The 2021 Benelli 302R features plenty of changes to the design, and the engine has been upgraded to meet Euro 5 emission norms
Benelli has officially revealed the updated MY2021 302R entry-level sportsbike, and the motorcycle is expected to make its way to India soon. The 2021 Benelli 302R features a completely new design, along with an updated engine. The most noticeable change is at the front; the bike gets a new vertically-stacked headlamp cluster, flanked by LED turn indicators.
With the revised fairing and body panels, the overall silhouette of the motorcycle is much more aggressive than before. The bike also gets a muscular fuel tank, a new front visor, and updated switchgear, and a new TFT full-colour instrument console. The tail section has also been redesigned, and the LED taillights and air vents under the pillion seat enhance the sportiness even further.
The motorcycle also sports new body graphics, which look extremely aggressive. Benelli has also made changes to the frame of the 302R, making it much lighter than before. In fact, with a kerb weight of 182 kg, the 2021 model is a whopping 22 kg lighter than the previous model, which should help improve the performance as well as the handling of the motorcycle.
The motorcycle continues to be powered by the same 302cc parallel-twin engine as before, but it has been updated to meet the Euro 5 emission norms. Compared to the previous (BS4-compliant) engine, the new one generates a slightly lower peak power of 34.5 bhp (at 11,000 rpm) and a maximum torque of 27 Nm (at 9,000 rpm).
The suspension system consists of a pair of 41mm USD forks at the front, and a mono-shock at the rear. Preload adjustability is offered at the front as well as the rear. As for the braking, the motorcycle comes with dual discs on the front wheel, with four-piston callipers, along with a single disc brake on the rear wheel.
The 2021 Benelli 302R is expected to launch in India soon, likely towards the end of this year. We expect it to be priced around the Rs. 3.5 lakh mark (ex-showroom) in our market. Upon arrival, it will compete against the likes of Kawasaki Ninja 300, and even the TVS Apache RR310 and KTM RC390.