The upcoming Imperiale 400 cruiser could be the first Benelli to be manufactured in India, to rival RE classic 350, Jawa motorcycles
Benelli has postponed the launch of their retro styled cruiser the Imperiale 400 to early 2020. The motorcycle was supposed to take on the Royal Enfield Classic and Thunderbird and the recently launched Jawa motorcycles in India.
Benelli has partnered with Adishwar Auto Ride India – Mahavir Group last year and they have also revealed their plans to set up a new manufacturing plant in the country and manufacture their upcoming motorcycles in India (Benelli currently sells their motorcycle via the CKD route).
The reason why the Italian two-wheeler manufacturer has decided to postpone the launch of the cruiser till March 2020 is because of the fact that the Imperiale 400 gets a BS-IV ready engine as of now and Benelli has plans to launch a BS-VI ready unit which could comply with the new emission norms that will come into effect from April 1st, 2020.
As far as the upcoming motorcycle is concerned the Imperiale 400 just like its rivals the Royal Enfield and Jawa motorcycles get a retro design. The front profile of the cruiser gets a round retro styled headlamp and orange cup indicators. The twin-pod analog-digital instrument cluster, the teardrop-shaped fuel tank and the two-piece seat help in maintaining the retro theme.
The motorcycle is built around a double cradle frame chassis. It uses a 373.5cc, single cylinder, fuel injected, air-cooled engine. This unit makes about 20 Hp of peak power at 5500 rpm and 28 Nm of peak torque at 3500 rpm. The engine is paired with a five-speed gearbox. The motorcycles use a 41 mm telescopic fork towards the front and dual spring suspension setup towards the rear.
It rides on a 19-inch front and an 18 inch rear spoke wheels. Lastly, the braking duties of the motorcycle are handled by a 300mm disc brake towards the front while the rear gets a 240mm disc. A dual channel ABS is also offered as standard for the safety of the rider. Expect Benelli to price the upcoming Imperiale 400 cruiser quite aggressively as it could be the first Benelli to be fully manufactured in India.