Benelli BN600R – road test 2014

Un historic brand of the Italian motorcycle scene, the Benelli born in 1911, was purchased in 2005 by the Chinese giant QJ, acronym for QJIAN JIANG. Some admirers of the Italian company may not have liked this step, but more and more often the capital of Asian or Indian companies is a panacea to help European companies with essential resources to keep up with the competition. Think about what happened with the Jaguar – Land Rover group, acquired by the Indian Tata Motors. Having overcome everyone's initial skepticism, he was able to bring the two brands back to the glories of a now distant past, keeping their philosophy and production on English soil unchanged. In the same way Benelli maintains production and design in Italy, but helped by the new ownership. There Benelli BN 600 R is the first real project of the new course, the result of Italian-Chinese synergies and sets itself the difficult objective of entering an already crowded segment, that of medium-displacement naked bikes, by offering strong technical and design choices, perhaps precisely to present itself to a circle of enthusiasts looking for something different and non-trivial. A courageous choice, starting with the engine four cylinders in line. Brand purists will turn up their noses, given that Benelli had not used this solution for almost 30 years and had made the 3 in line a trademark. Engine aside, the line is certainly captivating, the chassis is based on refined components made in Italy, but the price remains low. Everything gives hope that the new Benelli BN 600 R can become the object of desire for those who want a fun and unconventional motorcycle. The lion from Pesaro roars again.

Aesthetics and finishes:

rating:  

Aggressive and with exaggerated components, shame about some finishes

At first glance the Benelli BN 600 R, as well as being very attractive, also seems well made and cared for. Some technical and stylistic choices are of great value. The front end is a masterpiece, with a prestigious Marzocchi fork, with enormous 50 mm stanchions and the braking system Brembo It even comes with pliers four-piston monobloc radials, combined with two 320 mm floating discs. At the rear we find a clearly visible on the right side Sachs adjustable mono shock absorber in extension and spring preload. To complete the look of the bike, deliberately very "bad", the asymmetric rear swingarm with the aluminum alloy truss, really impressive also on an aesthetic level. The frame is the union of the main trellis portion made of steel tubes, which we find in the front part, and aluminum plates with which it is connected and where the swingarm is pivoted. The double exhaust pipe under the tail further contributes to the task of making the appearance of the BN 600 R particularly muscular. The saddle is made up of two distinct elements, placed at different heights, covered in an elegant non-slip material. If we exclude the front side panels, which do not seem irresistible to us, the appearance of the BN 600 R is really successful, but it's not all roses and sunshine. Apart from the all too marked one similarity with the two Aprilia Shiver (especially) and Dorsoduro, There are some decidedly subdued details. We are referring, for example, to the handlebar controls with an '80s flavor, or to the plastic covering the tank, which is not quite up to par. The instrumentation is all too essential. It's a shame, because after choosing such high-quality components, the BN 600 R deserved greater attention to some finishes.

Engine and performance:

rating:  

It only pushes above 7 thousand, below it is far too empty and irregular

Perhaps the most unconventional choice concerns the engine, which is a 4-cylinder. It's a shame not to carry forward a choice that was a distinctive sign associated by enthusiasts with the Benelli brand: the three in line. One prevailed cost containment logic and exploitation of economies of scale. The engine it is in fact the Chinese component of the BN 600 R project. The 600cc is a Euro 3, with 82 HP of maximum power delivered at 11.500 rpm, and pushes hard only at the top, as demonstrated by the torque data. THE 52 Nm are developed even at 10.500 rpm! Not a monster of power, other 4 in line have much higher power and torque values, but certainly a "mule", capable of running without problems even with low octane petrol, therefore suitable for Asian and South American markets , where Benelli today exports a large part of its production. In his defense we can also say that even the novice motorcyclist will be able to enjoy a nice motorbike, with a pleasant sound and a delivery which forces it to be blended at high speeds, without being scared that the excessive exuberance of the engine could undermine the chassis. With the BN 600 R we have in fact opted not to skimp on chassis choices, making it a motorcycle that you can really enjoy riding, around curves and when braking rather than straight ahead. Another choice that will meet the taste of many, the one he gave her a decidedly bad sound, full-bodied in the bass and which becomes scratchy as the revs increase. The engine is one of those that love to rev high, in fact it keeps the best of itself in reserve for the range from 7 thousand rpm up to the limiter. The delivery is empty at bass, with the BN 600 R remaining sly at least up to 6 thousand rpm. Own like the 2-stroke that were used years ago, if you enjoy it it becomes a pleasure, you find yourself making exaggerated use of the gearbox, pulling the engine up to the limiter also to appreciate its voice. The power doesn't scare you, on the contrary it makes you want to push the engine even more. Too bad for a few too many irregularities in reacting to the throttle command, with an on-off effect that in the past we had only found with the first applications of ride by wire. Too bad that here the gas works with a classic steel wire. Irregularities tend to disappear as the regime grows.

