Benelli 302R: R for Racing!
Benelli 302R is a fairing sports bike from the Italian bike manufacturer Benelli. Formed back in 1911, Benelli is known for one of the most exquisite bikes ever made and 302R is the first and only faring bike available for the customers as of now. As discussed earlier in our TNT25 review Benelli is now owned by a Chinese company but still, their bikes have a true eye pleasing Italian design. The thing is that Benelli is generally known for its naked sports bike and not fairing bikes. So how good is this 300cc race bike, especially when it is being sold at a price of PKR750,000?
Design:
The design of the Tornado 302R is absolutely stunning. It is in some way a homage to the original Benelli Tornado 900 and takes similar design elements of that original bike. Especially when you go for the silver and green colour variant which not only looks futuristic but makes you feel special on the road. That’s how beautiful this silver-peel green colour scheme is. Taking a look from the side and front of this bike you will certainly note that the overall fairing size and the front headlight is a little disproportionate. The headlight design could have been improved by giving the 302R a dual headlamp rather than a single large one. Other than the slightly large fairing at the front, I believe the rest of the bike is truly compact and eye pleasing. Plus the design of this bike gives it a big race bike feel which I am sure the target audience will like a lot.
Engine & Performance:
The power unit in this machine is a 300cc liquid-cooled four-stroke vertical twin engine featuring a 4-valve technology and double-overhead camshafts. And like the TNT25’s engine, it’s smooth and powerful. A 6-speed gearbox gives riders a ratio for every situation, fast or slow, and with 38 horsepower on tap, the rider will use them all. Now the 38HP is quite a healthy number for a 300cc bike and it has exactly the same power as the Kawasaki Ninja 300 however the torque is at 26.5Nm which is the least in this segment. This power allows it to do 0-60 in 2.8s whereas 0-100 comes at around 7.5s which to me is a good figure but similar spec bikes can do it around 5.5s also. And lastly the top speed of this bike. Benelli claims that flat out the Tornado 302R can do 170km/h which is a decent top speed. Especially considering the fact that at around 200KG this bike is the heaviest in its segment.
Additionally, buyers should know that this 300cc unit can rev all the way up to 12,000rpm but this it doesn’t provide a sudden kick of power at higher RPMs which you might expect. So if you want to keep going then you would definitely have to rev it hard to its neck because the power delivery is linear and not instantaneous.
Features:
When you are paying upwards of 7 lakh for a bike, you surely deserve a treat and does the 302R give you value for the money? Well for starters there is a lot this bike has to offer and there is surely a lot to talk about. Just like its elder siblings, it has an analogue + digital instrument cluster which is fancier looking than the one found in TNT25 which to me was a little too dull. Then there is a span adjustable brake lever for the rider for the ease of use. With this single cylinder engine, Benelli cleverly utilized a dual overhead camshaft for maximum power and advanced fuel injection to keep the throttle response optimal. On the more noticeable side of things, technology like electric start means it’s easy to get going and the EFI system helps this bike return an impressive fuel economy of around 25km/l. The braking power on this machine is also ample all thanks to dual channel disc brakes at the front along with the inclusion of ABS which is missing in both Yamaha R3 and Ninja 300. And guess what – with the press of a button you can also turn off the ABS which is a nifty little trick for pro riders who want less technology interference.
Ride Performance:
If you read our Benelli TNT25 review then you would know that I simply adore how well that bike sounds and guess what – this 302R is no exception. Benelli has always been known to fine tune their motorcycles to a point that they sound rhythmic and everyone loves their sound. Once you get this machine going you will experience a big bike growl from the 300cc motor which you might mistake for a 600cc motor. Then comes the ride quality which again is splendid and seat cushioning is spot on. Additionally, the 302R rides well, in fact very well. Its comfortable seating posture helps you make long trips without getting tried early and it corners like a champ which you come to expect from a fairing motorcycle anyway. However, there are some minor issues I would like to talk about.
As I mentioned above the engine of this bike doesn’t produce instant torque throughout the rpm range. So you always need to keep it revving high if you want to reach somewhere fast. And by revving high this gives rise to another small problem which is the vibrations. Riding in the 2nd and 3rd gear at 7000RPM causes noticeable vibrations which isn’t good. However, this has been the same issue with its naked sibling TNT300 on which this bike is actually based on. Maybe in a later version, this problem will be resolved. And with that said the rest of the bike is splendid and will surely put a smile on your face while riding through the corners.
Final Verdict:
Before I give my verdict, let’s talk about this bike’s competitors. As of now, there is no proper 300cc fairing bike in Pakistan to compete against this Italian machine except one in the near future, more of which in a while. The only competitors you can find are 300cc Chinese replicas which to me aren’t worthy of being compared to this fine machine. Plus there aren’t many R3 and Ninja 300’s in the market for you to buy anyway which by the way are actual competitors of this bike. But note that both of those bikes have better performance figures than the 302R. And now moving on to the important bit.
I would like to mention the BURAQ Automobiles who officially sell the 302R have also brought the Zontes series in Pakistan a few months back and the first shipment is to arrive soon. Now Zontes 310X is similarly priced to 312cc fairing bike which is better in dimension when compared to the 302R. The slightly bigger engine performs a lot better and allows the 310X to slingshot from 0-100 in just 5.6s. This bike is more technologically advanced and looks even better in my opinion. So what is BURAQ Automobile trying to do here? I see the Benelli 302R being overshadowed by that bike once it makes a proper entry in the local market. The company might have to kill the 302R from the lineup completely. But till then there is no denying that this 302R is one of the best bikes you can get in Pakistan in terms of technology, design, and performance.
(Upcoming Zontes 310-X)
