Because it will be a difficult task to sell Imperiale 400 in India
Benelli just launched the TRK 502 and 502X Adventure Tourers in India will a starting price of Rs 5 Lakh. Benelli has confirmed that they will launch retro cruiser Imperiale 400 in India in 2019. We can expect Benelli to launch in the next few months. Here’s what we think about this motorcycle in th Indian market.
Look at the Engine
Imperiale 400 is powered by an air-cooled, 373.5 cc single cylinder engine fed by a fuel injector. Power figures are 19 bhp @5500 rpm and 28 Nm @3500 rpm and not to write anything home about because Royal Enfield Classic 350 churns out 19.8 bhp from its 350 cc Engine. Whoa, who’s got more powerful here, the Classic 350.
Also Read: Upcoming Benelli Bikes in India in 2019
The Benelli makes peak torque at low 3500 rpm which will help bike to ride hassle free on the urban roads. But 373 cc and just 19 bhp? Royal Enfield is better at this, 19.8 bhp from 346 cc engine. Imperiale 400 should have produced more power and must be liquid cooled.
Other things
Discs at both ends coupled with a dual-channel ABS takes care of the braking department. Wait, Royal Enfield also has all those things. Next, Imperiale weighs 200 Kg which is 8 kilos more than the Classic 350 (and this is a bad thing). Due to low power and high weight, Imperiale 400 will feel a lot underpowered. In terms of looks, Royal Enfield and Imperiale 400 both are retro classic cruisers (and if both looks same, you’ll definitely choose cheaper variant).
Pricing Factor
The pricing of the retro-classic motorcycle will be a crucial factor for the Indian market as this segment is completely dominated by Royal Enfield not to mention that Jawa too has entered the Indian market. Jawa is busy in rolling out new showrooms each day and currently standing at 70 dealerships.
Considering the fact that Benelli is assembling bikes in India instead of complete manufacturing, so we can safely assume that Imperiale 400 will cost at least 2 Lakh ex-showroom in India. And at this price, it will be around Rs 45,000 more expensive than Classic 350 ABS. The large fan following coupled with a lower price tag will kill the Imperiale 400 as soon as it hits the Indian market this year.
Benelli also doesn’t have dealership presence in the country (they have around 20). This will further keep it out of the reach of nearly most of the people out there. If the feature-packed Bajaj Dominar 400 couldn’t shake up the segment than Jawa can.
Ride Safe, Ride Hard, and always wear a helmet while riding. Stay Tuned for more from the world of motorcycling.
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