Italian motorcycle brand Benelli is gearing up to introduce its modern classic motorbike Imperiale 400. Sources suggest that the Benelli Imperiale 400 will be launched later this year or early 2020. The engine is expected to be BSVI compliant as the new emission norms will take effect in April next year. The engine receives a lot of chrome treatment to give it an old school finish. The bike has a timeless design with a lot of shiny chrome parts and has a easy rider stance.
The Imperiale 400 is expected to be powered by a single cylinder 373.5cc, air-cooled engine which produces 19.7 BHP and 28 Nm of torque. It is expected to have an electronic fuel-injection system for its fuel delivery and it will be mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The Benelli Imperiale 400 is expected to have a double cradle chassis with 41mm telescopic fork set up on the front and twin shock absorbers on the rear. The front wheel is expected to be a 19-inch spoked rim and the rear may get an 18-inch spoked rim. For the brakes, it gets a 300mm diameter hydraulic disc brake on the front and a 240mm hydraulic disc on the rear equipped with a dual-channel ABS.
The Benelli Imperiale will directly compete with the segment dominant, Royal Enfield Classic 350 which is powered by a single-cylinder 346cc, twin-spark, air-cooled engine which produces 19.8 BHP @ 5250 RPM and 28 Nm of torque @ 4000 RPM mated to a 5-speed constant mesh gearbox. The chassis on the Royal Enfield Classic 350 is a single downtube using the engine as a stressed member and rides on 35mm telescopic suspension on the front and a preload adjustable twin shock absorbers on the rear. The Classic 350 gets 19-inch spoked wheels on the front and an 18-inch spoked wheel on the rear. The brakes on the Royal Enfield Classic 350 are a single 280mm diameter hydraulic disc on the front and 240mm hydraulic disc on the rear
The Benelli Imperiale 400 and the Royal Enfield Classic 350 are so closely matched with their technical specifications that the only tiebreaker could be their pricing. The Imperiale 400 is expected to be manufactured in India to keep the prices in check and is expected to be priced aggressively.