Benelli Tnt 302 Review

Oct 17, 2006
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As im buggering around with my Ducati S4 in thailand I have a loan of a really lovely Racing Green Benelli TNT 302 cc its actually brilliant 360 crank with balancer so its smooth , screams to 11,000 revs , lovely sound 6 gears loads of power handles brilliant and looks good only 37bhp but it runs a good as my UK Moster750. Ok yes less torque but totally addictive and practical.
twin front brembo 4 pot brakes , Italy design but chinese built its capable of 110 mph ,, can be bought new for and in Thailand can be bought new for 130K baht its very well made ,, cant fault it much nicer than comparable Jap bikes ,, want to try the 500cc version as well ,, head light is simply awesome ..
Alex reckon i might even find a low mileage 2nd hand one for 90k baht

we have been doing our own servicing on it and its well made and designed electrics and wiring and the motor ,, lots of Bias against chinese made bikes but this machine is superb the benelli design team in italy have some real talent
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today i thrashed it for 160 klics , its like riding an old LC250 stroker totally addictive the BWAAAAHHH
of the intake noise is awesome and it pulls hard ,, but i have some criticisms ,, the seat is really crippling after 50 miles hard and you slide onto the tank ,, the original chinky winner tyres are OK but soon it will want some nice sticky bridgstones or pirelllis ,, a tingly vibes but no worse than some inline fours ,,, alround pretty good bike ,, wish it had a bit more torque got it up to 155kph easy alex says he has had it go to 170kph
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MONSTERMAN
 
Sep 4, 2007
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Interesting to read your take on this. I have the exact same bike and before I saw and tried it I heard the MADE IN CHINA bit and assumed like 90% of other bikers, ah Chinese crap. However it looks great sounds great and performs better than the Honda 300's etc and mine now 18 moths old, used in the wet regularly is showing no rust or deterioration. It is heavy, but not noticeable when riding. You forgot to mention braided brake lines, Led lights, upside down forks, all unusual on a bike of this price range. I think it will take more time for the Benelli name to regain some of its Italian heritage and lose the stigma of the made in China bit, but if more experienced bikers like us actually use the bikes and report findings as here, I guess the image will gradually improve. I will be selling minein April or May when the 2018 Yamaha MT 07 arrives. Expected sale price at that time with around 7000km will be about 75,000 baht
 
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The MT07 has a stonking engine but the front forks are a major let down ,, on current models ,, its a big hit in UK for yamaha but most owners spend out on decent suspension mods


Te TNT 302 tyres are not chinese they say made in Thailand on the side ,and they are not bad , for me the seat is a major turnoff its crippling after using the Benelli daily for a week im in loads of hip and back pain ,, which i dont get on the rock hard ducati ,, Its a real hoot though ,, I reckon everyone should try one , Im testing out lots of candidates my next bike in thailand my heart will probably be a Triumph T100 Bonny 900cc , i love my old Ducati but its 18 year old and needs a major refurb and i also need somthing more comfy and lower and more relaxed ,, the 650 vstrom is the bike my head tells me to buy ,, but my heart rules ha ha
still goy the Monster 750 and 750ss in UK and they are still fine for me there

i have offered the Ducati to a group of Thai bike fanatics and they reckon its worth between 150-200k baht , if it does not sell i will finance the new bike later in the year and keep the ducati as a project bike
 
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The MT07 has a stonking engine but the front forks are a major let down ,, on current models ,, its a big hit in UK for yamaha but most owners spend out on decent suspension mods
Yes I understood that was the feeling. The 2018 model has some changes including suspension changes and seat mods to make it a bit more accommodating. Also the silly huge Yamaha indicators become more sensible. Not yet seen a riding review of the model, but then not out until March. I will be happy with the very low weight of the bike. Its all much the same when riding, but so much easier to manhandle around the garage and gravelly car parks. Been buying lower capacity and weight bikes in a continuous slope since the FJR1300, but I think the Benelli 300 is a bit too low for a main bike
 

Tiyaan

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Aug 24, 2017
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Very interesting Information on the little TNT. For now I'm on the Chinese Crap side, but wasn't it like that with Japanese cars in the early 70's ... and then they turned out to be more reliable than everyone else?

