BREAKING: The Imperiale BS6 Is Here! Find Out How Much It Costs...

We had great expectations from the Benelli Imperiale 400 when it was first launched late last year, even expecting it to claw back vital market share from the Royal Enfield Classic 350. But while the Jawa and Classic 350 have already received BS6 updates a while ago, the Imperiale has only just joined the party.

Benelli has launched the Imperiale 400 starting at Rs 1.99 lakh, making it around Rs 20,000 more expensive than the corresponding BS4 model. The red and black options are actually over Rs 21,000 more expensive! Even more distressingly, it’s now Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 more expensive than its original launch price of Rs 1.69 lakh from last October. And as far as the end user is concerned, nothing has changed on the motorcycle.

Sure, the 374cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine has received an expensive extra catalytic converter to help it meet the stricter emission norms, but this is unlikely to have any significant impact on the riding experience. Especially since the motor still manages to retain its 21PS and 29Nm output figures. Peak power is produced 500rpm higher than before but more importantly, peak torque kicks in 1000rpm earlier, at a leisurely 3500rpm.

Impressively, Benelli has also managed to keep the kerb weight unchanged. This is just as well, because at 205kg, the Imperiale is already quite a portly motorcycle. The Rs 1.99 lakh price tag applies to the silver colour option, while red and black versions are another Rs 10,000 more expensive. In comparison, the Classic 350 BS6 starts at Rs 1.60 lakh while the Jawa is priced from Rs 1.74 lakh.