Suitable Partners
Benelli 752s MV Agusta Superveloce
The famous brand from Pesaro has endured some highs and lows in its (so far) 110 years. There has been grand prix glory, including the 250cc World Championship for Australian Kel Carruthers, and a period of ownership by the flamboyant Argentinian businessman Alejandro de Tomaso from 1971 that produced some rather forgettable models. Since 2005, the famous Italian marque has been owned by the Qianjiang Group and manufactured in China, although much of the design work is still done in Italy. This arrangement has seen a steady flow of new models, increasingly larger in capacity, and the 752s is the latest, as well as the most expensive in the range.
The heart of the 752s is of course the engine, and the specification is impressive. Way oversquare with 88 x 62mm
bore and stroke, the engine is a new chapter in the now commonplace parallel twin, 270º crank arrangement that is in so many manufacturers’ catalogues. It goes pretty well too, although the power does not come on in great lashes; more a steady surge that works well around town and is perfectly capable of highway cruising. Under hard acceleration, the engine emits a very pleasant growl. The chassis also looks the job – a steel trellis frame that seems to echo another famous Italian brand. I found the handling to be possibly the bike’s strongest suit, helped by the Marzocchi front end, excellent brakes and standard fitment Pirelli Angel ST tyres. The riding position and the relationship between handlebar/ seat and footrests should suit the majority of riders very well.
The TFT dash is quick to flip over to night time mode, which is very colourful, and once you get used to where to look, all the information is there. On the 752s there are no engine modes nor traction control to worry about – what you see if what you get, but simplicity can be a good thing. The clutch operation felt a bit aggressive but once under way the gearbox itself works well. There were naturally a few gripes. The seat is very sparse on upholstery and lets you know in fairly short order, and the speedo struggles with the truth). There is no consideration in the luggage carrying department as supplied, but no doubt this will be addressed with either standard or aftermarket options at a later date.
Most people will find the styling quite pleasing and overall it looks well proportioned. I do think the rear end treatment with the mudguard/hugger, tail lamp/indicator set up to be a bit clumsy looking and the droopy headlight reminds me of ‘The Scream’, but these are personal issues. The standard of finish is extremely high. By the time the 752s is on the road there’s not a lot of change from $13,000, but it still represents good value for money. It will be interesting to see if the 752s grows some horns in the power department in future models, because the chassis package could easily cope with extra grunt. The missing flexibility could well be to do with the big bore and minimal flywheels, and some extra crankshaft inertia would make the urban ride more fulfilling.
There’s plenty of opposition in the middleweight ‘naked’ class at present, and the Benelli is a genuine contender, with the added kudos of the badge of the oldest extant Italian manufacture proudly on the petrol tank.