Ride and handling:

rating:  

On tight mixed terrain it gives its best, impressive braking

The riding position is the right one for a naked: straight handlebars, high footrests and torso slightly leaning forward to have everything under control while riding. A position that didn't prove too tiring even after several kilometres. The same cannot be said for the passenger. Except for short journeys, the Benelli BN 600 R should be enjoyed alone. It's better not to force a passenger on long journeys with you, once you get off the motorbike they won't love you as much as before. This is part of the defects of a naked bike: you cannot expect high comfort for two people. With a view to motorway use, as well as the obvious lack of aerodynamic shelter, It suffers from rather noticeable vibrations, both on the handlebars and on the footrests. Thanks above all to a very high regime at the classic 130 km/h, with the rev counter reaching 7. His ideal terrain and another, they are the curvy roads. Here the best qualities of this motorbike emerge, with a slowdown that is nothing short of generous. The two radial front calipers, beautiful 4-piston Brembos, supported by 320 mm discs, are the best you could wish for. Braking is always powerful, modular and allows you to stop in small spaces, in great safety. The BN 600 R never fails when braking, also thanks to the well balanced weight of the motorbike, even if 220 kg in running order there aren't very many of them. The rear brake is honest in its behavior, if you overdo it you quickly get to lockup, thanks to the shift of weight to the front and theabsence of ABS, but just ease the pressure with your right foot to recover. The fork is of excellent workmanship and quality, almost exaggerated for the performance of the motorbike, It's a shame, however, that it lacks any type of adjustment. As she was set up she seemed too soft to us. You can act on the precariousness of the Sachs rear shock absorber to remedy this, but the most astute pilots have always the possibility of making some small changes, with a reduced expense, going to configure the prestigious Marzocchi fork as you wish, which is certainly an excellent basis to work on. The handling between turns is very good, it is not one of the most intuitive motorbikes right from the start, but once you have taken the measurements you can make it do what you want, given that the chassis is certainly oversized compared to the performance. Unfortunately they remain disappointing handlebar controls, a little poor, and the instrumentation offering the bare minimum, with speedometer, tachometer, clock, engine temperature, 2 trips and fuel level (not among the most precise, incidentally). Nothing more. The Benelli BN 600 R is a very fun entry level with some flaws, but not serious ones.

Price and consumption:

rating:  

Attractive price for the Benelli medium-displacement naked bike

In light of some features, first and foremost the front end, the price of 6.790 euros appears particularly low. The BN 600 R is available in three colors, red, black, or white like the one in our test. The consumption we recorded in our long test, of over 700 km, was in the order of 15/16 km/l. Considering that we squeezed it thoroughly, this isn't a bad thing. The multi-fractional engine, less available in solutions with a smaller number of cylinders, does not play in its favor, nor does the need to rev it high to achieve brilliant performance. With a more careful driving style, things change, obviously. The tank, with a capacity of 15 litres, guarantees more than sufficient autonomy for the type of motorcycle.

PROS AND CONS
We like it:
Brembo-Marzocchi-Sachs: high-end motorcycle brakes and chassis on an entry level bike for less than 7 thousand euros, with an attractive line and a great engine sound
We do not like it:
Engine output and power not up to the standard of the chassis, some details subdued, fork not adjustable

Benelli BN600R: the Motorionline Report Card

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Test clothing:
Jacket: Spidi Street Tex jacket
Trousers: Furious Tex JEANS
Gloves: Spidi Jab RR
Shoes: Xpd X-ZERO H2OUT
Helmet: Caberg Duke Legend