Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128117
Benelli Tornado 900 Superbike By ALAN CATHCART PHOTOS BY KEL EDGE ('/Q he 60,000 race fans lining the 'V Misano race track on Italy's Adriatic Coast on June 24 were treated to a World Superbike concert performance of a solid gold sound in motorcycle music, with the eagerlyawaited debut in the hands of Australian rider Peter Goddard of the three-cylinder 900cc Benelli Tornado, built just 12 miles down the coast at Pesaro. Ditto for those of you fortunate enough to have been at the Laguna Seca round of the series. The Benelli's distinctive exhaust note - revvier than a twin, deeper and more muscular-sounding than a four - was a sound that had not been heard in worldclass competition for 28 years, ever since the MY Agusta triples, which won 14 world titles between 1966 and 1973, last raced in a Grand Prix. Moreover, the Tornado Superbike's debut marked the return to racing after a similar period of Italy's historic Benelli marque, winner of two 250cc World Championships (the second in 1969, courtesy of Aussie Kel Carruthers), which last gridded for a World Championship event almost exactly 28 years ago to the day, at the tragic Italian GP at Monza in May 1973, which cost the lives of Jamo Saarinen and Renzo Pasolini, both ironically former Benelli riders. After languishing for more than two decades as an outpost of the De Tomaso empire, Benelli is now owned by Italy's influential Merloni family, proprietors of the Indesit and Ariston domestic appliance empire, one of whose dozen European factories is actually located on the site 'of the old Benelli motorcycle plant in Pesaro. BenelJi's revival began four years ago with the development of a range of scooters built at its all-new Pesaro factory, some of which now bears the Renault name as part of a joint venture with the French car manufacturer. But upon acquiring the Benelli brand in 1996, 33-year-old Andrea Merloni - formerly patron of the Gattalone World Superbike team whose leased factory Ducatis were ridden with success by Frankie Chili - made no secret of his desire to build his own range of motorcycles, and go racing with the result. In July of 1999, Benelli revealed its first motorcycle model, the fuelinjected 900cc Tornado triple designed by a team led by former Ferrari and Cagiva race engineer Riccardo Rosa, and the basis of the company's future range of full-size bikes. Two years later, the Tornado has now made its competition debut at world level. Sadly, Goddard failed to finish either race at Misano after qualifying After 28 ,ears out of the limelight, Benelll Is back on track, literally! 14 AUGUST 15. 2001 • III U III •• n _ ..., s