operate. The panniers at the back are a good addition for storage although its quality could have been better. 

Swing a leg and you will immediately that the Benelli TNT 600GT 800mm seat height isn’t very difficult to live with, and that coming from an average heighted person like me is saying something. That said, it is when you actually want to pull/push it to park do you wish that it was a little less tall. The tall handle bars and the forward set foot-pegs make for a comfortable riding position. And the wide seats ensure that you can munch miles with extreme ease. Even though you sit pretty upright, the windscreen, albeit short works well in ensuring that you don’t quite feel the wind on your chest. Moreover, it isn’t just the guy behind the handle bars who is comfortable. There is plenty of room for the pillion rider too. The seat is wide and more importantly the panniers don’t cramp you for room.

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

Moving on to the heart of things, the Benelli TNT 600GT sports the same engine that works force on the TNT 600i. The inline 4-cylinder 600cc unit pumps 81.6PS of power at its 11,000rpm redline and 54.9Nm of torque that is delivered considerably lower at 8,000rpm. Figures aside, the power delivery is instant but extremely easy and gradual making the 600GT pretty easy to live with on a day-to-day basis. The TNT 600GT has the distinctive smoothness that we expect from an inline four-cylinder engine but go past the 7,000rpm marker in lower gears and you start to feel some vibes on the seat and the tank. That said, it isn’t something that will cause a lot of discomfort. 

The six-speed gearbox is smooth and precise. Gear ratios are short which means you don’t need to shift cogs frequently even whether on the highway or in the city. In fact, the bike easily picks up from as low as 40kmph in the fifth gear without any knocking whatsoever. And it is exactly this nature of the engine that ensures comfortable cruising at respectable speeds without breaking a sweat. Moreover, the fact that it has a 27 litre tank means that you don’t need to make those extra stops for fuel either. 

So the engine is impressive, but what about the handling? Well, this is the tricky bit. The overall riding dynamics are pretty sorted which means tipping the bike over a series of bends is not a Herculean task. That said, the fact that the bike is a lot heavier on the front does not go unnoticed. The upside down forks under the handle bars are setup well to ensure that you don’t feel the jerks on a bumpy road and at the same time it doesn’t feel wallowy. Sadly though, the same cannot be said about the rear. The monoshock suspension at the back is extremely softly setup it isn’t ideal for cornering. While it does take a clean line through the corner, the rear keeps bouncing a bit too much to inspire confidence to push the bike that extra bit. But looking at the brighter side of things, the softly sprung suspension provides for a plus ride quality over bad roads, even when you have a pillion rider onboard. 

The Benelli TNT 600GT sports twin discs up front and a single disc at the back and while it does come to a stop fairly instantly addition of ABS would have done a world of good. In addition, the brakes are supported well by the Pirelli shoes that the bike wears. 

So the hefty Benelli TNT 600GT does make for an extremely sensible offering for someone who loves to go long distance riding, but will it be as reasonable to the pocket as it is to the heart? Well the Benelli TNT 600GT surely is a pretty interesting offering mainly taking into consideration the fact that it has a very potent inline four-cylinder engine, comfortable riding dynamics, much needed storage solution and a large 27 litre fuel tank capacity. Keeping all of the above in mind, it is indeed a motorcycle to bet your money on as long as Benelli stays true to its word and prices it competitively.