I spotted the Benelli Tornado 550 speeding through Pune during rush hour—the painted buffed fairings practically ooze Italian flair and speed. In terms of numbers on paper; it is a powerful motorcycle that will deserve to be closely inspected! There are no environmental benefits here, only the specs that count.
Power & Performance
The centerpiece of the Leoncinois a 554cc liquid cooled parallel twin-cylinder engine that offersinstantaneousperformanceinanurbansettingoron the highway.
The engine’s Specifications:
- 56 HP @ 8250RPM PeakPower
- 54 NM @ 5500RPM Torque
The engine provides an early delivery of power by producing a peak torque of 54 nm at 5500 rpm, making power available to the rider when it is needed instead of waiting for the power band to deliver its powers.
When paired with a 6-speed overdrive transmission and chain drive, there is no drama when delivering smooth linear performance, unlike most liter-class super bikes. Although the engine displays all the performance of a traditional Leoncino, it has been enhanced further for 2020 by being encased in a more performance oriented package.
Chassis & Handling
The Tornado 550 has been designed for carving. The Benelli Tornado 550 isn’t just an engine with wheels; it has serious hardware. Its wet weight of 198 kg and seat height of 790 mm create an optimum balance between stability and accessibility.
It appears as if it will slice through the Lavasa ghats with ease, yet it is light enough to flick through traffic and rigid enough to maintain line integrity while cornering.
The Hardware Breakdown
| Feature | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Front Suspension | 41mm Marzocchi inverted forks (Fully Adjustable) |
| Rear Suspension | Monoshock (Preload/Rebound Adjustable) |
| Front Brakes | Dual 320mm discs with Brembo radial calipers |
| Rear Brakes | Single 240mm disc |
| Tyres | Pirelli Angel GT (120/70-17 Front, 180/55-17 Rear) |
| Fuel Capacity | 16.5 Liters |
| Seat height | 785 mm |
| Top speed | 175 km/h |
| Ground clearance | 140 mm |
Electronics & Tech
The Benelli bike includes very reliable modern day amenities. It has an abundance of electronic options to ensure you are safe and connected.
- Riding Modes: The bike uses the riding modes to change how you excel on the factory-installed riding modes. Likely street and sport to match your mood.
- Safety Net: Many biker-related safety features, including cornering ABS and traction control, come standard with the machine.
- Cockpit: The machine’s TFT dash console is extremely high quality for easy navigation and has smartphone functionality for making calls.
- Efficiency: The machine meets new EU5 emissions regulations and consumes approximately 4.0L/100km.
Final Word
An ex-showroom price point of between 6-7 lakh would make this an excellent choice from Benelli.
Japanese middleweights can be very dependable; however, at times they have a tendency to lack ‘character’, so to speak. The Tornado 550 has much more ‘character’ than any of its competitors can offer.
From the amount of emotion it creates to the way it looks along with all of the specifications, the Tornado 550 has already beat all others by way of good looks. All you need to do is to start the engine, and you will be smiling from ear to ear once you open the throttle, and hopefully, the Italians will show you how it is done as well as the way it should be done.