@monsterman
I tried the MT07 and the Tracer and I didn't like any of them.
MT07: i loved the frame end suspensions but found the engine more like a scooter engine (I know all the critics say opposite)
Tracer 700: the engine is in a better home, but I didn't like the ride... difficult to say what it was, boring I guess... and weird to put into corners, hated the back brake ABS
Still the engine IS a bomb and I'm looking forward to try it on the new tenere
 

Dodraugen

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A 300 cc bike which is 402 ibs/182 kilograms dry weight (claimed)???
A KTM Duke 390 is for comparison 139 kilograms dry, a tiny 43 kilograms lighter.... A Yamaha MT07 is 182 kilograms wet, with more than double of power and cc.
 

Tiyaan

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The little Duke ..... I may need to try that one too ... I keep dismissing it cuz it's less than 500 ... but its weight!!!
 
Sep 4, 2007
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A 300 cc bike which is 402 ibs/182 kilograms dry weight (claimed)???
A KTM Duke 390 is for comparison 139 kilograms dry, a tiny 43 kilograms lighter.... A Yamaha MT07 is 182 kilograms wet, with more than double of power and cc.
Maybe so, and the weight is one thing that comes with the low price, but the materials the bike is made from, while heavy are strong and also look good, in fact the paint finish on mine is better than that on my last couple of Kawasaki bikes. I consider mine to be my go to bike for less than 100km trips, equipped with a tank bag and a topbox on the back, its great for my 40km return shopping trips. The bike works well and for me is great value for money. Going to use it next month for a few 400km days around the North here, will see how that goes and report accordingly.
 
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So high weight comes with low price or vice versa? That was new for me, please explain?
Because it cost a lot more money to make lighter bikes. Try and pick up a Thai made (or probably Chinese) full suspension mountain bike and then pick up a top of the range Cannondale that costs at least 10 times as much. The expensive bike is way way lighter. Same for motorbikes. Of course you have to compare a twin 300cc naked bike with a similar bike, you cannot compare it with a very expensive 1500cc Gold Wing, or a Harley which just seem to enjoy being heavy and you seem to be paying to join the Harley club, rather than paying for performance.
 

Dodraugen

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Because it cost a lot more money to make lighter bikes. Try and pick up a Thai made (or probably Chinese) full suspension mountain bike and then pick up a top of the range Cannondale that costs at least 10 times as much. The expensive bike is way way lighter. Same for motorbikes. Of course you have to compare a twin 300cc naked bike with a similar bike, you cannot compare it with a very expensive 1500cc Gold Wing, or a Harley which just seem to enjoy being heavy and you seem to be paying to join the Harley club, rather than paying for performance.

Ehh?? Youre comparing pushbikes with motorbikes? And you ask me to not compare a 300 cc with a Harley or a Gold Wing? First of all - I havent compared the TNT 300 with a Harley or a GW, I compared it to a KTM Duke 390 which is almost 100 cc MORE AND 43 kilograms LIGHTER! I also mentioned just by weight comparison the Yamaha MT07.
A Yamaha R3 which has a few more cc and a little more power is 167 kgs wet, approx 155 dry. Still a 27 kgs LIGHTER than the TNT.
The Kawasaki Ninja 300 is 165 kgs dry, quite heavy but still 17 kgs lighter than the TNT.

I always thought chinese steel was a bit on the light side - all the way from the days when chairman Mao ordered his cadres to produce steel whatever the consequenses might be and thus the chinese people threw all their cutlery and cooking pots into the village melting pot - and voila there were steel! But maybe they dont use their cutlery anymore for steel production...
 

canthai

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Benelli 139/155 K
KTM 239K
Low weight and more power comes at a higher price
 
Sep 4, 2007
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Ehh?? Youre comparing pushbikes with motorbikes? And you ask me to not compare a 300 cc with a Harley or a Gold Wing? First of all - I havent compared the TNT 300 with a Harley or a GW, I compared it to a KTM Duke 390 which is almost 100 cc MORE AND 43 kilograms LIGHTER! I also mentioned just by weight comparison the Yamaha MT07.
A Yamaha R3 which has a few more cc and a little more power is 167 kgs wet, approx 155 dry. Still a 27 kgs LIGHTER than the TNT.
The Kawasaki Ninja 300 is 165 kgs dry, quite heavy but still 17 kgs lighter than the TNT.

