Italian designer Oberdan Bezzi is at it again with hit imagination and design tools in hand. Taking the iconic Italian brand of Benelli, Bezzi has put together an imagined flat-track ready version of the fabled Benelli 2ue (Due?) motorcycle that he calls the Benelli 2 TechnoTracker.
As promised, here are our impressions and up-close photos of the new Benelli TnT R160, which was launched at EICMA this year. As we noted earlier, the 2010 Benelli TnT R160 gets more power and more carbon fiber bodywork. And as expected, the bike from afar is stunning.
We make no secret about how much we lust over the TnT’s lines, and the R160 accentuates those not-so-secret desires even more so. However, up-close the bike has some peculiar, to put it kindly, or shoddy, to put it bluntly, finishes to its carbon pieces. Photos and more after the jump.
At the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, Benelli finally gave the public a glimpse at its new TnT 899 Cafe Racer, after teasing us with spy photos of the bike out testing. While this was our first opportunity to see the bike in person, it was also the first time that Benelli released the 2010 Benelli TnT 899 Cafe Racer’s technical specifications. With 120hp at the crank, the baby TnT packs some power, and it will need it if it wants to haul around the 454lbs (wet) motorcycle it’s attached to. Pictures and more after the jump.
Stopping by the Benelli display at EICMA, we got our first chance to check out the rarely talked about Benelli 2ue. We first spotted the finalized version of the 2ue earlier this year without its fairings on, but for Milan the bike was fully dressed. While seemingly similar to last-year’s concept, Benelli left 2ue completely out of its press information. What few details we have on the 2ue 756 are after the jump, along with more photos of the 2ue up-close.
In addition to the 2010 Benelli TnT 899 Cafe Racer, Benelli also launched the 2010 Benellli TnT R160, it’s latest iteration of the 1130cc TnT platform. The new R160 is the pinnacle of Benelli’s naked motorcycle line, boasting not only the most power in the TnT class, but it’s also laden with tons of tasty carbon bits. More details and photos after the jump.
Like a young kid that sneaks down to the family room on the night of Christmas Eve, spying on Santa Clause as he delivers his bounty of presents, we’ve gone and spoiled maybe the biggest announcement to come out of Benelli for 2010. After catching the 2010 Benelli TnT 899 Cafe Racer out in the wild testing, it comes as no surprise that the bike has now been officially made public at EICMA.
The French Magazine MotoRevue has a certain << je ne sais pas>> when it comes to finding the Benelli brood out and about before they hit the official press launches. This time around it appears they’ve caught a TnT 899 Cafe Racer going through its paces. While the new Benelli fills a whole in the 899/1130 parity, we’re still not sure about the rumors of this “little” bike. More after the jump.
While Ducati is recording , times are significantly tighter at Benelli, that other Italian motorcycle manufacturer. With many of its workers on part-time status (and with the Government paying part of their paycheck), production at the Benelli factory has been scaled back to around 1,000 motorcycles for 2009, down from the 20,000 the company had anticipated to make when it set it goals back in 2007.
This year, Chinese owner, Qiang Jiang, is taking a closer look at the Italian acquistion, with the possibility of folding the company not ruled out. This just a few months after Qiang Jiang pumped $26 million into the Italian brand.
Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Qianjiang Motor, which in 2005 acquired the Pesaro Benelli, is now investing an additional $26 million into Benelli to help revitalize the Italian brand. Talking at a press conference two days ago, Qianjang General Manager Haimei Yan stated that “[although] we have not yet turned a profit in the budget, we are here to stay, and believe in the company.”
After its initial unveiling in 2006, and winning accolades in 2007, we finally have shots of the Benelli Due 756 in what appears to be its final form. The Due is expected to be officially unveiled this fall, with production slotted for 2010 or earlier. Powering the new Benelli is a two-cylinder 756cc power-plant making 100hp, and is set to take on the naked medium displacement segment, such as Honda Hornet & Kawasaki Z750. Rumors are the Due will be priced to compete with these bikes as well.
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