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RIDING IMPRESSION
2015 BENELLI BN302
Benelli—one of the world's oldest
manufacturers—is slowly re-emerging
as a real market player, as the new
BN302 amply proves.
BY ALAN CATHCART
PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN PIPER
T
hings are heating up in
the 300-400cc light-
weight model sector.
Already we have established
players—Honda with its Thai-
made CB300F roadster and
full-fairing CBR300 singles;
Kawasaki and its class defin-
ing twin-cylinder Ninja 300;
new boys Yamaha with its
YZF-R3 Supersport, and the
so-cool segment-topping
KTM RC390 and 390 Duke,
both made in India by the
Austrian firm's Bajaj partner.
But these big-name contend-
ers for small-bore supremacy
are about to have to cope
with serious competition
from an unlikely source, in
the form of the latest all-new
product from Italy's oldest
motorcycle manufacturer, the
twin-cylinder Benelli BN302
roadster, manufactured in
China by Benelli's owner
Qianjiang (pronounced 'Chin-
jung', but called simply QJ by
all its staff).
In comparison to the Hon-
da CB300F single, which is
its closest direct competitor,
the new Benelli twin is a more
substantial product at slightly
less cost—not just because it
has twice as many cylinders,
but also because it's more
spacious, and seemingly
CHINA'S
COMING!
