Benelli 1130 TnT SPORT Evo 2007 — Specifications

When Pesaro decides to raise the tone, it’s unlike anything offered by the large-displacement Japanese motorcycles. The Benelli 1130 TNT Sport Evo embodies this uncompromising logic: take an already radical motorcycle, sharpen it even further, and deliver the result to those who know what to do with it. In 2007, that’s exactly what the Italian brand accomplished with this evolution of its flagship roadster.

The trellis frame in steel tubes with aluminum plates, painted here in a deep red on the frame tubes and swingarm, announces the character before the engine even turns over. It’s pure visual commitment, divisive and assumed. Beneath this aggressive attire lies an inline three-cylinder engine of 1130 cc developing 137 horsepower at 9250 rpm, for a torque of 117.70 Nm available from 6500 rpm. These figures aren’t read, they are felt in the wrists. The compression ratio of 11.5:1 confirms that this engine was not designed for Sunday strolls. The main mechanical novelty of this Evo version lies in the choice between two engine maps, allowing the rider to decide whether the 137 horsepower arrives suddenly or progressively. It’s a concession to practicality, welcome on a machine that can easily exceed 240 km/h.

What truly distinguishes this Sport Evo from the base roadster is the attention paid to unsprung masses and overall dynamics. The 50 mm diameter Marzocchi inverted fork, adjustable in compression, rebound, and preload, offers 120 mm of travel and immediately places the machine in a different category than mainstream sport roadsters. The rear mono-shock benefits from the same care. At 195 kg dry and 215 kg fully fueled, the weight remains manageable for a motorcycle of this size, even if an Aprilia Tuono of the time does better on this criterion. The seat height at 780 mm remains accessible, which widens a little the spectrum of riders who can handle it comfortably.

The braking entrusted to Brembo with radial four-piston calipers clamping 320 mm discs at the front is up to the announced power. The rear, equipped with a 240 mm disc with a two-piston caliper, completes the device without fuss. The tires in 120/70-17 at the front and 190/50-17 at the rear correspond to the sporty profile of the machine. The chain transmission with six-speed gearbox completes a coherent portrait.

At 15,995 euros, the Benelli 1130 TNT Sport Evo doesn’t play the accessibility card. This price confronts it directly with more established machines like the KTM Super Duke or the Ducati Monster S4R of the time, which benefited from an after-sales network and better documented reliability. This is the structural limit of Benelli at this period: the passion is there, the execution often convincing, but long-term confidence is built more slowly. This roadster is aimed at an experienced rider, probably already the owner of another machine, who is looking for something that premium manufacturers don’t offer, an unconventional mechanical and aesthetic identity, even if it means accepting a few compromises on daily serenity.