Benelli’s Chinese partner Qianjiang, which sells premium motorcycles under the QJ Motor brand, has received type-approvals for two new sportbikes. A quarter-litre machine and a 350cc sportbike have emerged on the internet. This leads us to believe that both sportbikes will also don the Benelli badge for sale in the international market after their debut with QJ Motor.
Both motorcycles come with a fully faired design and come with similar side fairings and tail section. The motorcycles feature a split headlamp with LED lighting, a sharp front fascia and a race-style windscreen. The bike also comes with a muscular fuel tank, clip-on handlebars and fairing-mounted wing mirrors. Both the 250cc and 350cc motorcycle features a high mount tail section, but here the similarities end.
The quarter-litre model features a single disc-brake on the front as well as a premium single-sided swingarm. The quarter-litre bike is also likely to have two iterations, one with higher-spec brakes and a single-sided swingarm and another with a tubular double-sided swingarm and semi-floating stoppers. The alloy wheel design on the 250cc bike is also premium and comes with a dual-tone machine cut finish. The QJ Motor 350 comes with dual discs on the front and appears to have semi-floating stoppers. The motorcycle also comes with an extruded aluminium double-sided swingarm.
In the engine department, the QJ Motor 250 will feature a 249cc single-cylinder motor. This engine will produce around 27.5 Hp of power and comes with a lightweight of 159kgs at the kerb. Powering the QJ Motor 350 will be a 353cc twin-cylinder motor that pumps out 36 Hp of power and a ready-to-ride weight of 179 kgs.
If the motorcycles are launched in the Indian market, they will compete with the KTM RC 390 and the Apache RR310, at least in terms of design. However, it is unlikely that the brand will bring the motorcycles to the Indian market anytime soon.