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Explosively Flashy
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Benelli Café Racer and Sport TNTs
Jeff Buchanan
05/01/2006
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Photography by Kevin Wing
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How brilliantly audacious for legendary Italian manufacturer Benelli,
resuscitated from the brink of dissolution just a few years ago, to blast back
onto the scene with an all-new machine bearing the sinfully appropriate TNT
nomenclature. It is a bold statement born from a company that, since its
inception in 1911, has endured a tale of exalted success and melancholic near
ruin.
 It all began very humbly, 95 years ago, when widow Teresa Benelli sank
the family savings into the fledgling “Benelli Garage” to ensure stable
employment for her six sons. After several decades of enjoying the fruits of
racing and commercial success, Benelli—like so many revered icons of Italian
motorcycle manufacture—was pounded by the mighty storm of the Japanese in the
’70s and ’80s, weathering the ensuing years with uncertainty and plagued by an
ever-weakening pulse. Eventually, Benelli quietly rolled up its tent and went
into hibernation, the company refusing to officially call it quits despite
ceasing motorcycle production. (Click image to enlarge)
 Over the following years, the rumor mill
became rampant with murmurs of Benelli’s reemergence as a bona fide, purchasable
brand stateside. Aficionados of the exclusive Italian marque were teased with
the appearance of a lone green-and-silver Tornado ridden by Peter Goddard in
World Superbike competition. The racing effort subsequently vanished after a few
seasons, but had whetted the appetites of the devout, who took it as proof that
Benelli was in fact alive, well, and planning a comeback. At long last, after
much corporate wrangling and the essential acquisition of a new fiscal partner,
Benelli will finally be making landfall in America. (Click image to enlarge)
 A lusty example of
Benelli’s gutsy rebirth and propitious evolution is the company’s entry into the
high-performance naked category with an offering of unmistakable Italian flair
and bravado. The TNT Sport and TNT Café Racer, with their wedged contours,
striking design flows, contrasting blends of alloys and wild color schemes, seem
more the offspring of a distant galactic tryst than simply an overseas
import. (Click image to enlarge)
The TNTs are not merely beautiful works of motorcycle art. They are,
after all, in the Benelli bloodline and therefore imbued with racing pedigree.
Sitting astride them, the rider cannot help but be impressed by how form
complements function. The retro chic Café Racer pays homage to the mid-century
street racers of Britain, with its clip-ons and bar-end mirrors, while the Sport
model has a more traditional handlebar with the rider sitting more upright. The
machines share identical seats and footpeg positioning. In either configuration,
the TNT is extremely comfortable with excellent ergonomics well suited to either
a short or a tall rider. A narrow profile and low seat height make the
motorcycle feel small and light, and belie its claimed dry weight of 438
pounds.
 RIDING STYLE [Right]
Helmet: AGV TiTech
Leathers: MotoGP
1-piece Kangaroo Hide Compression suit
Gloves: Alpinestars GP
Plus
Boots: Sidi Vertigo Corsa. (Click image to enlarge)
As a machine sans bodywork, the TNT shamelessly exposes the
sophistication and muscle of its in-line triple cylinder powerplant to the eye
of the beholder. This new-generation fuel-injected 1130cc liquid-cooled engine
produces a strong 135 horsepower at 9250 rpm and an eye-watering 86 ft lbs of
torque at 6750 rpm. Laterally mounted twin radiators are assisted by twin
electric fans, all concealed beneath minimalist wedge-shaped cowlings. With such
dramatic torque available, the TNT is sensibly fitted with a dashboard-mounted
“Power Control” button that switches to a milder fuel injection map. This takes
the edge off outright performance and smoothes out the power delivery for low
traction conditions.
The exhaust system is a work of art. The three header
pipes exit the exhaust ports at oblique angles and come together underneath the
engine into a single, massive pipe that stealthily snakes up under the wedged
tail section and splits the rear running lights. The sweet sound that issues
from that exhaust is a glorious cacophony of menacing growls at the lower
registers of the tachometer, juxtaposed against the screaming wizardry of
technology when approaching redline.
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