DSK Motowheels chairman Sirish Kulkarni has hinted that the Benelli Tornado Naked T-135 mini bike might be launched in India soon. First unveiled at the 2015 EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, the Tornado Naked T-135 marks Benelli’s foray into a completely new segment.
During the launch of Benelli’s newest showroom in Coimbatore, Sirish was quoted saying that this mini bike will cost anywhere between Rs 1.3 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh, which will make it the most affordable motorcycle in the brand’s Indian portfolio. The Benelli Tornado Naked T-135 has been styled to look like a shrunken version of the TNT 25. Complete with an exposed trellis frame and minimal bodywork, the Tornado Naked T gets all the characteristic styling cues of a streetfighter. For the Indian market, the Tornado Naked T-135 will be available with a 135cc powertrain. Rated at 12.6bhp and 10.8Nm of torque, the engine is mated to a five-speed transmission.
Globally, this niche segment has so far been dominated by the Honda MSX125, more popularly known as the Grom. With Kawasaki unveiling the new Z125 at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, this niche segment has all of a sudden started seeing some activity. While the market for such bikes has so far been non-existent, Honda recently decided to test the waters by introducing the Navi. The Tornado Naked T-135 though will be positioned way above the Navi, and should remain unrivalled for quite some time.
Source: ETAuto
