Benelli BN 600 2013 — Specifications

A 600cc inline-four cylinder motorcycle from Benelli? That's surprising, especially from a manufacturer known for its characterful engines and atypical displacements (3-cylinder 900, 1130, 899). Yet, this is the next model bearing the Italian lion’s mark that we will see arrive in 2013. But this machine only carries the name, as this BN 600 is a motorcycle coming directly from China.

Originally, this machine is a Qianjiang... OK, I didn’t know either, but the only thing I know is that it’s the owner of Benelli since 2005 - feel free to use this brand to enhance these models. And even if you don’t often encounter Qianjiang, let’s not judge lightly this company that sells a million two-wheeled vehicles per year.

So, it’s a Chinese motorcycle with Benelli marked on it. And technically, this looks interesting and sometimes surprising. First of all, there’s this inline-four engine, which would be logical on a Japanese bike but much less so on an Italian one. This 599cc, 16-valve injected engine delivers a rather unimpressive power output: 82 horsepower and 5.3 mkg. This horsepower is far from sufficient to go teasing a Street Triple or a Hornet, the latter happily spitting out more than 100 horsepower. So, what is the target? Mid-range roadsters, such as the ER-6n, Bandit, XJ6 or CBF 600. We can have some reservations about the relative modesty of the watts available. On the other hand, we remain admiring of the equipment of the BN 600, almost at the level of a sportbike: a frame mixing aluminum plates and steel tubular trellis, a huge 50 mm inverted fork (what’s the point of such a large one?), 320 mm brake discs with radial 4-piston calipers, a swingarm as tough as that of a CBR 600 RR, a 180 mm wide rear tire... It’s robust, the kind of equipment destined for a much more powerful track bike. Now, remains to be seen the quality of this equipment.

Not ugly but not transcendent either, the BN 600 does not offer the striking and devastating style of an Italian motorcycle. The under-seat silencers, the sharpened radiator cowls, the laterally mounted shock absorber, the teardrop mirrors - the effects are there, but the boldness of the design doesn't grab you that much and the identity is trying to build itself. Only the headlight offers a lineage with models already widespread (not with us) such as the Generic CODE 125, 150 and 200 S or X, itself a little inspired by the 1130 / 899 TnT from Pesaro.

This Benelli is announced at a shocking price, which would allow it to be noticed as much by its sporty roadster equipment as by its basic motorcycle price. But how will it fare in terms of dynamics, quality, finish? China is arriving on the mid-displacement segment - how will this Sino production surprise us?

M.B - Photo manufacturer