Benelli TNT 600

Overview

At a time when other motorcycle manufacturers are busy focusing on making their middleweight naked roadsters as compact as possible with twin cylinder engines, Benelli is working on an altogether different plan. Benelli surely believes the old school theory of ‘four is bigger and better than two’, which is why it sticks to the TNT 600 without any significant alteration as per the current trend.

For starters, the TNT 600 is one big, brute, heavy middleweight naked roadster meant purely for straight-line performance – a typical old school machine. The beefy Italian styling, and noticeable engine specifications and hardware on offer make the TNT 600 stand apart from the rest of its middleweight competitors, primarily Japanese. The Benelli TNT 600 has been made available in only one variant for the Malaysian market, which sadly misses out on ABS even as an option. One of the most affordable four-cylinder motorcycles in the Malaysian market, the Benelli TNT 600 is priced at RM 32,990 and is being offered in two color options – Red and White.

Design

Like many of its rivals, the overall stance of the Benelli TNT 600 makes it neatly squeeze in between the entry-level 150/300cc category and the full-fledged litre class segment in terms of size. However, when compared to its competitors, the TNT 600 looks beefier with larger dimensions, with some really nice design details to set it apart from the rest of the crowd. It ditches out the current design philosophy of making lightweight slimmer motorcycles which are easy to ride and handle. Rather than that, it continues to be one typical middleweight roadster from the past which looks as if it belongs to the nineties without feeling dated from any angle.

At front, the Malaysian-spec TNT 600 comes with the same headlamp setup as seen on the lower-spec TNT 300, which has replaced the rather bigger headlamp as seen on the global version. This makes the TNT 600 look very simple from the front. However, the same cannot be said about the side profile, as the TNT 600 looks muscular, with the large fuel tank grabbing all the attention. This curvaceous and beefy fuel tank comes fitted with aggressive looking fuel tank extensions, which partially hide the beautiful trellis frame.

The rear of the Benelli TNT 600 carries forward the muscular aura of the side profile with the old-school twin under-seat exhausts, making the TNT 600 the only motorcycle to have this feature even today. The small LED tail lamp is positioned in between these two exhaust pipes.

Where Benelli has lost the plot in the otherwise old-school yet handsome profile is the instrument console design. Though it has a lot of info on display, however, the overall design and layout of the console looks dated and lacks the flair of modern units. It consists of an analog tachometer and a small rectangular LCD screen which shows digital speedometer, odometer, trip meters, clock, engine temperature and fuel gauge. The rear view mirrors shared with the TNT 300 look nice in isolation, however, the overall rearward visibility from it is not so great. Also, while the switchgear has been shared with the bigger Benellis, it genuinely needs an upgrade in terms of both visual appeals as well as feel.

Ride & Handling

The Benelli TNT 600 has been fitted with the best of hardware as seen on other modern motorcycles as well. The TNT 600 gets upside down forks at the front and side-mounted monoshock at the rear, which are set on a stiffer side to ensure maximum stability in all conditions. However, what goes slightly wrong for the TNT 600 is its massive kerb weight – at 220 kg, it is the heaviest motorcycle in its category, which eats up some of its cornering abilities. The bike comes shod with Metzeler rubbers at both the ends, which give it tremendous feedback and tries to hide its shortcomings in cornering abilities.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

This is one area where the Benelli TNT 600 outshines its rest of the rivals in the same space. Unlike its other competitors which are relying on twin cylinder engines for reducing weight, the TNT 600 still comes with the same old-school inline-four layout for its liquid-cooled, 600cc engine. This engine is good enough to produce 83 PS of maximum power and 52 Nm of peak torque output. This engine has been paired to a 6-speed gearbox. Being a four-cylinder mill, the engine of the TNT 600 is the most refined and the best sounding engine in its category and gives a tremendous straight-line performance to it. The majority of the power is stacked in the higher revs, and it is this factor which makes the TNT 600 a rev-happy motorcycle.

Braking & Safety

Like in all other motorcycles in the 600-650cc segment, the Benelli TNT 600 too comes fitted with dual disc brakes at front and a single disc brake at the rear. However, the lack of ABS, even as optional equipment, is a big concern on the TNT 600. Also, adding to the old-school appeal of the TNT 600 is the lack of any modern electronic aid on the motorcycle.

Verdict

In this day and age of lightweight, electronically assisted middleweight roadsters, the Benelli TNT 600 emerges out to be a nice exception. Everything on this motorcycle looks as if it belongs to a generation older, but it is the beauty of the motorcycle that it doesn’t feel dated at all. There are some major concerns like the heavy kerb weight, dated instrument console design and lack of ABS and modern electronic riding aids. However, with bigger-than-competition dimensions and two extra cylinders, the Benelli TNT 600 gives you a feel of riding a motorcycle from one segment above. This particular trait gives the TNT 600 a cut above the competition. And the price at which the TNT 600 comes, make it an even sweeter deal.