I always thought chinese steel was a bit on the light side - all the way from the days when chairman Mao ordered his cadres to produce steel whatever the consequenses might be and thus the chinese people threw all their cutlery and cooking pots into the village melting pot - and voila there were steel! But maybe they dont use their cutlery anymore for steel production...


Hopefully this thread is at least mildly entertaining so I will make a last contribution to the subject and then shut up. Your question was about price and weight, I answered your question. I used an example from another manufacturing technology to illustrate my point, I did not compare a bicycle with a motorbike. You seem obsessed with power v weight and have not mentioned the price of any of the bikes you quote. Canthai has been kind enough to do that. I stress, the Benelli is good value for money, it is not as light as some more expensive bikes in the same class.
The list price of the Benelli is 139K, Here in CM the shop was discounting to 129K, I bought mine hardly used for under 80K, so that ramps up the good value part. Second hand prices are low because of the Chinese heritage. A second hand nearly new Ninja 300 is going to cost upwards of 125K
I am happy with mine and I would definitely not be happy with a Duke 390 or an R3 for what I want to do with this bike. The Ninja 300 is the closest but for me, not such good value as the Benelli.
 
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Dodraugen

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Hopefully this thread is at least mildly entertaining so I will make a last contribution to the subject and then shut up. Your question was about price and weight, I answered your question. I used an example from another manufacturing technology to illustrate my point, I did not compare a bicycle with a motorbike. You seem obsessed with power v weight and have not mentioned the price of any of the bikes you quote. Canthai has been kind enough to do that. I stress, the Benelli is good value for money, it is not as light as some more expensive bikes in the same class.
The list price of the Benelli is 139K, Here in CM the shop was discounting to 129K, I bought mine hardly used for under 80K, so that ramps up the good value part. Second hand prices are low because of the Chinese heritage. A second hand nearly new Ninja 300 is going to cost upwards of 125K
I am happy with mine and I would definitely not be happy with a Duke 390 or an R3 for what I want to do with this bike. The Ninja 300 is the closest but for me, not such good value as the Benelli.

I find it quite amusing that someone find a 300 cc bike and a weight of more than 180 kilograms «good value for money» Maybe if you consider the price you paid versus how many kilograms of motorbike you got for it LOL...

For the rest you write; you did as all readers can see compare pushbikes with motorbikes.
For relatively normal motorbikes, not made of carbon or similar products there have never been a coherence between weight and price. That is nonsense coming from you.

But if youre happy with the bike thats great. If they could shave off 40-50 kilograms off it I would consider one too...
 
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Dodraugen

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Benelli 139/155 K
KTM 239K
Low weight and more power comes at a higher price

I dont think the higher price had anything to do with weight. It has something to do about quality and the tiny little detail that the KTM is almost 100 cc more/30 % bigger engine than the TNT.

A Yamaha SR400 cost 275 k baht in Thailand and weighs around 175 kilos and are a very primitive bike and doesnt even have an electric starter.

And that price is as you can see a good bit MORE than the much LIGHTER KTM. A good exemple that weight doesnt have anything to do with prices on standard motorbikes.
Exceptions can be found of course on special editions etc.
 
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Oct 17, 2006
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The KTMs are made in india and they definitly have some short cuts and quality issues to but they are perceived as quality make and high performance , and Heavy slow Indian Royal enfield 500s are selling like hotcakes in pattaya because the thais see them as simple to fix and classics

In Pattaya the main reason the Benellis are available cheaply 2nd hand is not that they are chinese its due to thais not properly testing them and then finding they are maybe too tall, thats from quite a few local thai big bike riders i know who have the bike .so there are quite a few available low mileage in mint condition
 

Dodraugen

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The KTMs are made in india and they definitly have some short cuts and quality issues to but they are perceived as quality make and high performance , and Heavy slow Indian Royal enfield 500s are selling like hotcakes in pattaya because the thais see them as simple to fix and classics

In Pattaya the main reason the Benellis are available cheaply 2nd hand is not that they are chinese its due to thais not properly testing them and then finding they are maybe too tall, thats from quite a few local thai big bike riders i know who have the bike .so there are quite a few available low mileage in mint condition

KTMs has always had some issues, last big problems were the airfilters on the 1190 Advs that let dust through and into the engine with sometimes serious problems.

