2018 BENELLI TNT 300 / TNT 600
FIRST TEST
P96
2018 BENELLI TNT 300 / TNT 600
Underbody exhaust
minimizes its visual
impact, and keeps the
tail section free for
passenger legs and/
or saddlebags, should
you choose to take
your TNT 300 on a
road trip.
American-sized riders, these ergos
fit the bill. The handlebars, too, were
wider than expected, but offered good
leverage for tight turns once we got roll-
ing. The rear sets are clearly designed
for a larger foot, as there were times I
was searching for the shift lever and lift-
ing higher than usual to click into gear.
Firing up the 300 gave that recogniz-
able parallel-twin growl; less throaty
than a V-twin rumble, but not as bee-
like as an inline-four's buzz. Pulling
away from the curb, the little TNT gave
perfectly reasonable throttle response
and manageable power output right off
the line. Nothing felt squishy, soft, or
delayed in throttle response or power
output, but the 300 never felt twitchy
or eager to jump off the line, either.
Seeing as the target demographic for
this bike is the newer rider, and also the
older rider looking to trade their larger
bike for something smaller and more
manageable, Benelli did a good job
making this bike unintimidating.
Once we were rolling, the TNT 300
left little, if anything, to be desired.
You want an eye-watering top speed?
You're looking in the wrong category.
It's a common phrase among motoring
enthusiasts of all ilk: riding a slow bike
fast is way more fun than riding a fast
bike slow. And there were plenty of op-
portunities to prove that on the not-so-
little 300, as I had the throttle pinned
a couple times while playing with my fel-
low journos who were on the TNT 600.
The 300 held its own on the freeway
