Italian Storm
Braving the lashing rain, we take a spin on the latest tornado that’s hit our shores. The DSK Benelli 302R was truly worth the labour
It’s finally arrived. Presenting the Tornado 302R. No, wait, wasn’t it supposed to be called the ‘B302R’? Or was it ‘BJ300GS’? Bringing all the confusion to an end, DSK Motowheels have launched their latest compact sports bike simply christened the Benelli 302R. And it’s quite a looker. When it comes to styling and sex appeal, few can come close to the Italians: be it a Ferrari or Giorgio Armani. The Benelli 302R is no exception to that, right from the intricate headlight design, exhaust, and the shapely fuel tank. There are a few minute but welcome changes from the pre-production model we had ridden exclusively last year. For instance, the bike last year had far too many monikers on it, which have all been removed and is now the ‘302R’. The frame is all black,
instead of the earlier red, and the exhaust has some more detailing on it. The fairing becomes bloated slightly near the belly-pan which hampers ground clearance to a certain extent. The mudguard-mounted front number-plate and sari-guard also do try to spoil the party. Yet it manages to have a sporty race-bike-like appeal, and looks striking in the red-whitegreen-and-black livery.
Although the 302R borrows its powertrain from the 300 street bike, the two are very different otherwise. Compared to the naked street-fighter, the 302R is narrower in width and shorter in height, but in spite of having the same wheelbase it is slightly longer. The 300-cc, parallel-twin, is liquid cooled and comes mated to a six-speed gearbox. Like its sibling, it produces 38.8 PS and a peak torque of 26.5 Nm. Indian enthusiasts will be happy to know, that’s more than what the bike produces in some of the international markets.
It’s a fairly peppy machine but somehow the power seen on paper doesn’t meet the expectations on road. Probably because of the heavier kerb weight of 198 kg which doesn’t help its power-to-weight ratio. So, its 0-60 km/h sprint isn’t earth-shattering, and it should manage it in just less than four seconds. However, this Benelli can effortlessly cruise at 140 km/h in sixth. The gearing is short, while the gearshifts are smooth and precise. But it did surprise me once with an uncharacteristic false neutral. The beauty of this motor is its ability to gather speed from as low as 30 km/h even if it’s slotted in top gear. There’s absolutely no engine knocking or judder forcing the rider to shift down. And the short gear ratios make it very easy to ride in the city. Moreover, like its sibling, the 302R is also low on vibes and has a linear power delivery.
Then there’s the exhaust note. The underbelly exhaust box has not been carried over from the street bike, but the sport-tourer gets a conventionally positioned double-barrel kit. The Benelli is among those rare species that have managed to survive the stringent emission norms and yet sound so beautiful. The baritone from the exhaust is extremely nostalgic, reminding us of the beastly roar of something majestic which is now edging towards extinction.
It not just sounds right, but also handles really well. The credit for this goes to the rigid frame and suspension setup. The front gets a meaty 41-mm upside down (USD) fork and at the rear is a centrally-mounted monoshock (not side-mounted as seen on its sibling) which is adjustable for preload. The setup is on the firmer side, which endows it with nimble handling. It sits somewhere in between the KTM RC and Yamaha R3. So, though the 302R isn’t overtly comfortable, as one would expect a sport-tourer to be, it does iron out most of the road undulations. It’s a small trade-off for agility, and one which most enthusiasts won’t mind.
For my average India frame, the low seat, clip-on handlebar and moderately rear-set foot-pegs add up to a comfortable sporty riding position, ideal for sport-touring. The foot-rest is on the lower side but unlike the prelaunch model (the one we rode last year), the pegs now are sleeker and don’t scrape while cornering. The Metzeler tyres did a fabulous job of sticking to the road even in those treacherous conditions.
There is a decent list of features, which include an analogue rev counter with a digital cluster to give out information such as the speedometer, gear indicator, fuel-gauge, trip meter,
and even a clock. The twin front discs up front are reassuring, but despite the adjustable brake lever, the feel isn’t very progressive and one needs to apply more than usual pressure to shed speed. Thankfully, now the bike is equipped with ABS which has become a must nowadays, and this one can be switched off if desired. With its 14-litre fuel tank and an average fuel economy of about 25 km/l it should be able to cover 350 km before a refill.
Finally, let’s sum it all up. The compact Benelli’s sharp looks, therapeutic exhaust note, refined twincylinder engine with a six shooter, agility, and decent features add up in the bike’s favour. Moreover, unlike its competitors, this is neither over sporty nor over-priced. Plus it comes with a four-year unlimited kilometre warranty. We have to admit, the 302R is one of the strongest propositions from DSK Benelli in recent times.
Unlike its competitors, the DSK Benelli 302R is neither over sporty nor over-priced