Still I consider an indian made KTM a better quality bike than a China made Benelli.
 
Oct 17, 2006
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Update Im back in Town been away 10 months due to family and work reasons .. longest away from LOS in 25 years

Unfortunately My Ducati needs a new regulator and its now on order,, non in Country

so Alex said use the Benelli,, which he has not used for 6 months ,, but it would not start because he had left it with a tank full of GASOHOL and not Benzine as I advised,, so the fuel tank was full of a nasty foul red paint type substance no longer fuel and water and black mould inside,, tank has now been cleaned and flushed fuel pump buggered and new filters ,, DO NOT STORE YOUR BIKE WITH GASOHOL IN ,, YOU Have been warned ,,


My Ducati Had sat for !0 months and started easy because it was Stored with Benzine .
so awaiting new fuel pump from Benelli ,, Alex lent me his Ninja 650 so Im out touring on that and its a lovely machine ..

PS : Benelli have just released TNT752s twin its a big version of 302 that I cant wait to get my hands on 81hp lots of torque and same weight as 302,, wow ,,
 

canthai

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but it would not start because he had left it with a tank full of GASOHOL and not Benzine as I advised,, so the fuel tank was full of a nasty foul red paint type substance no longer fuel and water and black mould inside,, tank has now been cleaned and flushed fuel pump buggered and new filters ,, DO NOT STORE YOUR BIKE WITH GASOHOL IN ,, YOU Have been warned ,,

for well over 10 years I have returned for contract work in N. America. Stored HD and all other bikes with 95 gasahol, StaBil, and Max44. Never an issue.
More to this story than that
 
Oct 17, 2006
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for well over 10 years I have returned for contract work in N. America. Stored HD and all other bikes with 95 gasahol, StaBil, and Max44. Never an issue.
More to this story than that


no mate i kid u not the fuel in the Tank was rancid ,, the water had separated totally and what was left was a blood red mess with black bits of mould in it ,, smelling like paint rather than any fuel ,
i cut the filters open, totally clogged as is the pump , i put a magnrt to the black mould and some rust came out of it although now the tank has been cleaned its all shiny again inside

Alex admits he forgot to empty bike of Gasohol and put Benzine in the tank back in April ,,,no stabilisers or other additives used either ,,,, he put a small amount of the drained out fuel on a dish and put a match to it Zilch what came out that tank wont even burn ??
 

canthai

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I found the Max 44 years ago. Stops phase separation - where the alcohol separates from the gasoline. Works a charm. As said - no issues.
My Dyna, returning in a steel crate from Australia, sat almost 7 years, gasahol, StaBil and Max 44. Drained fuel, refill, buy new battery - VROOM !

Thailand « Cyclo Industries
 

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Oct 17, 2006
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Benelli all fixed new pump and filter and she is wizzing around lovely Its a great little bike lovely gearbox too stonking brakes great finish ,, did a service on it too dead easy ,,

recently tested a 502 trek and it was also very good very comfy, engine is also a nice performer ,, not in the africa twin or BM W GS class but a fraction of the cost .

cant wait for the 752 thats gotta be the winner . recently tested in Italy the reviewers were astonished ,, it beat a Ducati 821 monster hands down
 
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My Daughter is now considering a Leoncino 500 instead of a Kawasaki 650 or MT07 as she says she has now ridden all 3 and the Benelli is best feeling engine , most comfy and best sound also in UK £2000 cheaper than the other 2 and a longer warranty ,,, she also like the 300 but the 500 has more power

I have tried it and also like it ,, oh and those who think the 300 porky ,, I was carrying a Fat English friend we could accelerate from 30kph in 6th gear no snatch up to 140kph and beat every car and almost every big bike around at that time ,,its a very good torquey flexible engine for only 39hp.. the 500 has 48 hp and more torque .
 
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